Just planing ahead for ash wednesday.
My Church has “Liturgy of the Word with Ashes” at 12noon and also mass at night. what is the difference of the two? Do you still recieve ashes at mass?
Thanks for the help!
There would be no particular reason to receive ashes twice.
Are ashes being distributed at boh services?
The Liturgy of the Word is just that: the first part of the Mass, with the opening collect, readings and possibly a few other prayers. (BTW–don’t call this a “short mas”; it’s not a mass at all.)
The Mass, of course, is the entire Eucharistic Sacrifice.
The difference between the two is that you will not be having a consecration of bread and wine at your noon service. It will be a Liturgy of the Word, which is the first part of a Mass which is the readings. You will not have the second part of a Mass which is the consecration. It is possible that hosts from the tabernacle (consecrated at a prior Mass) will be distributed. You will receive ashes at your noon service.
Your evening Mass will be a Mass and you will receive Communion as well as ashes.
Some parishes do such “Liturgy of the Word + Ashes” services at the noon hour so that working Catholics have the chance to go on their lunch break (because a full Mass plus the distribution of ashes is pretty well impossible to do in 40 minutes). It is as it the name implies: The Liturgy of the Word (i.e., the readings and the homily) followed by the distribution of ashes.
Mass is, of course, Mass, with both the Liturgy of the Word (everything up through the homily) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (everything after the homily).
Curiously, some people seem more concerned with receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday than receiving the Eucharist. Ashes are a sacramental. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Sacraments and the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. If one must choose between the two, it is better to receive the Eucharist than ashes. 
But, it is better to at least go to a “Liturgy of the Word with Ashes” service than to not go at all. For some, it is the only thing that works with their schedule.
Since Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, Catholics are not obligated to go to Church at all that day, but it’s certainly a good thing to do.
So often on Ash Wednesday we will see people stay only until the ashes are distributed following the homily and then leave Mass. They only come to receive ashes and not Jesus in the Eucharist. Even if they didn’t receive the EUcharist for one reason or another they should still stay for the graces of participating. I realize some people have to leave to get to work or something but not the crowds that we do see leaving. Then we get the people who show up after mass asking for ashes as if we have priests sitting in the church all day dispensing ashes.
yes they can also simply distribute ashes at stated times outside Mass or LOW. Yes on Ash Wednesday I am sure every parish will be distributing ashes at any service that is scheduled.
Thanks everyone. This has been much helpful.
In the cathedral where I was working last year, on Ash Wednesday there were the usual Masses plus the distribution of ashes. There were also several “ashes services” where there was a liturgy of the Word, a short homily/reflection, and the distribution of ashes. The idea was to give more emphasis to the reception of the ashes. In Ireland it has been common for churches to leave the ashes in the church for those who couldn’t make it to Mass to take for themselves; or else the priests would be asked non-stop during the day to give ashes to those who couldn’t make it to Mass! So, essentially the practice of having a liturgy of the Word was to ensure that people weren’t just coming into the church, taking the ashes, and then leaving immediately. I think it was a good idea really - it only takes about 15-20 minutes, but it can set the mood for the Lenten season.
\or else the priests would be asked non-stop during the day to give ashes to those who couldn’t make it to Mass! So, essentially the practice of having a liturgy of the Word was to ensure that people weren’t just coming into the church, taking the ashes, and then leaving immediately.\
**This reminds me of how one woman walked into the Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday and expected the Priest to stop everything bless her Easter Basket so she could go on.
“Drive-by Pascha”, as the Deacon called it. **
In our parish the EMHC’s take ashes to the home bound and administer them with a Liturgy of the Word.
Many Hispanics in our area believe that if you don’t get ashes this year you won’t be here to get them next year. So great crowds come for the ashes and leave once they have them. The priests got tired of doing the Liturgy of the Eucharist with only the server present; so they have gone to using just the Liturgy of the Word.