Song Sheet Ash Wednesday

Entrance: Lord Who Throughout These Forty Days

Lord, Who throughout these forty days For us didst fast and pray, Teach us with you to mourn our sins And close by you to stay.

As you with Satan did contend, And did the victory win, O give us strength in you to fight, In you to conquer sin.

As you did hunger bear, and thirst, So teach us, gracious Lord, To die to self, and always live By your most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence, And through your passiontide, For evermore in life and death, O Lord, with us abide.

Abide with us that when this life Of suffering is past, An Easter of unending joy We may attain at last.

Offertory: Ashes to Ashes

(Refrain) Ashes to ashes, from dust unto dust. The cross on our forehead, your promise, O God. Ready us to follow the way of your Son, to rise from these ashes, redeemed in the fire of your love.

Sound the trumpet in Zion, announces from the Lord that the day of God’s favor is ever close at hand. (To Refrain)

Rend your hearts, not your garments; return to the Lord, who delights when we offer a truly humble heart. (To Refrain)

We have seen in the heavens and held in our arms what the hand of our maker can fashion out of dust. (To Refrain)

Let us fast from unkindness and turn from our greed, giving bread to the hungry and lifting up the poor. (To Refrain)

Though this life that we treasure must fade like the grass, heaven’s glory awaits those who put their trust in God. (To Refrain)

Communion: Ashes

We rise again from ashes, from the good we’ve failed to do. We rise again from ashes,

Redeemed, O Lord, by you. Our penance, Lord, our sorrow, our grieving hearts renews

an offering of ashes, an offering to you.

We offer you our failures, we offer you attempts, the gifts not fully given, the dreams not fully dreamt. Our stumblings, give direction, our visions wider view, an offering of ashes, an offering to you.

Then rise again from ashes, your healing ease our pain. Though spring has turned to winter,

and sunshine turned to rain, your rain will nurture growing, and create the world anew an offering of ashes, an offering to you.

Give thanks to God the Father, who gave us life and breath. Give thanks to Christ our Savior,

who saved us by his death, who with the Holy Spirit, creates the world anew from an offering of ashes, an offering to you.