The First Sunday in Lent
February 22nd, 2026

You are welcome to print this liturgy at home and bring it with you on Sunday.

Opening Acclamation
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;
God’s mercy endures for ever.

Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Penitence
Let us hear our Lord’s blessing on those who follow him:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who weep, for they shall be consoled.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins, to intercede for us in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments and to live in love and peace:

Silence

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

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

Processional
There Is A Balm in Gilead (William Farley Smith)

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.

Some times I feel discouraged,
and think my work’s in vain.
But then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again.

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.

Don't ever feel discouraged,
for Jesus is your friend,
and if you look for knowledge
he'll ne'er refuse to lend.

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.

If you can’t preach like Peter,
if you can’t pray like Paul,
just show the love of Jesus,
and know that love's for all.

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.

Song of Praise
Abide With Me (Henry Francis Lyte, William Henry Monk)

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not, abide with me

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if Thou abide with me

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me
Abide with me
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me
Abide with me

The Collect of the Day from Common Worship: Additional Collects (2004)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Heavenly Father, your Son wrestled with the powers of darkness and grew closer to you in the desert: help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer, so that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Lesson Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

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

Psalm 32

Blessed is he whose transgressions are for*given,
Whose sins are *covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin is not counted a*gainst him,
And in whose spirit is no de*ceit.

When I kept silent my bones wasted a*way,
Through my groaning all day *long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy u*pon me;
My strength was turned into the drought of *summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to *You.
I did not cover up my in*iquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the *Lord.”
You forgave the guilt of my *sin.

Therefore let everyone who is *godly
Pray to You while You may be *found;
You’re my hiding place, You protect me from *trouble,
You surround me with songs of de*liverance.

I will instruct you and *teach you
In the way you should *go;
I will counsel you and watch *over you.
The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds those who *trust him.

Glory be to the Father and to the *Son
And to the Holy *Spirit
As it was in the be*ginning,
Is now and ever shall be A*men

Second Lesson Romans 5:12-19

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— for sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam, who is a pattern of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

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

Gospel Acclamation

Have mercy on us
Have mercy on us, O Lord
Have mercy, O Lord
Have mercy

The Gospel Reading Matthew 4:1-11
+ This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

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

Gospel Acclamation

Oh help my unbelief
Oh help my unbelief, O Lord
Have mercy, O Lord
Have mercy

Homily

A Creed from the United Church of Canada

We are not alone, we live in God’s world.

We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit. We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

The Prayers of the People from the Book of Common Prayer
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.

Silence is kept.