READINGS: ASH WEDNESDAY
שׁוּבוּ
וְהָשִׁיבוּ
מִכָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיכֶם —
וַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם לֵב
חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה Even & Odd Years: Isaiah 58:1-12
קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל־תַּחְשֹׂךְ * כַּשּׁוֹפָר הָרֵם קוֹלֶךָ
like a nation that has acted uprightly * and not forsaken the law of its God.
4 look, the only purpose of your fasting is to quarrel and squabble * and strike viciously with your fist.
6 Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me:
8 Then your light will blaze out like the dawn * and your wound be quickly healed over.
If you do away with the yoke, * the clenched fist and malicious words,
11 Yahweh will always guide you, * will satisfy your needs in the scorched land;
Even Years: Leo the Great Treatise 48 (CCL 138A 279-280)
Odd Years: Clement of Rome, To the Corinthian
Invitatory Psalm & BACK
PSALMS and BACK
וְהַגֵּד לְעַמִּי פִּשְׁעָם * וּלְבֵית יַעֲקֹב חַטֹּאתָם׃
וְאוֹתִי יוֹם יוֹם יִדְרֹשׁוּן * וְדַעַת דְּרָכַי יֶחְפָּצוּן
כְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָה עָשָׂה * וּמִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהָיו לֹא עָזָב
יִשְׁאָלוּנִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶדֶק * קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים יֶחְפָּצוּן׃
לָמָּה צַּמְנוּ וְלֹא רָאִיתָ * עִנִּינוּ נַפְשֵׁנוּ וְלֹא תֵדָע
הֵן בְּיוֹם צֹמְכֶם תִּמְצְאוּ־חֵפֶץ * וְכָל־עַצְּבֵיכֶם תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ׃
הֵן לְרִיב וּמַצָּה תָּצוּמוּ * וּלְהַכּוֹת בְּאֶגְרֹף רֶשַׁע
לֹא־תָצוּמוּ כַיּוֹם * לְהַשְׁמִיעַ בַּמָּרוֹם קוֹלְכֶם׃
הֲכָזֶה יִהְיֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ * יוֹם עַנּוֹת אָדָם נַפְשׁוֹ
הֲלָכֹף כְּאַגְמֹן רֹאשׁוֹ * וְשַׂק וָאֵפֶר יַצִּיעַ
הֲלָזֶה תִּקְרָא־צוֹם * וְיוֹם רָצוֹן לַיהוָה׃
הֲלוֹא זֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ
פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע * הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֹת מוֹטָה
וְשַׁלַּח רְצוּצִים חָפְשִׁים * וְכָל־מוֹטָה תְּנַתֵּקוּ׃
הֲלוֹא פָרֹס לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ * וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת
כִּי־תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ * וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִתְעַלָּם׃
אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ * וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח
וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ * כְּבוֹד יְהוָה יַאַסְפֶךָ׃
אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה * תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי
אִם־תָּסִיר מִתּוֹכְךָ מוֹטָה * שְׁלַח אֶצְבַּע וְדַבֶּר־אָוֶן׃
וְתָפֵק לָרָעֵב נַפְשֶׁךָ * וְנֶפֶשׁ נַעֲנָה תַּשְׂבִּיעַ
וְזָרַח בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אוֹרֶךָ * וַאֲפֵלָתְךָ כַּצָּהֳרָיִם׃
וְנָחֲךָ יְהוָה תָּמִיד * וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ
וְעַצְמֹתֶיךָ יַחֲלִיץ * וְהָיִיתָ כְּגַן רָוֶה
וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר * לֹא־יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו׃
וּבָנוּ מִמְּךָ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם * מוֹסְדֵי דוֹר־וָדוֹר תְּקוֹמֵם
וְקֹרָא לְךָ גֹּדֵר פֶּרֶץ * מְשֹׁבֵב נְתִיבוֹת לָשָׁבֶת׃
1 Shout for all you are worth, do not hold back, * raise your voice like a trumpet.
To my people proclaim their rebellious acts, * to the House of Jacob, their sins.
2 They seek for me day after day, * they long to know my ways,
They ask me for laws that are upright, * they long to be near God:
3 'Why have we fasted, if you do not see, * why mortify ourselves if you never notice?'
