Diocese of Parañaque

COMMISSION ON LITURGY AND POPULAR RELIGIOSITY

Diocesan Center for Evangelization

RITE OF DISTRIBUTING BLESSED ASHES OUTSIDE THE MASS

Leader: In the name of the Father,  and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Leader: Praised be the God of grace, mercy, and peace. Blessed be God for ever.

All: Blessed be God for ever.

Leader: My dear friends, the hour of God’s favor draws near, the day of His mercy and of
our salvation approaches when death was destroyed and eternal life began. As we
begin this season of Lent, we gather today to acknowledge that we are sinners.
As we express our sorrow, may God be merciful to us and restore us to His
friendship.

OPENING PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray. (pause for a brief moment of silence)

God of life and Father of mercy, You want all Your sons and daughters to be free
and to live as Your holy people. In this time of Lent, we pray You: set us free
from the shackles of our selfish concerns for honor and power, possessions and
pleasure. Make us live the life of Your Son in the service of people. In honor of
You, our living God. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

READING THE WORD OF GOD

Lector 1: A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if God Himself

makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you; this we ask you in the
name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin so that in him we
might share the holiness of God.

Being God’s helpers we beg you: let it not be in vain that you received this grace
of God. Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of
salvation I helped you. This is the favorable time, this is the day of salvation.
 The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

REFLECTION/EXPLANATION OF THE RITE OF DISTRIBUTING

ASHES

The lector may use these or similar words in order to explain the significance of the rite, as well as to
dispose the hearts and minds of the assembly.

Lector 2: Since the Old Testament ties, ashes have been used as a symbol of sorrow and
grief. If we look at the writings of the prophets, we would notice that whenever
people are in sorrow or grieving, they would manifest it by wearing sackcloth,
sitting and rolling on dirt and ashes, and sprinkling ashes on their heads.

Even during the days of the early Christians, ashes took on the deeper meaning of
repentance and sorrow for one’s sins and transgressions. Penitents who repented
of their sins withdrew themselves from the community, sprinkled ashes on their
bodies, and performed acts of penance.

Every time we begin the season of Lent, we wear ashes on our foreheads as a sign
of repentance for our sins, and our firm resolve to start anew in our life-long task
of loving God and serving our brothers and sisters.

Let us pray that the ashes we wear externally would constantly remind us that we
are called to repentance, reconciliation, and renewal. May we take this blessed
opportunity to once more place God at the center of our lives and reach out our
hands and hearts to all our brothers and sisters, especially who are in need of our
time, talents, and resources.

Leader: Those who wish to receive the ashes, please come forward.

While distributing ashes, the leader says:

Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel.

After the distribution of ashes, the leader begins the Prayers of the Faithful.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Leader: At the beginning of this season of conversion, we look forward to reconciliation

with God and our neighbor. Let us bring before our Father our cares and the
needs of all and let us say:

Response: Have mercy on Your people, Lord.

Lector 1: For the Church of Jesus Christ, that it may be freed from human shortcomings so
that it can show to all the light and the power of the Gospel, let us pray: (R)

For people far and near who are stuck in sin and discouragement, that they may
find reconciliation with God, with themselves, and with the people around them,
let us pray: (R)

For those hardened by riches or power and insensitive to the needs of others, that
in these forty days of penance, they may discover ways of true happiness through
generosity to their neighbor,let us pray: (R)

For all those who bear a heavy load of suffering and cares, that they may with
courage follow the way of the Lord Jesus, let us pray: (R)

For one another, that each of us may be ready to go the way of peace and
reconciliation, of service, and commitment, let us pray: (R)

Leader: Let us pray to our merciful Father that we may forgive others as He has forgiven
our sins through Jesus.

All: Our Father . . .

Leader: Lord our God, every year You give us special opportunities to grow in love of
You and our neighbor. Give us the strength to live these forty days in the spirit of
Jesus our Lord.

All: Amen.

DISMISSAL

Leader: Only God can make us whole again from our brokenness. Only God can give us
the insight to discover how often we are alienated from Him, from people, even
from our true selves. Only God can give us the strength to change our ways and
to become all new.

All make the sign of the cross while the leader says:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.