Ruth Greenaway-Robbins

For use at home, at work, or wherever you are

You may wish to light a candle or find a place to be still and quiet.

The Sign of the Cross

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

A Beginning

Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with me here.
Amen.

An Invitation

Christians have long kept Lent
as a season of turning and returning,
a time to remember our mortality,
to repent of sin, and to prepare our hearts for Easter.

Today, even here, in my kitchen, at my desk, by a hospital bed,
on a train,
I join that great turning.

Lord, give me grace
to keep a holy Lent.

Scripture

You may read slowly:

Joel 2:12–13

“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.”

Pause.

And/or pray:

Psalm 51 (short form)

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Amen.

Remembering the Ashes

You may want to simply trace the sign of the cross on your palms.

As you say:

I Remember that I am dust,
And to dust I shall return.

I turn away from sin
And I am faithful to Christ.

Pause.

A Prayer of Returning to God

Lord God,
you created me from dust
and breathe your Spirit into me.

I confess that I have not loved you
with my whole heart.

I have been distracted,
impatient,
self-protective,
fearful.

I have clung to what does not give life.

Forgive me.
Cleanse me.
Restore me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

(Keep silence for a moment.)

Assurance

Hear this promise:

“If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just,
and will forgive our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

In Christ, I am forgiven.
In Christ, I am loved.
In Christ, I am invited to begin again.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer for a Holy Lent

God our Father,
the strength of all who put their trust in you,
because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you,
grant me the help of your grace.

As I fast,
let it turn my hunger toward you.

As I pray,
let it deepen my trust in you.

As I give,
let it loosen my grip on what I do not need.

Lead me through these forty days
into deeper freedom,
deeper honesty,
deeper love.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name

On earth as it is in heaven

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

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

Forever and ever.

Amen.

Closing Blessing

May God the Father,
who does not despise the broken spirit,
give me an open and hopeful heart.

May Christ,
who bore our sins upon the cross,
Heal me by his wounds.

May the Holy Spirit
Lead me into truth,
and sustain me in grace.

And may God bless me,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
and be with me now and forevermore.
Amen.

A Final Sentence

May I go gently into this holy season.
I am dust and I am beloved.
I return to the Lord,
for he is gracious and merciful.

Created by Ruth Greenaway-Robbins 2026, inspired by the liturgies of Ash Wednesday. Please cite me if using this resource.