ASH WEDNESDAY (A, B, C) Lectionary #219

This day and Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion are two of the more popular Lenten celebrations. It seems that some people come to church on these days because we're giving things away: ashes and palm. This opening to the "forty days" was added to Lent after the practice of adult initiation had ceased to guide the meaning of the season. The texts focus on repentance by those already baptized rather than preparation for those to be initiated.

NOTE: The Lectionary includes this rubric: "If the blessing and distribution of ashes takes place outside Mass, it is appropriate that the Liturgy of the Word precede it, using texts assigned to the Mass of Ash Wednesday."

Joel 2:12-18. In response to a current calamity, the prophet calls for an act of communal repentance. This reading describes the ritual act itself as well as the prophet's sense, in the final verse, that the Lord will hear the people's prayer.

Psalm of the Day: Ps (50) 51. This is the great "penitential psalm" that becomes the Church's Lenten prayer. Consider not only using a memorable setting of this psalm but also encouraging the parish staff to have copies of the text (or text and music, if the copyright laws permit) available for personal prayer during Lent and for use by those preparing for sacramental reconciliation.
 
Be Merciful, O Lord (Alstott)   BB
Be Merciful, O Lord (Angrisano)   MI-BB
Be Merciful, O Lord (Bedford)  SO 16/PRM C17/PMB 579/WS
Be Merciful, O Lord (Craig/Gelineau)  WOR 787, 973/RS 82/LPGG 791
Be Merciful, O Lord (Guimont)    GC2 928/LPMG 220
Be Merciful, O Lord (Harbor)  LMGM 507
Be Merciful, O Lord (Haugen)   GC 56/GC2 41/RS 83/PCY1 20/SS
Be Merciful, O Lord (Hirten)  GIA 3318
Be Merciful, O Lord (Hunstiger)   SS
Be Merciful, O Lord (Janco)  CCS 3518
Be Merciful, O Lord (Joncas)  GIA 3433
Be Merciful, O Lord (Jordan)  LMGM 508
Be Merciful, O Lord (Kreutz)  PSC 14/PMB 581/PRM C17
Be Merciful, O Lord (Kreutz/Murray)  CBW 44
Be Merciful, O Lord (Marchionda)  SO 53
Be Merciful, O Lord (Mews)   IL 56
Be Merciful, O Lord (Peloquin)   SI 40
Be Merciful, O Lord (Pishner)   GC2 39/SS
Be Merciful, O Lord (Schiavone)  GIA 2845/OCP 9805/JS 902/LP 33
Be Merciful, O Lord (Smith)  CCS 3494
Be Merciful, O Lord (Sullivan)  WC 409
Be Merciful, O Lord (Walker)   JS 46
Be Merciful, O Lord (Ward)  WC 411/WS
Be Merciful, O Lord (Willcock)  PFS 14/JS 46/SS
Create in Me/Oh Dios, Crea en Mí (Alonso)   GC2 38
Create in Me (Haas)   GC 57/GC2 37/PCY3 41
Create in Me (Hurd)  MI‑BB/JS 562/GP 209
Create in Me (Kendzia) MI-BB/JS 47
Create in Me (Kogut) PCY10 24
Have Mercy, Lord (Gelineau)  WOR 41/GC 55/GC2 40/CBW 364
Have Mercy on Me, O Lord (Warner)  PST 21
Have Mercy on Us, Lord (Murray)  CBW 41
Have Mercy on Us, Lord (Petty)   WC 410
Misericordia, Señor (Florián) Cantos 64
Misericordia, Señor (Ponce Rangel) GP 211
Misericordia, Señor/Mercy, Lord (Schiavone) FYC 210
Misericordia, Señor/Show Us Your Mercy, O Lord (Hurd) FYC 209
O Dios, Crea en Mí/Create in Me (Cortés)   FYC 211/JS 48
Remember Your Love (Kreutz)   BB
We Have Sinned, Lord   PSL C-167/SS

2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2. Writing to his favorite community—and also the community that seemed to have had the most problem with internal divisions—Paul calls on the Corinthians to become Christ to one another by taking on the very mission that Jesus accomplished, becoming reconcilers for each other just as Jesus has reconciled humanity and God.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. Alms, prayer, and fasting are the three traditional actions for this season of repentance. When he discusses these activities, Jesus proposes that they be undertaken seriously and with no attempt to promote one's own piety.

Music Suggestions

Choral Anthems

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Choral Anthems

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