Lent is a time that brings us face to face with our humanity. The Lenten prayers and liturgies that Christians are most familiar with tend to emphasize the ways in which human beings fail: the finiteness of our lives, the limitations of our bodies and minds, the imperfection of our faithfulness to God and our love for others, and the destructive and disempowering effects of our sin-enmeshed choices on the world. However, these dimensions of human life do not tell the whole story of who we are.
In order to honestly and carefully address these aspects of being human during Lent, we must allow this time to bring us before our full humanity in all its complexity: the reflections of the image of God that we embody, the goodness of our flesh, the interdependent shape of our lives with one another and with the rest of creation, the preciousness of every breath we breathe, and the gracious and abiding presence of God with us, loving us, in every moment.
The prayers and blessings for Ash Wednesday and Lent that we offer below have been chosen with this purpose in mind. We hope they will help you and your communities present yourself before God in all your humanity during this season. As always, when sharing or using, please credit the original sources.
Ash Wednesday
Blessing/Blessing
“Blessings, like God’s love, are not one-way experiences.
How blessed you have been with the mark of God’s love
you are now called to come out of this place and bless others.
May the God who created you create opportunities to serve others.
May Christ who teaches you teach you during Lent how to love all.
And may the Spirit of Gentleness accompany you throughout this Lenten journey.
Amen.”
From “Beloved Dust to Dust – Ash Wednesday Worship Service – Wednesday, February 22, 2012» by Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ website
Call to Worship
“One: friends and neighbors, in the middle of our busy week,
we pause to observe Ash Wednesday together as a faith community.
All: We remember that God created us from fragile, blessed dust.
And breathe through us the breath of life and love.
“One: From dust we are created in the image of God
and we will return to the good dust of God.
All: With dust and oil we claim the mark of God’s beloved creature.
“First: Today we begin our 40-day Lenten journey.
to discover who we are created as God’s beloved.
All: In daily practices of prayer and service
we will embark on this Lenten journey.
“One: We follow Jesus, the beloved Child of God,
bone of our bones and flesh of our flesh
In whom we see the image of God most clearly.
All: So come, let’s pray for strength and imagination
follow Jesus wherever he leads us this Lent.”
From “Beloved Dust to Dust – Ash Wednesday Worship Service – Wednesday, February 22, 2012» by Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ website
Fasting for the practice of justice and compassion
“God, our guide in the desert and in trials,
in Jesus Christ you show us the fast that you choose:
the practice of justice and compassion.
Teach us to follow him in truth and grace,
receive our reward with your saints in glory;
through Christ, the treasure of our hearts.
From “Prayers for Ash Wednesday», Website of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
To have the courage to accept God’s healing
“Just God,
in humility and repentance
we bring our failures by caring, helping and loving,
we bring the pain we have caused to others,
we bring injustice into the society we are part of,
to the transforming power of your grace.
Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer
and turn again towards the sunrise of your reign,
so that we can walk with you in the promise of peace
you wanted for all the children of the earth,
and made it known to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.”
From “Ash Wednesday: Year A», Revised Common Lectionary, Vanderbilt Divinity Library website
To have the strength to face our mortality
“Merciful God, from your love and mercy you have breathed into the dust the breath of life, creating us to serve you and our neighbors. Invoke our prayers and acts of kindness, and strengthen us to face our mortality with confidence in the mercy of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.”
From “Ash Wednesday», Augburg Fortress website
“A prayer for Lent in the desert”
“God of the desert and the way,
God of Egypt and the Promised Land,
And the desert between,
Here we are again on the road to Lent,
A path of preparation, of trial, of suffering,
A path through the desert.
The road is unfamiliar to us, although we have traveled it many times before.
We are convinced that we are not alone.
We remember Moses and the Israelites
Who followed you,
And you have led, protected and provided.
We look to Jesus, driven into the desert by the Holy Spirit,
And you strengthened him by the same Spirit.
We long for your leadership, protection, provision and strength.
We long for your Spirit and your Word.
O God, lead us to repentance.
Remove everything that separates us from your truth.
Uncover the times we remained silent when you called us to speak.
Discover the injustice we ignored,
The suffering from which we have turned away,
Comfort we chose over courage.
Let the desert teach us, refine us.
Open our eyes to the world as you see it.
God of truth and mercy, give us the strength to name what is broken,
Confront injustice with unwavering love.
May we tell the stories that need to be told.
May we create community where there is division.
May we fight for justice for all people and for all creation.
May our fast be a fast of indifference.
May our prayer rise not only in words but in actions, in solidarity, in love.
Holy one, we trust in your promise
That even if the path leads to the cross,
The road doesn’t end there…
That beyond this desert, beyond all desert,
There is resurrection.
Beyond this moment, there is a future renewed by your grace.
Fill us with faith for this future.
Let us be bearers of hope, sowers of peace.
Lead us through the desert.
Protect us, provide for us, strengthen us.
On this Lenten journey, transform us.
And through us, transform the world.
In the name of Jesus, who walked the path before us and walks with us now.
Amen.”
By Brian Sigman, from “Prayers for Lent», Website of the National Council of Churches
Second Sunday of Lent: To the God of calls and courage
“God of callings and courage, you draw us into your loving embrace even as we face what seems like an impossibility. We experience heartbreak and sorrow, injustice and cruelty, fear and anxiety as daily teachers on this journey of faith. As you call us into an uncertain and unknown future, O God, grant us the courage to let go of all we have known so that we can grasp the new life you bring even now. Although we may not know where we are going, God, your path is revealed moment by moment, step by step and breath by breath. In the name of the One who loves the world so much, we pray.
From “Lent 2A — March 5» by Chad Abbott, United Church of Christ website (March 5, 2023)
Third Sunday of Lent: “Blessing of the body”
“This blessing takes
just one look at you
and all he can say is
saint.
“Holy hands.
Holy face.
Sacred feet.
Holy everything
between.
“Holy even in pain.
Holy even when we are tired.
In brokenness, holy.
In shame, holy again.
“Holy in delights.
Saint in distress.
Saint at birth.
Holy when we put it down
at the hour of our death.
“So, my friend,
open your eyes
(holy eyes).
For a moment
see what this blessing sees,
this blessing who knows
how you were trained
and knit together
with wonder and
lover.
“Accept this blessing
who folds his hands
in prayer
when he meets you;
receive this blessing
who wants to kneel
as a sign of respect
in front of you:
you who are
temple,
sanctuary,
house for God
in this world. »
By Jan Richardson, from “3rd Sunday of Lent: Talking about the Body», The painted prayer book (March 3, 2012)
Fourth Sunday of Lent: Jesus, true bread
“Merciful Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread that gives life to the world: give us this bread always, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
Excerpt from “The Collects” in “The Book of Common Prayer” (219)
Fifth Sunday of Lent: Wake us up and set us free
“Christ our Savior, you call us by name,
leading us from death to eternal life.
Wake us up and loosen us through your Word,
so that we can live and grow in faith,
share your saving love with others;
for you are the resurrection and the life.
From “Prayers for Lent: Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A», Website of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Additional Resources for Lenten Prayers
- “Black liturgies: prayers, poems and meditations to remain human» by Cole Arthur Riley (Convergent, 2024)
- “Common prayer for children and families» by Jenifer Gamber and Timothy JS Seamans (Church Publishing, 2020)
The image near entry is Hannes Knutsson on Unsplash