Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns printed in bold type.

The church is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T.

Photography, filming, and sound recording are not allowed in the Abbey during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Lay Vicars of Westminster Abbey.

Setting: Mass for three voices, William Byrd (c 1540–1623)

During the offertory hymn a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Tariro—Hope for Youth in Zimbabwe International and the work of the Abbey. Tariro helps young people in Zimbabwe to learn, develop, and grow until they can support themselves.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter. The choir sings the Lent Prose

Refrain Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us : for we have sinned against thee.

To thee, Redeemer, on thy throne of glory : lift we our weeping eyes in holy pleadings : listen, O Jesu, to our supplications.

God, we implore thee, in thy glory seated : bow down and hearken to thy weeping children : pity and pardon all our grievous trespasses.

Sins oft committed now we lay before thee : with true contrition, now no more we veil them : grant us, Redeemer, loving absolution.

plainsong

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

All remain standing. The president introduces the liturgy

Brothers and sisters in Christ, since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and prepared for this by a season of penitence and fasting.

By carefully keeping these days, Christians take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word.

All remain standing for the Collect

Let us pray for grace to keep Lent faithfully.

All sit for the Reading from the Old Testament, Joel 2: 1–2, 12–17

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
   sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
   for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—
a day of darkness and gloom,
   a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
   a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
   nor will be again after them
   in ages to come.

Yet even now, says the Lord,
   return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
   rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
   for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
   and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
   and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
   for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
   sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
   gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
   assemble the aged;
gather the children,
   even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
   and the bride her canopy.

Between the vestibule and the altar
   let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, 'Spare your people, O Lord,
   and do not make your heritage a mockery,
   a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
   "Where is their God?"'

The choir sings Psalm 51: 1–4, 8, 10, 12, 18

Antiphon Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your great goodness;
   according to the abundance of your compassion blot out my offences.
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness
   and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my faults
   and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight,
Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean;
   wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Turn your face from my sins
   and blot out all my misdeeds.
Cast me not away from your presence
   and take not your holy spirit from me.
The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The Epistle, 2 Corinthians 5: 20b—6: 10

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
'At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
   and on a day of salvation I have helped you.'
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

All stand for the Procession of the Gospel. The choir sings

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

and all repeat

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice. Harden not your hearts.

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

The reader announces the Gospel, Matthew 6: 1–6, 16–21

Jesus taught his disciples, saying, 'Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

'So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'

The Sermon, by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle KCVO MBE, Dean of Westminster

All stand

Let us now call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.

All say together

Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love, and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed, and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.

Let us pray God's blessing on these ashes that they may be a sign of the spirit of penitence with which we shall keep this season of Lent.

O God our Father, who created us from the dust of the earth: bless these ashes, and grant that they may be for us a sign of our penitence and a symbol of our mortality; for it is by your grace alone that we receive eternal life in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear friends in Christ, I invite you to receive upon your head in ash the sign of the cross, the symbol of our salvation.

The ministers each receive the Imposition of Ashes. Members of the congregation wishing to receive the imposition of ashes come forward. The ministers impose ashes on the head of each, saying

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.

During the imposition of ashes the choir sings the Motet

Suscipe, quaeso Domine, vocem confitentis: scelera mea non defendo: peccavi, Deus miserere mei. Dele culpas meas gratia tua. Si enim iniquitates recordaberis, quis sustineat? Quis enim justus qui se dicere audeat sine peccato esse? Nullus est enim mundus in conspectu tuo.

Receive, I beseech, O Lord, the voice of one who confesses: I do not defend my misdeeds: I have sinned, O God, have mercy upon me. By your grace blot out my sins. If you shall remember iniquities, who could endure it? Who is so righteous that he dare say that he is without sin? For none is pure in your sight.

Words: Isidore of Seville (c 560–636)
Music: Thomas Tallis (c 1505–85) in 'Cantiones sacrae' 1575

When the imposition is concluded, all stand for the Absolution

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president introduces the Peace

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access to his grace.

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you.

All remain standing to sing the Hymn during the Preparation of the Altar. A collection will be taken. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   and purge away my sin;
from earthborn passions set me free,
   and make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   with care and woe opprest;
let me thy loving servant be,
   and taste thy promised rest.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   amid the battle's strife;
in all my pain and misery
   be thou my health and life.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   nor let me go astray;
through darkness and perplexity
   point thou the heavenly way.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   when flows the tempest high:
when on doth rush the enemy
   O Saviour, be thou nigh.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   that, when the flood is past,
I may the eternal brightness see,
   and share thy joy at last.

Words: Synesius (c 373–c 414) translated by Allen Chatfield (1808–96)
Tune: 'Southwell' after Psalm 45 in William Daman's 'The Psalmes in English Metre' 1579

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise, almighty God and everlasting Father, through Jesus Christ your Son. For in these forty days you lead us into the desert of repentance that through a pilgrimage of prayer and discipline we may grow in grace and learn to be your people once again. Through fasting, prayer, and acts of service you bring us back to your generous heart. Through study of your holy word you open our eyes to your presence in the world and free our hands to welcome others into the radiant splendour of your love. As we prepare to celebrate the Easter feast with joyful hearts and minds we bless you for your mercy and join with saints and angels for ever praising you and saying:

The choir sings Sanctus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The president continues the Eucharistic Prayer

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

The president concludes the Eucharistic Prayer

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

Lord Jesus, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray, each in our own language,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

All remain standing for the Breaking of the Bread

The congregation is invited to sit as the president and other ministers begin the distribution of Holy Communion. Those wishing to receive come forward as directed by the Stewards. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to do so here. Gluten-free wafers are available. Please refrain from dipping the wafer in the chalice. Those who do not wish to receive communion are invited to come for a blessing; please bow your head as you approach. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

The blood of Christ. Amen.

During the giving of communion, the choir sings Agnus Dei and the Motet

Emendemus in melius quae ignoranter peccavimus: ne subito praeoccupati die mortis, quaeramus spatium paenitentia, et invenire non possimus. Attende, Domine, et miserere: quia peccavimus tibi. Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.

Let us make amends for the sins we have committed in ignorance: lest suddenly at the day of death, we should seek a place of repentance, and not be able to find one. Hearken, Lord, and have pity: because we have sinned against you. Remember, man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Words: Responsory for Lent
Music: Christóbal de Morales (c 1500–53)

Let us pray.

All stand. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life: give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive these his inestimable gifts, and also daily endeavour to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president pronounces the Blessing

May God the Father, who does not despise the broken spirit, give to you a contrite heart. Amen.

May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, heal you by his wounds. Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth, speak to you words of pardon and peace. Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

The choir and clergy depart in silence

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Hymns covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (International) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271 and MRL no 1040288. Common Worship (Church House Publishing, 2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council. Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version.