Monument: Lent Daybook 8

Look: In this elevated view, people are seen walking through the flags of the "In America: Remember" public-art installation near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on September 19, 2021. The installation commemorates all the Americans who have died of COVID-19. It is based on a concept by the artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg and includes more than 650,000 small plastic flags, some with personal messages to those who have died, planted in 20 acres of the National Mall, Al Drago / Getty - Source

Listen: Keening of the Three Marys, William Coulter - Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 119:49-72; Psalm 49; Genesis 37:25-36; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; Mark 1:29-45

Excerpts (from the Modern English version today)

“Hear this, all you people; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will be understanding. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will expound my riddle with a harp.

Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my temporary dwelling. I have remembered Your name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept Your law. This is my blessing, because I have kept Your precepts.

You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words. I seek Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word

Brothers, when I came to you, I did not come with superiority of speech or wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Yet we speak wisdom among those who are mature, although not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew it. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit.

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my stalkers surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem the other, nor give to God a ransom for anyone, for the redemption of their souls is costly; even so people cease to exist forever, making efforts to live eternally, and not see the pit.

For one sees that wise men die, together the fool and the brute perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their graves become their perpetual homes, and their dwelling places to all generations, though they call their lands after their own names.

But a man does not abide in honor; mankind is like the beasts that come to ruin.

This is their way, it is their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings.

Selah

Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; the upright shall rule over them in the morning, and their form shall waste away in Sheol, far from their dwelling. But God shall redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He shall receive me.

Selah

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let us not lay our hand on him, for he is our brother and our own flesh.” So his brothers agreed.

Then when the Midianite merchants passed by, they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt…

They took Joseph’s coat and killed a young goat and dipped the coat in the blood. Then they took the coat of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found. Do you know whether it is your son’s robe or not?”

He knew it and said, “It is my son’s coat. A wild beast has devoured him. Joseph has without a doubt been torn into pieces.”

Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his waist and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “For I will go down into the grave mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Meanwhile the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

You have been good to Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I have believed Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I wandered, but now I keep Your word. You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes. The proud have spoken lies against me, but I keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as thick as fat, but I delight in Your law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. The law from Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver coins.

Do not fear when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased, for he takes nothing away in death; his glory does not descend after him. Though while he lives he blesses his soul— and men will praise you when you do well for yourself— that soul will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see light.

That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word.

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. These things also we proclaim, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”

Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.” He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.

…as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Pray: On Wednesdays, we'll pray the Confession and Litany of Penitence from the Ash Wednesday service in the Book of Common Prayer. Include the specific names of people and places that come to mind as you pray. If you are able to pray this with someone else, one of you can pray the unbolded words and then pray the bolded words together.

If possible, offer this prayer while kneeling.

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.

Silence

Most holy and merciful Father, we confess to you, and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned, through our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven. We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For all our unfaithfulness and disobedience; for the pride, vanity, and hypocrisy of our lives; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our self-pity and impatience, and our envy of those we think more fortunate than ourselves; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our unrighteous anger, bitterness, and resentment; for all lies, gossip, and slander against our neighbors; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our sexual impurity, our exploitation of other people, and our failure to give of ourselves in love; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our intemperate pursuit of worldly goods and comforts; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our dishonesty in daily life and work, our ingratitude for your gifts, and our failure to heed your call. Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our wastefulness and misuse of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you

For all false judgments, for prejudice and contempt of others, and for all uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our negligence in prayer and worship; for our presumption and abuse of your means of grace; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For seeking the praise of others rather than the approval of God; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

For our failure to commend the faith that is in us; Lord, have mercy upon us: For we have sinned against you.

Show favor to your people, O Lord, who turn to you in weeping, fasting, and prayer. For you are a merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering, and abounding in steadfast love. You spare when we deserve punishment, and in your wrath you remember mercy. Spare your people, good Lord, spare us; in the multitude of your mercies, look upon us and forgive us; through the merits and mediation of your blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Silence

Stand for the remainder of the prayer, you might consider holding open your hands as a gesture of receiving God’s forgiveness.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him: If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)

The Peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Share God's peace with someone else as you return to your day.

Do: On Wednesdays through Lent, consider fasting from spending money, and feast on giving alms instead.

Almsgiving is a traditional Lenten practice. This week pray that the Lord would show you his face in the most distressing of your neighbors, and lead you to ways that you can show compassionate mercy.

Let each necessary purchase remind you of the reality of our complete poverty and helplessness before God and without the work of Christ.

This week, consider giving to an organization providing relief and recovery to communities impacted by the pandemic. If you need suggestions, please feel free to email me

Monument: Lent Daybook 8

tamara hill murphy

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