Prières - Mercredi des Cendres

For decades, every Ash Wednesday, Catholics around the world have recited the same prayers in their local churches. Millions of people have adopted the pope's litany in the United States alone.

The Ash Wednesday prayer focused on the spiritual life of the Catholic faith. On this day of ashes, a time of reflection and penance, we must turn our hearts towards one another. Brother, sister, it is a time of tears and intercessions. Let's pray for others, not just think about them. So let's pray...

This is a Quicktime video of the prayer, including a passage from the Bible and the Father's prayer. The prayer of the faithful around the world. We develop a deeper understanding of how to receive God's grace and relate to the Father through prayer.

After the pre-Lenten Eucharistic liturgy on Maundy Thursday, we gather to pray the penitential rite. Praying this rite allows us to join in atonement and intercession before God in our own responsibility and on behalf of the whole Church.

Ash Wednesday bells in the early hours of the morning. The Church's longing for the coming of the Lord seems to cry out loud today, especially in our time of need. Our Church has called the faithful since the day of its founding to unite in prayer for the Church. Unlike the funeral rite, it is imbued with joy and hope for the coming of the Messiah. The end of the old year and the beginning of a new one allows us to use this day to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

The ashes are prepared by burning the palm leaves used in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration. They represent death and repentance, a reminder that we are human – mortal, sinful and in need of repentance.

Whether your church offers an Ash Wednesday service or observes Lent, you can enter this season with prayer, reflection, and repentance. Taking a season each year to reflect on your life, confess your sins to God, and recommit to walking in God's way is a powerful way to enter Easter.

As we begin this Lenten season, take a few minutes to reflect and pray on Ash Wednesday (and perhaps stop at a church for your ashes). Then consider observing a Holy Lent with prayer, fasting, reflection, and repentance. As we usher in Lent, we invite you to join us on a 7-day journey where you will explore Ash Wednesday, its meaning, and what we do to prepare for the season. Thank you for your participation.