Write deeply upon our minds, O Lord God, the lesson of thy holy Word, that only the pure in heart can see thee. Leave us not in the bondage of any sinful inclination. May we neither deceive ourselves with the thought that we have no sin, nor acquiesce idly in aught of which our conscience accuses us. Strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit to fight the good fight of faith, and grant that no day may pass without its victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Eternal God, who hast taught us by thy holy Word that our bodies are temples of thy Spirit: Keep us, we most humbly beseech thee, temperate and holy in thought, word and deed, that at the last we, with all the pure in heart, may see thee and be made like unto thee in thy heavenly kingdom; through Christ our Lord.

Enjoy your day!❄️😊Minus 9C💕 pic.twitter.com/B48TigJj9n

— Anne Grete Hagby (@AHagby) March 5, 2023

Almighty and everlasting God, who for the well-being of our earthly life hast put into our hearts wholesome desires of body and spirit: Mercifully increase and establish in us, we beseech thee, the grace of holy discipline and healthy self-control; that we may fulfill our desires by the means which thou hast appointed, and for the ends thou ordainest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Just A Few Hints of Blue Sky. 4°C ( snow next week ? ) Magpies in numbers. pic.twitter.com/M9OnKKkgTM

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) March 4, 2023

O Heavenly Father, subdue in us whatever is contrary to thy holy will, that we may know how to please thee. Grant, O God, that we may never run into those temptations which in our prayers we desire to avoid. Lord, never permit our trials to be above our strength; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Eden-like beauty along the Kentucky/Virginia border. Photo by Robert Stephens pic.twitter.com/6yp8YRY7bm

— Scenes of the Bluegrass (@BluegrassScenes) March 1, 2023

O Lord our God, grant us, we beseech thee, patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all our spiritual foes. Grant us sorrow for our sins, thankfulness for thy benefits, fear of thy judgment, love of thy mercies, and mindfulness of thy presence; now and for evermore.

Good morning from the Lowcountry.. have a great day everyone!.. @ChasCountyGov @ChasChamber @CityCharleston @chswx @weatherchannel @NWSCharlestonSC @chasscene @Justin_Zepperi @SimonBooks @southernliving #sunrise #charlestonsc #WaterfrontPark @morningmika @JoeNBC @Nikon pic.twitter.com/M1aaEJXjVX

— Wendy Mogul Photography 📷 (@WendyMogulPhoto) February 28, 2023

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Comme un air de printemps, Lac de la Brèche 💖💙💛🇨🇭#valais #suisse #switzerland #schweiz #ineedswitzerland #landscapephotography #landscape #photooftheday #photography #paysage #mountains #naturebeauty #lake #reflections @MySwitzerland_e @Veronique_Kanel @valaiswallis pic.twitter.com/WTQarMnsPh

— Délèze Dominique (@DelezeD) February 27, 2023

Blessed Lord, who wast tempted in all things like as we are, have mercy upon our frailty. Out of weakness give us strength; grant to us thy fear, that we may fear thee only; support us in time of temptation; embolden us in time of danger; help us to do thy work with good courage, and to continue thy faithful soldiers and servants unto our life’s end.

☘️Guten Morgen ☀️
wünsche euch einen
friedlichen Sonntag 🕊️☀️🕊️ pic.twitter.com/9X6LCuwNDR

— 💫Stein_harmonie🍀🧚‍♀️ (@SteinHarmonie) February 26, 2023

O God, who by thy Son dost marvellously work out the salvation of mankind: Grant, we beseech thee, that, following the example of our blessed Lord, and observing such a fast as thou dost choose, we may both be subjected to thee with all our hearts, and united to each other in holy charity; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Happy weekend all! pic.twitter.com/KKEYNzkvhO

— David (discovering light) (@Disc_light) February 25, 2023

O Lord our God, long-suffering and full of compassion: Be present with us, we beseech thee, as we enter upon this season in which we make ready to recall our Saviour’s sufferings and to celebrate his triumph. Grant us the aid of thy Holy Spirit, that as we acknowledge our sins, and implore thy pardon, we may also be enabled to deny ourselves, and be upheld in the hour of temptation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—Prayers for the Christian Year (SCM, 1964)

Happy Friday all! pic.twitter.com/ItmKvJXY2t

— David (discovering light) (@Disc_light) February 24, 2023

A huge wooden cross has been suspended from York Minster’s Central Tower, to mark the start of Lent.

