Voice: Jennifer
Today is Friday, 15th of August. The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Being the Feast of Virgin Mary, we say the Magnificat:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in O God my Savior;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant from this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me: and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him: in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm: he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones: and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things: And the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel: for he has remembered his promise of mercy the promise he made to our fathers: to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Luke 11:27-28
27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Blessed
In today’s passage from Luke 11, we read of a woman who raised her voice and said to Jesus,
“Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
She was speaking of Mary, echoing Elizabeth’s words in Luke 1:42: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
Indeed, there is something profoundly precious about mothers. Through their love and labor, a child is born and nurtured. And Mary is uniquely blessed because she bore the very Son of God.
But Jesus’ reply may surprise some. Rather than simply affirming the woman’s words, He said that those who hear the Word of God and keep it are truly blessed. Far from being disrespectful to His mother, Jesus was pointing to the deeper truth that Mary herself exemplified.
She heard God’s Word through the angel’s message and embraced it. Against all human odds, she and Joseph obeyed and “kept the Word.” Her blessedness was not only in her role as mother, but in her faith-filled obedience.
So, as we remember Mary today, let us also remember Jesus’ call: true honor comes not just from admiration, but from imitation. The priceless lesson is to hear and keep His Word.
Let’s take a moment to hear the words of the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
And from today’s passage:
Blessed are you who hear and keep His Word.
Be blessed by this song, Breath of Heaven
I have traveled many moonless nights
Cold and weary with a babe inside
And I wonder what I’ve done
Holy Father, You have come
And chosen me now to carry Your Son
I am waiting in a silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now, be with me now
Breath of Heaven, hold me together
Be forever near me, breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness
Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy
Breath of Heaven
Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of Your plan
Help me be strong, help me be, help me
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at info@mpcc.org.sg
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