| | Mass of Ash Wednesday; the penitential rite is omitted. Preface of Lent III or IV. |
| | Joel 2: 12-18; Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Matt 6:1-6, 16-18 |
| | Hours of Ash Wednesday; Psalter Week IV today and until Saturday.
At Morning Prayer, the psalms of Friday, Week III may be used today. |
| | The celebrant blesses and distributes ashes after the homily.
Other persons may be associated with the bishop or priest in the imposition of ashes, e.g., deacons, special ministers of communion and other lay persons, when there is true pastoral need. |
| Special ministers of communion and deacons may bring blessed ashes to the sick and those confined to their homes. If a minister is not available, a member of the family or another person may bring the blessed ashes to a shut-in, using one of the formulas in the Sacramentary to impose ashes. |
| OP | For pastoral reasons the blessing and distribution of ashes may take place outside Mass. In this case it may be appropriately joined to some hour of the Office, especially Midday Prayer or the Office of Readings. |
| NB: | When the blessing and distribution of ashes takes place outside Mass and apart from an hour of the Office, the entire liturgy of the word should be celebrated: entrance song, opening prayer, readings and chants, homily, blessing and distribution of ashes, and general intercessions. |