Look, you seek your own pleasure on your fastdays * and you exploit all your workmen;
Fasting like yours today * will never make your voice heard on high.
5 Is that the sort of fast that pleases me, * a day when a person inflicts pain on himself?
Hanging your head like a reed, * spreading out sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call fasting, * a day acceptable to Yahweh?
to break unjust fetters, * to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, * and to break all yokes?
7 Is it not sharing your food with the hungry, * and sheltering the homeless poor;
if you see someone lacking clothes, to clothe him, * and not to turn away from your own kin?
Saving justice will go ahead of you * and Yahweh's glory come behind you.
9 Then you will cry for help and Yahweh will answer; * you will call and he will say, 'I am here.'
10 if you deprive yourself for the hungry * and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
your light will rise in the darkness, * and your darkest hour will be like noon.
he will give strength to your bones * and you will be like a watered garden,
like a flowing spring * whose waters never run dry.
12 Your ancient ruins will be rebuilt; * you will build on age-old foundations.
You will be called 'Breach-mender', * 'Restorer of streets to be lived in'. 
Inter omnes, dilectissimi, dies quos multis modis honorabiles habet christiana deuotio, nihil est excellentius festiuitate paschali, per quam in ecclesia dei uniuersarum sollemnitatum dignitas consecratur. Siquidem etiam ipsa domini ex matre generatio huic sit inpensa sacramento, nec alia fuerit filio dei causa nascendi, quam ut cruci possit adfigi. In utero enim uirginis suscepta est caro mortalis, in carne mortali completa est dispositio passionis, effectum que est ineffabili consilio misericordiae dei, ut esset nobis sacrificium redemptionis, abolitio peccati et ad aeternam uitam initium resurgendi. Considerantes autem quidquid per crucem domini adepta est uniuersitas mundi, cognoscimus ad celebrandum paschae diem merito nos quadraginta dierum ieiunio praeparari, ut digni possimus diuinis interesse mysteriis.
Among all the days which Christian devotion holds honourable in many ways, there is none more excellent than the Paschal Feast, through which the dignity of all the solemnities in the Church of God is consecrated. Even the very birth of our Lord from a human mother is credited to this mystery, for there was no other reason for the Son of God to be born than that he could be fixed to a cross. Our mortal flesh was taken up in the womb of a Virgin, and in this mortal flesh the unfolding of his Passion was accomplished. Thus the mercy of God fulfilled a plan too deep for words: Christ's humanity became for us a sacrifice of redemption, the destruction of sin, and the firstfruits of resurrection to eternal life. When we consider what the entire world owes to our Lord's Cross, we realize our need to prepare for the celebration of Easter by a fast of forty days if we are to take part worthily in these sacred mysteries.
Non enim summos tantum antistites, aut secundi ordinis sacerdotes, nec solos sacramentorum ministros, sed omne corpus ecclesiae uniuersum que fidelium numerum, ab omnibus contaminationibus oportet esse purgatum, ut templum dei, cui fundamentum est ipse fundator, in omnibus lapidibus speciosum, et in tota sui parte sit lucidum. Nam si regum aedes et sublimiorum praetoria potestatum omni ornatu rationabiliter excoluntur, ut excellentiora sint eorum domicilia quorum ampliora sunt merita, quanto opere aedificandum, quanto est honore decorandum ipsius deitatis habitaculum! Quod licet inchoari et perfici sine suo auctore non possit, habet tamen ab aedificante donatum, ut etiam labore proprio quaerat augmentum. Viua enim rationabilis que materies ad extructionem templi huius adsumitur, et per spiritum gratiae ut uoluntarie in unam conpagem congruat incitatur. Quae ideo dilecta, ideo quaesita est, ut et ipsa ex non quaerente quaerens, et ex non diligente sit diligens, dicente beato Iohanne apostolo: Nos ergo diligamus, quia deus prior dilexit nos.