The cross which is 19ft (6m) tall and 10ft (3m) wide, has been made from wooden scaffold boards in the Minster’s workshop.

The Lent Cross arrived at the cathedral on Tuesday ahead of Ash Wednesday.

Read it all.

York Minster installs giant wooden cross for Lent https://t.co/l3KAiWkyYw

— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) February 22, 2023

Bible scholar and pastor N.T. Wright retells the following story about an archbishop who was hearing confessions of sin from three hardened teenagers in the church. All three boys were trying to make a joke out of it so they met with the archbishop and confessed to a long list of ridiculous and grievous sins that they had not committed. It was all a joke. The archbishop, seeing through their bad practical joke, played along with the first two who ran out of the church laughing. But then he listened carefully to the third prankster, and before he got away told the young man, “Okay, you have confessed these sins. Now I want you to do something to show your repentance. I want you to walk up to the far end of the church and I want you to look at the picture of Jesus hanging on the cross, and I want you to look at his face and say, ‘You did all that for me and I don’t care that much.’ And I want you to do that three times.”

And so the boy went up to the front, looked at the picture of Jesus and said, “You did all that for me and I don’t care that much.” And then he said it again, but then he couldn’t say it the third time because he broke down in tears. And the archbishop telling the story said, the reason I know that story is that I was that young man.

There is something about the cross. When we take time to reflect, meditate, and pray concerning what Christ did for us on the cross, something deeply happens to us. Like the holy season of Advent, Lent is such a time to reflect on what God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We need these seasons in our lives.

It is free to download there.

I’ve written a prayer for Ash Wednesday that names some of the struggles that I usually feel around Lent, but I hope it might be helpful to others who wish to journey through this season in faith, hope and love in the face of temptations to be faithless, hopeless and loveless. pic.twitter.com/n76uSJc8Hx

— W. David O. Taylor (@wdavidotaylor) February 23, 2023

O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst take upon thee the form of a servant, humbling thyself and accepting death for us, even the death of the cross: Grant that this mind may be also in us; so that we may gladly take upon ourselves the life of humility and service, and taking up our cross daily may follow thee in thy suffering and death, that with thee we may attain unto the power of thy endless life. Grant this, O Christ, our Saviour and our King.

Good morning ☕☕ pic.twitter.com/5pNkUHdXH9

— Mårten Björkgren 💙💛 (@MartenBjorkgren) February 23, 2023

The idea of national repentance seems at first sight to provide such an edifying contrast to that national self-righteousness of which England is so often accused and with which she entered (or is said to have entered) the last war, that a Christian naturally turns to it with hope. Young Christians especially-last-year undergraduates and first-year curates- are turning to it in large numbers. They are ready to believe that England bears part of the guilt for the present war, and ready to admit their own share in the guilt of England. What that share is, I do not find it easy to determine. Most of these young men were children, and none of them had a vote or the experience which would enable them to use a vote wisely, when England made many of those decisions to which the present disorders could plausibly be traced. Are they, perhaps, repenting what they have in no sense done?

If they are, it might be supposed that their error is very harmless: men fail so often to repent their real sins that the occasional repentance of an imaginary sin might appear almost desirable. But what actually happens (I have watched it happening) to the youthful national penitent is a little more complicated than that. England is not a natural agent, but a civil society. When we speak of England’s actions we mean the actions of the British government. The young man who is called upon to repent of England’s foreign policy is really being called upon to repent the acts of his neighbor; for a foreign secretary or a cabinet minister is certainly a neighbor. And repentance presupposes condemnation. The first and fatal charm of national repentance is, therefore, the encouragement it gives us to turn from the bitter task of repenting our own sins to the congenial one of bewailing-but, first, of denouncing-the conduct of others.

–C.S. Lewis, “Dangers of national repentance”

Happy Ash Wednesday! pic.twitter.com/BA54gkyAvY

— Countess Anna (@AnnaCountessK) February 22, 2023

“Confess your faults one to another” (Jas. 5:16). He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship in service, may still be left to their loneliness. The final break-through to fellowship does not occur, because, though they have fellowship with one another as believers and devout people, they do not have fellowship as the undevout, as sinners. This pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. so we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!

