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Lectionary Readings for Ash Wednesday
Readings, Responsorial Psalm and Gospel
Reading I, Joel 2:12-18
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel
Rend your hearts, not your garments.
Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole
heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend
your hearts, not your garments, and return to the
Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in
punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave
behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for
the Lord, your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim
a fast, call an assembly; gather the people, notify
the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the
children and the infants at the breast; let the
bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar let the priests,
the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, "Spare, O
Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a
reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why
should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their
God?'" Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his
land and took pity on his people.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm, Ps 51, 3-4. 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17 R. v. 2
R.
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me. R.
2. For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight." R.
3. A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R.
4. Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. R.
Reading II, 2 Cor 5:20 - 6:2
A Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians
Be reconciled to God. Behold, now is the acceptable time.
Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as
if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf
of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him
to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in him. Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on
the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a
very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel, Mt 6, 1-6, 16-18
Verse Before the Gospel, Ps 95:8
If today you hear his voice, harden not
your hearts.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel, According to Matthew
Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform
righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise,
you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as
the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to
win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let
your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your
almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in
secret will repay you. "When you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues
and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen,
I say to you, they have received their reward. But when
you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray
to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in
secret will repay you.
This is the gospel of the Lord.
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