Scripture for Ash Wednesday 2013

Each day during Lent I will paste a Scripture from the Gospel According to St. Mark and prayer. I hope these short readings and prayers will bless you during this season of penitence.

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” ~ Mark 1:4-8 (NASB)

Heavenly Father, today at the beginning of Lent, I confess my sins—the things I do that I should not do, the things I should do that I don’t, the things I try to hide from myself, and most of all, the sin of allowing the busy-ness of life to put the mundane duties of life ahead of spending time with You. You are Jehovah, and You command me to put You first in my life. I want to use this time of Lent to grow closer to You, to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, to love Jesus more. Let this Lenten season be a time of repentance and remission of my sins, a season of spending time with You. This I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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