Ash Wednesday, Year A

Entrance

• Again we keep this solemn fast—CWBII 285, G 487
• Bring us back to you, O Lord our God—CWB 629, CWBII 287
• Forty days and forty nights—CWBII 288, G 483
• From ashes to the living font—CWBII 289, G 474
• O Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ (morning hymn)—GA 2, CWBII 179
• Praise to you, O Christ, our Saviour—AOV1 28, CWBII 587, G 596, GA 407
• Psalm 94 (95): If today you hear his voice (Willcock)—PFS 50
• There’s a wideness in God’s mercy—CWB 838, CWBII 624, G 644

Responsorial psalm (see also music overview for Lent) 

• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (Gelineau)—G 53
• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (Haugen)—G 51
• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (Mews)—CWB 202
• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (O’Brien)—CWBII 92
• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (Pishner)—G 52
• Psalm 50 (51): Be merciful, O Lord (Willcock)—GA 41, PFS 14

Gospel acclamation (see CWBII 54–61)

cf. Psalm 94:8

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

Distribution of ashes

• Ashes (Conry)—AOV2 16, GA 209, DD (OCP)
• Ashes to ashes (Schutte)—DD (OCP)
• Merciful God (Alonso)—G 489, DD (GIA)
• Return to God—CWBII 298, G 478, GA 304
• Servant Song—AOV2 169, CWBII 461, G 751, GA 487

Procession of the gifts/offertory

• As the deer (Farrell)—DD (OCP)
• Attende Domine/Hear us, almighty Lord—CWBII 292
• Create in me a clean heart, O God—CWBII 478
• Forgive our sins as we forgive—CWB 680, CWBII 120
• God is forgiveness (Taizé)—AOVNG 55, G 959
• Hosea (Come back to me)—AOV1 30, CWB 715, G 484, GA 213
• In every age—AOVNG 77, G 716, DD (OCP)
• Psalm 41 (42): As the deer longs (Hurd)—GA 38, DD (OCP)
• Tree of life (Haugen)—CWBII 300, G 475, GA 307
• Tree of life (Thompson)—AOVNG 138

Communion

• Be reconciled as one—AOV1 162
• Be with me, Lord (Haugen)—CWB 627, CWBII 286, G 65, GA 53
• God of mercy (Manalo)—DD (OCP)
• Grant to us, O Lord—CWB 698, CWBII 291, GA 303
• Psalm 90 (91): Be with me, Lord (Willcock)—PFS 16
• Return to God—CWBII 298, G 478, GA 304
• Take, O take me as I am (Lenten Communion Rite)—DD (GIA)
• Unless a grain of wheat—AOV1 35, CWBII 635, G 783, GA 500

Thanksgiving hymn/song/canticle (optional, sung by all)

• Amazing grace—AOV1 29, CWBII 450, G 645, GA 437
• Beyond the days (Manalo)—DD (OCP)
• From ashes to the living font—CWBII 289, G 474

Sending forth

• A new heart for a new world (Create a new heart)—AOV1 158, CWBII 477, GA 438
• God of mercy and compassion—CWB 692, CWBII 290, GA 302
• May this Lenten discipline—CWB 746, CWBII 295
• Praise to you, O Christ, our Saviour—AOV1 28, CWBII 587, G 596, GA 407
• The glory of these forty days—CWB 825, CWBII 301, G 481
• There’s a wideness in God’s mercy—CWB 838, CWBII 624, G 644