Ash Wednesday Forma Ordinaria

The year in which I began this blog, I was the Choir Director at the parish where I reside in Toronto. It was a way of keeping in touch with the choir members and anyone in the parish that wanted to view the upcoming week's music list.

I was recently asked by a friend for some music suggestions for an Ordinary Form liturgy for Ash Wednesday and I recalled an early post on this very matter. At this link, you will find the entire listing of music from Lent from Ash Wednesday until the Sunday of the Resurrection. I have republished below the music program designed for the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite which is in complete accordance with the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM). It is accessible, solemn, dignified and edifying. There are no heretical hymns such as "Ashes" and there is a concentration on the psalms and the reminder that we are dust, and "until dust we shall return."

We began with:

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Versicle & Response: Deus in adjutorium meum, intende, Domine ad aduvandum me festina. (O God, come to my assistance; LORD, make haste to help me.) Gloria P…
Office Hymn: O Kind Creator-Benigne Audi Conditor
Antiphons & Psalm 139: LORD, how wonderful is your wisdom. Gregorian psalm-tone VII
New Testament Canticle: Christ the first-born of creation and first-born from the dead; Colossians 1:12-18, 20, 19. Jan Vemulst
Reading: Work with anxious concern. Philippians 2:12b-15a
Responsory: To You O, LORD, I make my prayer for mercy. recto tono
Antiphon to Magnificat: Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Magnificat: Magnificat anima mea, Dominum Gregorian tone VIII
Prayers: Intercessory and The LORD’s Prayer
Closing Rite: Benedicamus Domino; Deo Gratias Gregorian tone
Marian Antiphon: Ave Regina Caelorum Gregorian simple tone

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Liturgy of the WORD

Choral Preludes: De Profundis; Psalm 130 Anglican chant style; and, Great God of Mercy; (Herzliebster Je­su) Johann Crüger (1598-1662)
Entrance Antiphon: Lord, you are merciful to all, and hate nothing you have created. You overlook the sins of your people to bring them to repentance. You are the Lord our God. (Wisdom 11:24-25, 27) Gregorian psalm tone
Processional Hymn: O Merciful Redeemer (melody: Creator alme siderum)
Kyrie: Kyrie from Gregorian Mass XVI
Responsorial Psalm: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Gospel Verse: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Imposition of Ashes

Antiphon: Come back to the Lord with all your heart; leave the past in ashes, and turn to God with tears and fasting, for he is slow to anger and ready to forgive. Let the priests and ministers of the Lord lament before his altar, and say: Spare us, Lord; spare your people! Do not let us die for we are crying out to you. Lord, take away our wickedness. (From Joel 2:13, 17; Esther 13:17; Psalm 51:3) Gregorian tone
Psalm: Have Mercy upon me, O GOD; (Miserere; Psalm 51) Gregorian tone
Responsory: Direct our hearts to better things, O LORD; heal our sin and ignorance. LORD, do not face us suddenly with death, but give us time to repent. Recto tono
R. Turn to us with mercy, LORD; we have sinned against you.
V. Help us, God our saviour; rescue us for the honour of your name.
R. Turn to us with mercy, LORD; we have sinned against you.

Liturgy of the EUCHARIST

Offertory Antiphon: I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me. Psalm 30:2-3 Gregorian psalm-tone
Lenten Prose: Attende Domine
Sanctus and Agnus Dei from Gregorian Mass XVIII
Communion Antiphon: The one who meditates day and night on the law of the Lord will yield fruit in due season. (Psalm 1:2-3) Gregorian psalm-tone
Communion Anthem: O Domine, Jesu Christe; Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (1560-1627)
Communion Hymn: Father, Mercy

Recessional Hymn: From the Depths of Sin and Sadness