A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Merciful Father,

On this Ash Wednesday, we come before You mindful that we are dust, and to dust we shall return.

As we receive ashes on our foreheads, mark our hearts with true repentance. By Your Holy Spirit, lead us to turn away from our sins, with firm confidence in Your Son, Jesus Christ, who was given into death for our transgressions and raised for our justification.

Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Strengthen us through this Lenten season, that we may daily die to sin and rise to new life in Christ, until that day when You raise us from the dust to stand before You in glory.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.