Tracy's Blog

Here we are on Maundy Thursday and I'm still talking about Ash Wednesday!  But we have finally come to the part of the service where the ashes are imposed and I think it draws our hearts to a humble place which prepares us for these next few days.  So we will continue on with the service. (Note: the bold print is what the congregation says.) The celebrant prayers " Almighty God, from the dust of the earth you have created us. May these ashes be for us a sign of our mortality and penitence, and a reminder that only by your gracious gift are we given eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen ." Then those who desire to receive ashes come forward and the ashes are applied to the forehead of each person as the celebrant says: "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." After everyone who desires to receive the ashes has, the celebrant leads the congregation in the conclusion of the confession "Accomplish in us, O God, the ...

The Litany of Penitence Celebrant "Most holy and merciful Father, we confess to you, to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and min, and strength.  We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.  We have not forgiven others and we have been forgiven." Response Have mercy on us, Lord. Then what follows is a litany of confession with responses "Have mercy on us, Lord" "We confess to you, Lord" "Accept our repentance, Lord" "Hear us, Lord, for your mercy is great." I really want to reflect on this litany but I don't have time.  I have just finished a very busy week and am heading into a trip early tomorrow morning.  I really need to go to bed.  But I also need to make sure I am willing to confess and repent of my ow...

Psalm 51 :  The psalm of David after Nathan confronted him regarding Bathsheba is next in the Ash Wednesday liturgy.  The refrain is " Create in me a clean heart, O God " (verse 10a).  This reading prepares us for the Litany of Penitence (which we will get to next week).  It helps us to be honest and hopeful as we confess our sin. Honest: This Psalm models honesty with God and with ourselves.  Verse 3 "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me."   I find it interesting to think about this in light of the fact that God already knows our sin.  We don't need to confess our sin to Him to make Him aware of it like a child who confesses to stealing money from her Dad's wallet and he had not idea she did it. Confessing our sin is admitting it so that we are agreeing with God about our actions, thoughts or words.  But it  takes a lot of courage to be honest with ourselves about our sin. ...