Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Ashes to ashes. . ..

O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and enjoy You, for Christ’s sake. Amen. (Ambrose of Milan)

"Ash Wednesday" by Christina Rossetti

Part I
 
My God, my God, have mercy on my sin,
For it is great; and if I should begin
To tell it all, the day would be too small
To tell it in.

My God, Thou wilt have mercy on my sin
For Thy Love's sake: yea, if I should begin
To tell This all, the day would be too small
To tell it in.
Part II
 
Good Lord, today
I scarce find breath to say:
Scourge, but receive me.
For stripes are hard to bear, but worse
Thy intolerable curse;
So do not leave me.
Good Lord, lean down
In pity, tho’ Thou frown;
Smite, but retrieve me:
For so Thou hold me up to stand
And kiss Thy smiting hand,
It less will grieve me. 
“Lent” by Christina Rossetti
It is good to be last not first,
   Pending the present distress;
It is good to hunger and thirst,
   So it be for righteousness.
It is good to spend and be spent,
   It is good to watch and to pray:
Life and Death make a goodly Lent
   So it leads us to Easter Day.

In the very midst of life 
    Snares of death surround us;
Who shall help us in the strife
    Lest the foe confound us?
        Thou only, Lord, Thou only!
We mourn that we have greatly erred,
That our sins Thy wrath have stirred.
    Holy and righteous God!
    Holy and mighty God!
    Holy and all-merciful Savior!
    Eternal Lord God!
Save us lest we perish
In the bitter pangs of death.
    Have mercy, O Lord!

In the midst of death's dark vale
    Pow'rs of hell o'ertake us.
Who will help when they assail,
    Who secure will make us?
        Thou only, Lord, Thou only!
Thy heart is moved with tenderness,
Pities us in our distress.
    Holy and righteous God!
    Holy and mighty God!
    Holy and all-merciful Savior!
    Eternal Lord God!
Save us from the terror
Of the fiery pit of hell.
    Have mercy, O Lord!

In the midst of utter woe
    When our sins oppress us,
Where shall we for refuge go,
     Where for grace to bless us?
        To Thee, Lord Jesus, only!
Thy precious blood was shed to win
Full atonement for our sin.
    Holy and righteous God!
    Holy and mighty God!
    Holy and all-merciful Savior!
    Eternal Lord God!
Lord, preserve and keep us
In the peace that faith can give.
        Have mercy, O Lord! - LSB 755 
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12-13, ESV)  

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