It is not only the highest bishops or the priests of the second order, nor the ministers who administer the sacraments alone, but the whole body of the Church and the entire company of the faithful who must be purified, so that in the Temple of God, whose foundation is its Founder himself, every stone may be beautiful and all parts radiant. If it is reasonable to embellish a king's palace or governor's residence with every ornamental art, so that the greater a person's importance the more splendid his dwelling, what zeal ought to be expended in building the House of God himself, and how distinguished should be its furnishing! No doubt such a task can be neither undertaken nor completed without the architect; nevertheless the builder of the house has given it the power to grow in stature through its own efforts. In the building of this Temple living and intelligent materials are being used, which of their own free will assemble themselves into a single structure at the prompting of the Spirit of grace. There was a time when they neither loved God nor sought him; but he loved and sought them so that they might begin to love and seek him in return. This is what the blessed apostle John speaks of when he says: Let us love God, for he first loved us.
Cum igitur et omnes simul et singuli quique fidelium unum idem que dei templum sint, sicut perfectum hoc in uniuersis, ita perfectum esse debet in singulis, quia etsi non eadem est membrorum omnium pulchritudo, nec in tota uarietate partium parilitas potest esse meritorum, communionem tamen obtinet decoris conexio caritatis. In sancto enim amore consortes, etiamsi non isdem utuntur gratiae beneficiis, gaudent tamen bonis inuicem suis, et non potest ab eis extraneum esse quod diligunt, quia incremento ditescit proprio, qui profectu laetatur alieno.
Since therefore the entire company of the faithful and each believer in particular form one and the same Temple of God, there must be the same perfection in each individual as there is in the whole; for even if all are not alike in beauty nor is there equal merit in such a diversity of membership, yet the bond of love ensures communion of beauty among them all. While those who are united in holy love may not all have received the same gifts of grace, they rejoice nonetheless in their mutual blessings. Nothing that they love can be wanting to them, for they become rich in their own increase when they rejoice in another's progress.
Ἀτενίσωμεν εἰς τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ γνῶμεν, ὡς ἔστιν τίμιον τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν ἐκχυθὲν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ μετανοίας χάριν ὑπήνεγκεν.
Let us fix our thoughts on the blood of Christ; and reflect how precious that blood is in God's eyes; inasmuch as its outpouring for our salvation has opened the grace of repentance to all mankind.
Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς πάσας, καὶ καταμάθωμεν ὅτι ἐν γενεᾷ καὶ γενεᾷ μετανοίας τόπον ἔδωκεν ὁ δεσπότης τοῖς βουλομένοις ἐπιστραφῆναι ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. Νῶε ἐκήρυξεν μετάνοιαν, καὶ οἱ ὑπακούσαντες ἐσώθησαν. Ἰωνᾶς Νινευΐταις καταστροφὴν ἐκήρυξεν· οἱ δὲ μετανοήσαντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν αὐτῶν ἐξελάσαντο τὸν θεὸν ἱκετεύσαντες καὶ ἔλαβον σωτηρίαν, καίπερ ἀλλότριοι τοῦ θεοῦ ὄντες.
For we have only to survey the generations of the past to see that in every one of them the Lord has offered the chance of repentance to any who were willing to turn to him. When Noah preached repentance, those who gave heed to him were saved. When, after Jonah had proclaimed destruction to the people of Nineveh, they repented of their sins and made atonement to God with prayers and supplications, they obtained their salvation, notwithstanding that they were strangers and aliens to him.
Οἱ λειτουργοὶ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου περὶ μετανοίας ἐλάλησαν, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ δεσπότης τῶν ἁπάντων περὶ μετανοίας ἐλάλησεν μετὰ ὅρκου· Ζῶ γὰρ ἐγώ, λέγει κύριος, οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν, προστιθεὶς καὶ γνώμην ἀγαθήν· Μετανοήσατε, οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας ὑμῶν· εἶπον τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ λαοῦ μου. Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν πυρρότεραι κόκκου καὶ μελανώτεραι σάκκου, καὶ ἐπιστραφῆτε πρός με ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας καὶ εἴπητε· Πάτερ· ἐπακούσομαι ὑμῶν ὡς λαοῦ ἁγίου
All those who were ministers of the grace of God have spoken, through the Holy Spirit, of repentance. The very Lord of all himself has spoken of it, and even with an oath: By my life, the Lord declares, it is not the sinner's death that I desire, so much as his repentance; and he adds this gracious pronouncement, Repent, O house of Israel, and turn from your wickedness. Say to the children of my people, Though your sins may stretch from earth to heaven, and though they may be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, yet if you turn wholeheartedly to me and say 'Father', I will listen to you as I would to a people that was holy.