But it is the grace of the Gospel, which is so hard for the pious to understand, that it confronts us with the truth and says: You are a sinner, a great, desperate sinner; now come as the sinner that you are, to God who loves you. He wants you as you are; He does not want anything from you, a sacrifice, a work; He wants you alone. “My son, give me thine heart” (Prov. 23:26). God has come to you to save the sinner. Be glad! This message is liberation through truth. You can hide nothing from God. The mask you wear before men will do you no good before Him. He wants to see you as you are, He wants to be gracious to you. You do not have to on lying to yourself and your brothers, as if you were without sin; you can dare to be a sinner. Thank God for that; He loves the sinner but He hates sin.

–Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

Baltimore: Walters Art Museum, W. 174, Missal of Eberhard von Greiffenklau, fol. 28r; initial D at beginning of prayer during the blessing of ashes on Ash Wednesday, “O God, who desirest not the death of sinners, but their penance…" @Princeton #MedievalTwitter #AshWednesday pic.twitter.com/BUzdFfjviW

— Marlene T. Diaz (@academicknight) February 22, 2023

O Lord and heavenly Father, who hast given unto us thy people the true bread that cometh down from heaven, even thy Son Jesus Christ: Grant that throughout this Lent our souls may so be fed by him that we may continually live in him and he in us; and that day by day we may be renewed in spirit by the power of his endless life, who gave himself for us, and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

Sky looked like it was on fire over Pawleys Island this morning. Awesome 📸 Bob Callahan! #scwx pic.twitter.com/wRHSXtzo2t

— Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) February 22, 2023

On that Wednesday, throughout the world,
as it is appointed, priests bless
clean ashes in church, and then lay them
on people’s heads, so that they may remember
that they came from earth and will return again to dust,
just as Almighty God said to Adam,
after he had sinned against God’s command:
‘In labour you shall live and in sweat you shall eat
your bread upon the earth, until you return again
to the same earth from which you came,
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’
This is not said about the souls of mankind,
but about their bodies, which moulder to dust,
and shall again on Judgement Day, through the power of our Lord,
rise from the earth, all who ever lived,
just as all trees quicken again in the season of spring
which were deadened by the winter’s chill.

Read it all.

'Þu eart dust and to duste gewendst': an Anglo-Saxon Ash Wednesday sermon and the link between Lent and spring https://t.co/gW6skHKmRv

The word 'Lent' comes from the Old English word for spring, 'lencten', the season when the days are lengthening. pic.twitter.com/Zlfx8tEJyO

— Eleanor Parker (@ClerkofOxford) February 22, 2023

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.

Join us for Eucharist for Ash Wednesday with Imposition of Ashes at 5pm here @wabbey today. Music by Palestrina, Allegri and Byrd #ashwednesday pic.twitter.com/zQzoPmqi5t

— Choir of Westminster Abbey (@WAbbeyChoir) February 22, 2023

O Lord, who didst spend this day in quiet retreat at Bethany, in preparation for thy coming passion: Help us ever to live mindful of our end; that when thou shalt call us to pass through the valley of the shadow of death, we may fear no evil, for thou art with us, who didst die that we might live with thee for ever.

Albrecht Dürer woodcut of Christ's Entry into Jerusalem (1511). #PalmSunday pic.twitter.com/SPunDsL1cs

— Linda Briggs (@DrLindaBriggs) March 29, 2015

Lord God, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, gave his back to the smiters, and hid not his face from shame: Grant us grace to take joyfully the sufferings of the present time, in full assurance of the glory that shall be revealed; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Morning pic.twitter.com/g05qq9cIGT

— Veritatis Cupitor (@English1Maiden) April 12, 2022

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who didst devote thy life and thy death to our most plenteous redemption: Grant that what thou hast wrought for us may also be wrought in us: that, growing into thy likeness, we may serve and share thy redeeming work; who livest and reignest in the glory of the eternal Trinity now and for evermore.

