His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Ps. c. I, 2. GOSPEL. St. Luke xviii. 31. THEN Jesus took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death; and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pass, that as He was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way-side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying: Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace but he cried so much the more: Thou Son of David, have mercy on me And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him and when he was come near, He asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said: Lord, that I may

on this day, according to the ancient custom of the Church.

The ashes to be blessed, (which should be made from the Palms blessed on the previous Palm Sunday) are placed in a silver or some other fitting vessel at the Epistle side of the Altar; the celebrant being vested as for Mass, but without maniple and chasuble, stands there, facing east, and says:

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, Who hast mercy upon all, and hatest nothing that Thou hast made, winking at the sins of men because they should repent Who dost also give succour to them that labour in their time of need: vouchsafe to

:

bless and hallow these ashes, which Thou hast ordained that we should bear on our heads, after the example of the Ninevites, as a sign of humility and holy religion, for the cleansing of our offences and grant, that by the invocation of Thy holy Name, all those who beseeching Thy mercy, shall bear them on their heads, may be counted worthy to receive pardon of all their sins, and may so begin their holy fast to-day, that in the day of the Resurrection they may with minds cleansed and made pure draw near to the holy Feast of the Passover, and hereafter receive everlasting glory. Through.

Here the priest sprinkles the ashes with holy water. Then he says:

V. The Lord be with you. B. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who desirest not the death of sinners, but rather that they should repent: most mercifully look upon the weakness of man's estate: and of Thy lovingkindness vouchsafe to bless and hallow these ashes, which we purpose to put upon our heads for a sign of humility, and to obtain Thy know ourselves, from Thine pardon that so we, who admonition, to be but ashes, and for our evil deservings, that we shall return to dust again; may be accounted worthy to obtain the forgiveness of all our sins, and the rewards Thou hast mercifully promised to them that are penitent. Through.

Then the priest kneels in the midst of the Altar, and puts ashes on his own head, in the form of a cross, saying nothing: but if another priest be present, he here goes to the Altar, without stole, and puts ashes on the celebrant, who stands turned towards the people with his head bowed, saying, Remember, &c.

Then the celebrant puts them on the heads of those present kneeling before the Altar, beginning on the Epistle side with those

highest in rank, first clergy, then men, and then women, making the sign of the Cross with the ashes upon each, and saying : REMEMBER, Oman, that

dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. In

the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

¶ While this is being done, the following Antiphons are said or sung:

HEAR me, O Lord, for Thy loving-kindness is comfortable: turn Thee unto

me, according to the multitude of Thy mercies, O Lord. PSALM. Save me, O God: for the waters are come in, even unto my soul (lxix. 17). Glory. Hear me.

¶ Another Antiphon. LET the priests and levites,

the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say spare Thy people, O Lord, spare them: and shut not the mouths of them

that call upon Thee, O Lord.

Another Antiphon. LET us change our garments for sackcloth and ashes: let us fast and weep before the Lord: for our God is rich in mercy to forgive us our sins.

¶ When all have received

ashes, the priest washes his hands, also cleansing them

with crumb of bread; then at the choir step, (or at the Epistle side of the Altar), says:

. The Lord be with you. Ry. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Let us pray.

the

maniple and chasuble, and begins Mass in the accustomed way.

This Tract is said every Monday and Friday till Maundy Thursday, when the Mass is of the Lenten week-day. GOSPEL. St. Matthew vi. 16. WHEN ye fast, be not as

the hypocrites, of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you: They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, Which is in secret; and thy Father, Which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures

upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where

Secrets, 2. For Prayers of the Saints; 3. For all sorts and conditions of men. See Divers Collects.

PROPER PREFACE, page 68.

COMMUNION. He who will exercise himself in the law of the Lord, day and night: will bring forth his fruit in due season. Ps. i.

POSTCOMMUNION.

LET the Sacraments, O

Lord, which we have received afford us help that our fasts may be both acceptable unto Thee, and profitable for our own healing. Through.

¶ The Postcommunions, 2. For the Prayers of the Saints. 3. For all sorts and