Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns printed in bold type.

The church is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T.

Photography, filming, and sound recording are not allowed in the Abbey during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Setting: Mass for four voices, William Byrd (c 1540–1623)

During the offertory hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between the Commonwealth Foundation and the work of the Abbey. The Commonwealth Foundation is the Commonwealth's agency for civil society, supporting people's participation in democracy and development.

This service will be live-streamed.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter. The choir sings the Lent Prose

Refrain Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us : for we have sinned against thee.

To thee, Redeemer, on thy throne of glory : lift we our weeping eyes in holy pleadings : listen, O Jesu, to our supplications.

God, we implore thee, in thy glory seated : bow down and hearken to thy weeping children : pity and pardon all our grievous trespasses.

Sins oft committed now we lay before thee : with true contrition, now no more we veil them : grant us, Redeemer, loving absolution.

Music: plainsong

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

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

All remain standing. The president introduces the liturgy

Brothers and sisters in Christ, since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and prepared for this by a season of penitence and fasting.

By carefully keeping these days, Christians take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word.

All remain standing for the Collect

Let us pray for grace to keep Lent faithfully.

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.

All sit for the Reading from the Old Testament, Isaiah 58: 1–12

Shout out, do not hold back!
   Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
   to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
   and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practised righteousness
   and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgements,
   they delight to draw near to God.
'Why do we fast, but you do not see?
   Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?'
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,
   and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
   and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
   will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
   a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
   and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
   a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the fast that I choose:
   to loose the bonds of injustice,
   to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
   and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
   and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
   and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
   the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
   you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

If you remove the yoke from among you,
   the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
   and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
   and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
   and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
   like a spring of water,
   whose waters never fail.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
   you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
   the restorer of streets to live in.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The choir sings Psalm 51: 1–4, 8, 10, 12, 18

Antiphon Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Have mercy on me, O God,
   in your great goodness;
according to the abundance of your compassion
   blot out my offences.
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness,
   and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my faults,
   and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned,
   and done what is evil in your sight.

Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean;
   wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Turn your face from my sins,
   and blot out all my misdeeds.

Cast me not away from your presence,
   and take not your holy spirit from me.

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The Epistle, 2 Corinthians 5: 20b—6: 10

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,

'At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
   and on a day of salvation I have helped you.'
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

All stand for the Procession of the Gospel. The choir sings

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

and all repeat

The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice. Harden not your hearts.

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

The reader announces the Gospel, John 8: 1–11

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?' They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, sir.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

The Sermon by The Reverend David Stanton, Sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer

All stand

Let us now call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.

All say together

Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love,
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light.
Amen.

Let us pray God's blessing on these ashes that they may be a sign of the spirit of penitence with which we shall keep this season of Lent.

O God our Father, who created us from the dust of the earth: bless these ashes, and grant that they may be for us a sign of our penitence and a symbol of our mortality; for it is by your grace alone that we receive eternal life in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear friends in Christ, I invite you to receive upon your head in ash the sign of the cross, the symbol of our salvation.

The ministers each receive the Imposition of Ashes. Members of the congregation wishing to receive the imposition of ashes come forward. The ministers impose ashes on the head of each, saying

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.

During the imposition of ashes the choir sings the Motet

Miserere mei, Deus,
   secundum magnam misericordiam tuam;
et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum,
   dele iniquitatem meam.
Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea
   et a peccato meo munda me.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco
   et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
Tibi soli peccavi,
   et malum coram te feci;
ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis,
   et vincas cum judicaris.
Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum,
   et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti;
   incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor;
   lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam,
   et exultabunt ossa humiliata.
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis,
   et omnes iniquitates meas dele.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus,
   et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Ne proiicias me a facie tua,
   et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Redde mihi laetitiam salutatis tui
   et spiritu principali confirma me.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas
   et impii ad te convertentur.
Libera me de sanguinibus,
   Deus salutis meæ,
   et exultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.

Domine, labia mea aperies,
   et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique;
   holocaustis non delectaberis.
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus;
   cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion,
   ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem.
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae,
   oblationes, et holocausta;
   tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgement. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Words: Psalm 51
Music: Gregorio Allegri (1582–1652) and others

When the imposition is concluded, all stand for the Absolution

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president introduces the Peace

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access to his grace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you.

All remain standing to sing the Hymn during the Preparation of the Altar. A collection will be taken. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   and purge away my sin;
from earthborn passions set me free,
   and make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   with care and woe opprest;
let me thy loving servant be,
   and taste thy promised rest.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   amid the battle's strife;
in all my pain and misery
   be thou my health and life.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   nor let me go astray;
through darkness and perplexity
   point thou the heavenly way.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   when flows the tempest high:
when on doth rush the enemy
   O Saviour, be thou nigh.

Lord Jesus, think on me,
   that, when the flood is past,
I may the eternal brightness see,
   and share thy joy at last.

Words: Synesius (c 373–c 414) translated by Allen Chatfield (1808–96)
Tune: 'Southwell' 70 NEH, after Psalm 45 in William Daman's 'The Psalmes in English Metre' 1579

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise, almighty God and everlasting Father, through Jesus Christ your Son. For in these forty days you lead us into the desert of repentance that through a pilgrimage of prayer and discipline we may grow in grace and learn to be your people once again. Through fasting, prayer, and acts of service you bring us back to your generous heart. Through study of your holy word you open our eyes to your presence in the world and free our hands to welcome others into the radiant splendour of your love. As we prepare to celebrate the Easter feast with joyful hearts and minds we bless you for your mercy and join with saints and angels for ever praising you and saying:

The choir sings Sanctus and Benedictus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The president continues the Eucharistic Prayer

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

The president concludes the Eucharistic Prayer

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

Lord Jesus, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray, each in our own language,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
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,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

All remain standing for the Breaking of the Bread

The congregation is invited to sit as the president and other ministers begin the distribution of Holy Communion. Those wishing to receive come forward as directed by the Stewards. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to do so here. Gluten-free wafers are available. Please refrain from dipping the wafer in the chalice. Those who do not wish to receive communion are invited to come for a blessing; please bow your head as you approach. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

The blood of Christ. Amen.

During the giving of communion, the choir sings Agnus Dei and the Motet

Memento homo quod cinis es et in cinerem reverteris.

Remember, man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Words: Sentence for the Imposition of Ashes
Music: William Byrd, in 'Cantiones Sacrae' 1575

Let us pray.

All stand. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life: give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive these his inestimable gifts, and also daily endeavour to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

The president pronounces the Blessing

May God the Father, who does not despise the broken spirit, give to you a contrite heart. Amen.

May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, heal you by his wounds. Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth, speak to you words of pardon and peace. Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

The choir and clergy depart in silence

Choristerships at Westminster Abbey

The Choir of Westminster Abbey

If you have a son who enjoys singing, you can find out more information about our world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique Choir School. 

Alternatively, please contact Dr Emma Margrett, Headteacher, Westminster Abbey Choir School, [email protected]. Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, [email protected].

St Margaret's Choristers

If you have a daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact Greg Morris, Director of Music, St Margaret's Church, [email protected]. Find out more about Music at St Margaret's Church.

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Hymns covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (International) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271 and MRL no 1040288. Common Worship (Church House Publishing, 2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council. Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version.