Ash Wednesday – A,B,C

Send us Fan MailWednesday, 5 March 2025Ash Wednesday – A,B,C Antiphons and Readings on p.185 of the Daily Missal and p. 84 of the Sunday Missal.First Reading: Joel 2:12-18“Even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and tear your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy, and repents of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.Responsorial psalm: Psalm 51:3-4.5-6ab.12-13.14 and 17 (R. cf. 3a)R./  Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.Have mercy on me, O God,  according to your merciful love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me completely from my iniquity,  and cleanse me from my sin.My transgressions, truly I know them;  my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, Have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done.Create a pure heart for me, O God;  renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence; take not your holy spirit from me.Restore in me the joy of your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit. O Lord, open my lips  and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.  R./ Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:2Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6.16-18At that time:   Jesus said to his disciples   “Beware of practicing your piety before people  in order to be seen by them;  for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.“Thus, when you give alms,  sound no trumpet before you,  as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,  that they may be praised by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But when you give alms,  do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  so that your alms may be in secret;  and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“And when you pray,  you must not be like the hypocrites;  for they love to stand and pray  in the synagogues and at the street corners,  that they may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door  and pray to your Father who is in secret;  and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites,  for they disfigure their faces  that their fasting may be seen by others.  Truly, I say t