Thoughts for the Day

Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgement.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit...

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

For me, Ash Wednesday probably brings more memories and images to my mind than at any other time of the Church year, and Psalm 51 with its depth of King David's guilt because of his sin, highlights these themes. The day and the psalm should give all of us a shiver as we approach God in humble penitence at the start of Lent.

Verse 1 (blot out my sin): I once tried and failed to remove sand from our dalmation's coat after she had dug a huge hole in the sand of an old airfield and turned orange. Our sin is like that - we can't remove the stain no matter how hard we try - but God can, when we repent.

Verse 2 (I know my sin): When we come to God today, we need to know our present sins and name them before Him.

Verse 3 (whiter than snow): Oggie was an albino dalmation, with few spots, so she stood out as pure white at night-time in the garden, but against snow she simply looked dirty. Our sin stands out before God in this way, but he can purge it from us. (Note: the hyssop plant is definitely not recommended for use today!)

Verse 4 (plea for help): It is the Holy Spirit, the power of God, who will restore us, give us joy, and help us to keep our promises for the future.

Verse 5 (an acceptable offering): When we receive the cross made of the ash from last year's palm crosses on our forehead on Ash Wednesday, it is a symbol of our repentance, which is acceptable to God. May our mouths be open to praise God once more.

Collect for Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.