Πάντας οὖν τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς αὐτοῦ βουλόμενος μετανοίας μετασχεῖν ἐστήριξεν τῷ παντοκρατορικῷ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ.
Thus, by his own almighty will, he has confirmed his desire that repentance should be open to every one of his beloved.
Διὸ ὑπακούσωμεν τῇ μεγαλοπρεπεῖ καὶ ἐνδόξῷ βουλήσει αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἱκέται γενόμενοι τοῦ ἐλέους καὶ τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ προσπέσωμεν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωμεν ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκτιρμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἀπολιπόντες τὴν ματαιοπονίαν τήν τε ἔριν καὶ τὸ εἰς θάνατον ἄγον ζῆλος
Let us bow, then, to that sovereign and glorious will. Let us entreat his mercy and goodness, casting ourselves upon his compassion and wasting no more energy in quarrels and a rivalry which only ends in death.
Ταπεινοφρονήσωμεν οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ἀλαζονείαν καὶ τῦφος καὶ ἀφροσύην καὶ ὀργάς, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τὸ γεγραμμένον, λέγει γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, μεδὲ ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὐτοῦ μεδὲ ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν κυρίῳ καυχάσθω, τοῦ ἐκζητεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην· μάλιστα μεμνημένοι τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, οὒς ἐλάλησεν διδάσκων ἐπιείκειαν καὶ μακροθυμίαν.
My brothers, do let us have a little humility; let us forget our self-assertion and stupid quarrelling, and do what the Bible tells us instead. The Holy Spirit says, The wise man is not to brag of his wisdom, nor the strong man of his strength, nor the rich man of his wealth; if a man must boast, he should boast of the Lord, seeking him out and acting with justice and uprightness. More particularly, let us remember what the Lord Jesus Christ said in one of his lessons on mildness and forbearance.
Οὕτως γὰρ εἶπεν· Ἐλεᾶτε, ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε· ἀφίετε, ἵνα ἀφεθῇ ὑμῖν· ὡς ποιεῖτε, οὕτω ποιηθήσεται ὑμῖν· ὡς δίδοτε, οὕτως δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· ὡς κρίνετε, οὕτως κριθησεσθε· ὡς χρηστεύεσθε, οὕτως χρηστευθήσεται ὑμῖν· ᾧ μετρίῳ μετρεῖτε, ἐν αὐτῷ μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.
Be merciful he told us that you may obtain mercy; forgive that you may be forgiven. What you do yourself will be done to you; what you give, will be given to you; as you judge, so you will be judged; as you show kindness, so it will be shown to you. Your portion will be weighed out for you in your own scales.
ταύτῃ τῇ ἐντολῇ καὶ τοῖς παραγγέλμασιν τούτοις στηρίξωμεν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ πορεύεσθαι ὐπηκόους ὄντας τοῖς ἁγιοπρεπέσι λόγοις αὐτοῦ, ταπεινοφρονοῦντες· φησὶν γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος λὄγος· Ἐπὶ τίνα ἐπιβλέψω, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πραῢν καὶ ἡσύχιον καὶ τρέμοντά μου τὰ λόγια.
May this precept, and these commands, strengthen our resolve to live in obedience to his sacred words, and in humility of mind; for the holy word says, Whom shall I look upon but him that is gentle and peaceable and trembles at my sayings?
πολλῶν οὖν καὶ μεγάλων καὶ ἐνδόξων μετειληφότες πράξεων ἐπαναδράμωμεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς παραδεδομένον ἡμῖν τῆς εἰρήνης σκοπόν, καὶ ἀτενίσωμεν εἰς τὸν πατέρα καὶ κτίστην τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου καὶ ταῖς μεγαλοπρεπέσι καὶ ὑπερβαλλούσαις αὐτοῦ δωρεαῖς τῆς εἰρήνης εὐεργεσίαις τε κολληθῶμεν.
Thus there exists a vast heritage of glorious achievements for us to share in. Let us then make haste and get back to the state of tranquillity which was set before us in the beginning as the mark for us to aim at. Let us turn our eyes to the Father and Creator of the universe, and when we consider how precious and peerless are his gifts of peace, let us embrace them eagerly for ourselves.
Prayer