Ash Wednesday - Feb. 18, 2015

First Reading 1 and//www.usccb.org/bible/joel/2:12 Jl 2:12-18 Even now, says the LORD,return to me with your whole heart,with fasting, and weeping, and mourningRend 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 relentand leave behind him a blessing,Offerings and libationsfor the LORD, your God.Blow the trumpet in Zion!proclaim a fast,call an assemblyGather the people,notify the congregationAssemble the elders,gather the childrenand the infants at the breastLet the bridegroom quit his roomand the bride her chamber.Between the porch and the altarlet 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 thepeoples,‘Where is their God?’”Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his landand took pity on his people.The Word of the Lord.Responsorial PsalmR. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodnessin the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.Thoroughly wash me from my guiltand of my sin cleanse me.R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.For I acknowledge my offense,and my sin is before me alwaysand Against you only have I sinned,and done what is evil in your sight.”R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.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. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.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. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.Second ReadingBrothers and sistersandWe 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 saysandIn an acceptable time I heard you,and on the day of salvation I helped you.Behold, now is a very acceptable timebehold, now is the day of salvation.The word of the Lord.Gospel and//www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6and1 Mt 6and1-6, 16-18 Jesus said to his disciplesand Take care not to perform righteous deedsin order that people may see themotherwise, 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 streetsto 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 cornersso 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. When you fast,do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.They neglect their appearance,so that they may appear to others to be fasting.Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.But when you fast,anoint your head and wash your face,so that you may not appear to be fasting,except to your Father who is hidden.And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”The Gospel of the Lord.