Lent Daybook 32: Death, Be Not Proud

Look:  Shelterers In The Tube, 1941, Henry Moore - Source 

Listen*:  Death Be Not Proud, Audrey Assad - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube 

Based on "Holy Sonnets: Death, Be Not Proud" by John Donne 

Read**:  Psalm 131, 132, 133; Exodus 7:25-8:19; 2 Corinthians 3:7-18; Mark 10:17-31 

Excerpts:

"O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore."

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"Remember, O Lord, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”

Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy. For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one."

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"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore."

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"So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord about the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh. And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said."

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"Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

... Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. ... But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

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"And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

... Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

- Psalm 131 * Psalm 132:1-10 * Psalm 133 * Exodus 7:12-19 * 2 Corinthians 7:7-8, 12-14, 16-18 * Mark 10:17-22, 28-30 (ESV)

Pray: Today, choose one more of these prayers from the Book of Common Prayer. Include the specific names of people that come to mind as you pray. You can find a collection of prayers especially meaningful for this time at our church's website,

For The Worried And Alone

O Lord, you who entrusted the care of your mother to your beloved disciple and who promised not to leave us as orphans but instead to provide your very own body and the care and comfort of your Spirit, be with all who feel afraid and alone this day. Care for the least of these in our community and grace us to be your body in word and deed, bringing your word of peace to the friendless and the fearful-hearted. We pray this so we might behold your glory and praise your lovingkindness, in the name of the Shepherd who walks with us through darkest valley. Amen

For The Poor And Neglected

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For The Unemployed

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work, especially those who have lost wages in this time of crisis. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, restoration of wages, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Health Of Body And Soul

May God the Father bless us, God the Son heal us, God the Holy Spirit give us strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard our bodies, save our souls, and bring us safely to his heavenly country; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Do: This week, fast from spending money, and feast on giving alms instead. 

This week, fast from spending money, and feast on giving alms instead.  Let each necessary purchase remind you of the reality of our complete poverty and helplessness before God and without the work of Christ. Instead of spending practice giving. 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. 

Three giving opportunities to consider: 

  • Give locally, to a local mission or food pantry. With so many out of work, food pantries are already reporting shortages, and Bridgeport Rescue Mission will see a spike in daily meals served and food distributed. Church of the Apostles will be making a special donation to BRM to help in this time. Join us by dropping of non-perishable food items at the mission or making a donation. You can check out news from BRM by following this link.

  • Give at the U.S. Border as recommended by Sarah Quezada: "Abara is an organization I have visited and worked with on the border between El Paso and Juarez. They are on the ground and working to support migrants waiting along the border. They have offered specific donation requests (and of course, financial gifts are needed, too). Please consider supporting them!

* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify - Lent: Worship & Prayer 2020. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Save to My Library.’

** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 2).


LentTamara Hill MurphyLent Daybook 2020