ASH WEDNESDAY - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! PS 94:8

JOEL 2:12-18

My Soul's Beloved, 

You graciously give us another Lenten season to draw close to You. So many did not live to see the new year, many have passed on during these past few months, but to us, You give us another opportunity to return to You with all our hearts. Grant us the graces we need to be faithful in keeping the Lenten resolutions we have made that transform us, help us rid ourselves of bad habits, and cultivate those that will benefit our souls.

This is the time, now is the hour; let us not delay our conversion any longer, or it may be too late. I ask for your help, Lord, to participate in the parish community activities during this season of Lent so I may grow in faith, hope, and love. Pour Your grace into my heart so I may enter more deeply into the mysteries of Your passion and death, so I may rejoice greatly as we celebrate the feast of Your glorious resurrection into heaven.

‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –
come back to me with all your heart,
fasting, weeping, mourning.’
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,
turn to the Lord your God again,
for he is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent.
Who knows if he will not turn again, will not relent,
will not leave a blessing as he passes,
oblation and libation
for the Lord your God?
Sound the trumpet in Zion!
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly,
call the people together,
summon the community,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
even the infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his bedroom
and the bride her alcove.
Between vestibule and altar let the priests,
the ministers of the Lord, lament.
Let them say,
‘Spare your people, Lord!
Do not make your heritage a thing of shame,
a byword for the nations.
Why should it be said among the nations,
“Where is their God?”’
Then the Lord, jealous on behalf of his land,
took pity on his people.

PSALM 50(51):3-6,12-14,17

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-6:2

My Soul's Beloved, 

If my heart is breaking that those I love so dearly in the world have separated themselves from You, how much more does God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ache that His children do not knowHim, have no desire to do so, nor do they give Him the honor, the glory, and the praise that is due for the incredible work of salvation wrought for us on the Cross. 

Beloved Jesus, grant me the graces I need to enter fully into these divine mysteries with the Church, and You will at last hear my prayers and break into the hard hearts of those family members who continue to resist Your love. Bring about their salvation, Lord, before it is too late.

We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.

MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-18