God, be patient with us. In Your kindness, do not begrudge us our unfaithfulness. Show us instead how You do not boast that You alone know all the answers that we can't seem to grasp. In Your humility, show us what honor is.
Do not deal with us in anger, but wipe clean any record of wrongs that we ourselves have tallied.
Remind us that You take no delight in evil, but You rejoice when truth prevails.
Protect us. Trust us. Place Your hope in us. Persevere with us. Love us. For love never fails. And You, O God, are love.
In Your compassionate and eternal name, we pray. Amen.
Over time you begin to see hints and glimmers of a larger world outside the prison of your sadness. The conscious mind takes hold of some shred of beauty or love. And then more shreds, until you begin to think maybe, just maybe, there is something better on the far side of despair.
—Michael Gerson
The Interfaith Staff Prayer Room is open for congressional staff to use for personal prayer and meditation. For questions – email StaffPrayerRoom@mail.house.gov
Join us to pray the Rosary for Congress and the nation – each Friday at 11:30 am in the Interfaith Staff Prayer Room – 467 Cannon – or via Zoom. All are welcome. Rosaries and prayer sheets are provided. For zoom link or more information, contact Karen.Bronson@mail.house.gov Hosted by the Office of the Chaplain
Services at local churches for Ash Wednesday:
(For Catholics – Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation but a meaningful way to begin the season of Lent. It is a day of fasting for those age 18–59 – one full meal is allowed plus 2 smaller ones that don't equal a full meal – and abstinence from meat for those 14 and older.)
St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill
313 2nd St SE
Mass: 7:30 a.m.; 12:00 p.m.; 6:30 p.m.
St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill
313 2nd St NE
Mass: 8:00 a.m.; 12:10 p.m.; 5:30 p.m.
St. Dominic’s
630 E St SW
Mass: 8:00 a.m.; 12:10 p.m.; 7:00 p.m.
St. Vincent De Paul
14 M St SE
Mass: 7:00 a.m., 12:10 p.m.; 6:00 p.m.
The Church of the Resurrection (Anglican)
501 E St SE
Ash Wednesday Service: 7:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. (children); 6:30 p.m.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill
301 A St SE
Ash Wednesday Service: 12:00 p.m.; 7:00 p.m.
Christ Church + Washington Parish
620 G St SE
“Ashes to Go”: (9:00 a.m. near Eastern Market Metro)
Ash Wednesday Service: 7:30 a.m.; 4:30 p.m. (children’s service); 7:00 p.m.
Lutheran Church of the Reformation
212 East Capitol St NE
“Ashes to Go”: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Ash Wednesday Service: 6:30 p.m.
Capitol Hill Presbyterian
201 4th St SE
Ashes to Go: Eastern Market – 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ash Wednesday Service: 7:00 p.m.
Capitol Hill United Methodist Church
401 Seward Square SE
Ashes to go & blessing; 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on church steps
Ash Wednesday service – 7:00 p.m. at Ebenezer United Methodist Church 400 D St. SE
The Office of the Chaplain will offer ecumenical services for the distribution of ashes on Wednesday, February 18 in the Pelosi Cannon Caucus Room. All are welcome. Please join us at 9:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. for this service which will include the reading of scripture, words of reflection, prayer and the distribution of ashes. Please note: This is not a Mass. Local priests will be assisting. For information, ChaplainOffice@mail.house.gov