—A Procession of Passion Prayers, ed. Eric Milner-White (London: SPCK, 1952)

Boultham Park, Lincoln #lovelincoln #visitlincoln #sunrise #spring #flowers #daffodils #thephotohour pic.twitter.com/BpDfEw6mty

— Andrew Scott Photography (@scotty_photos) April 9, 2022

Almighty and most merciful God, who hast given thy Son to die for our sins and to obtain eternal redemption for us through his own blood: Let the merit of his spotless sacrifice, we beseech thee, purge our consciences from dead works to serve thee, the living God, that we may receive the promise of eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus our Lord; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end.

Glamorgan Heritage Coast #Wales #ThePhotoHour #StormHour #seascape @ItsYourWales #picoftheday #moody @visitthevale @southern_wales pic.twitter.com/PYip9uKgnC

— Itay Kaplan (@Itkap1308) April 8, 2022

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which thou hast given us, for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, now and for evermore.

Moody sky and blowing a hoolie in Stilton, Cambridgeshire this morning @ChrisPage90 @WeatherAisling @itvanglia @metoffice @ThePhotoHour #LoveUKWeather #StormHour pic.twitter.com/96xQAMs2VY

— Christine Mitchell (@chris_alpacas) April 7, 2022

O God, whose blessed Son did overcome death for our salvation: Mercifully grant that we, who have his glorious passion in remembrance, may take up our cross daily and follow him; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

#POTM competition entry by Caroline @CaroBenyon "Starry Aurora – nature’s firework display"#StormHour #ThePhotoHour @RMetS pic.twitter.com/QAQEaDosTm

— #StormHour (@StormHour) April 6, 2022

O God, who by the cross and passion of thy Son Jesus Christ didst save and deliver mankind: Grant that by steadfast faith in the merits of that holy sacrifice we may find help and salvation, and may triumph in the power of his victory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Beautiful sunrise over Downtown Charleston! #chswx @stormhour pic.twitter.com/7YtyFx0S6u

— JoeyLive5 (@JoeySovine) April 5, 2022

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Golden Pipit#BirdsSeenIn2022 #Kenya #IndiAves #ThePhotoHour #ThePhotoMode #TwitterNatureCommunity #BirdTwitter pic.twitter.com/vnbs51XdWN

— Kenyan Ornithologist-Kenyan Birds (@KOrnithologist) April 4, 2022

Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
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.

First peek of sun on the east coast. #sunrise #Eastcoast #Maine pic.twitter.com/jQPzdue0rH

— Mags Jeter (@MagsJeter) April 3, 2022

Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to seek for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will; through Christ our Lord.

There are so many signs of spring around us. The yellow blooms of daffodils, leaves budding and…aaahchoo. Excuse me, allergies.

But one of our favorites is the new life born on our public lands, like these swallow babies anxiously waiting for a meal.

Photo by Koustav Maity pic.twitter.com/gbLCU7mR8D

— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) April 1, 2022

O Lord and heavenly Father, who hast given unto us thy people the true bread that cometh down from heaven, even thy Son Jesus Christ: Grant that our souls may so be fed by him who giveth life unto the world, that we may abide in him and he in us, and thy Church be filled with the power of his unending life; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Good morning from Brodick Bay on the beautiful Isle of Arran. Have a fabulous Friday, whatever you are up to. ☀️😎📸@VisitArran @VisitScotland @bbcweather @stvweatherwatch @carolkirkwood @StormHour @ThePhotoHour #isleofarran #sunrise #FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/o3uso7XWUc

— Scot Down South (@LesleyAM13) April 1, 2022

O Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who art thyself the bread of life, and hast promised that he who comes to thee shall never hunger: Grant us faith truly to partake of thee through Word and Sacrament, that we may find refreshment of spirit and be strengthened for thy service; who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.

Up On Top. 2°C and snow showers. Sheep in the valley. pic.twitter.com/P2g6La6XNp

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) March 31, 2022

Grant us, O Lord, to rejoice in beholding the bliss of the heavenly Jerusalem; that as she is the home and mother of the multitude of the saints, we also may be counted worthy to have our portion within her; through thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

A. Murray MacKay bridge floated on clouds yesterday as I used a mirror to challenge the horizon with a bit of reflection. Dare to look at life from different angles! #ThePhotoHour #StormHour #VisitNovaScotia pic.twitter.com/1YhjyAKHRl

— Stuart Moors (@AnchorsAweighNS) March 30, 2022