Voice: Li Huan
Today is Tuesday, 16th of September. Take a moment to be still in His presence.
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.
Psalm 133
1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
2 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!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
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.
Mark 8:22-26
22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Reflection on Psalm 133 – Dwelling in Unity
Surely one of the greatest joys in life is when Christians live together in unity. The psalmist writes, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.”
This is not about one-off interdenominational events, or the polite unity shown at church AGMs. The psalmist envisions something far deeper—a steady, enduring fellowship.
What if our friendships and fellowship in Christ were truly permanent? What if Christian community was meant to be a place where we grow in the steady presence of others?
Those called into the order of clergy often hear this reminder: this calling is for life, and you do not get to choose your fellow clergy. That is part of the cost—and the beauty—of a covenantal community. No matter the differences, we make a vow to stay together.
If we really think about it, the local church community is also covenanted. In earlier centuries, each town or city had only one church. It was your church for life, unless you moved away. Today, in Singapore alone, we have hundreds of churches. It has become easy to move on when relationships feel inconvenient or difficult.
But what happens when we treat our bonds in Christ as temporary? Friendships risk becoming transactional. If another person is difficult, we quietly back away. If we think every connection has an “expiry date,” we hold part of ourselves back. We don’t give fully. We are afraid to admonish one another or speak the truth in love less we offend. We short-change our community life. Community then becomes about convenience and self-benefit—until the inevitable “exit door” beckons.
Psalm 133 challenges us to imagine something different. What if Christian holiness includes accepting the people God has placed us with—for now, and for eternity? What if our growth comes not from constant novelty, but from the unglamorous commitment to stability, and the slow grace of staying?
When Christians dwell in unity and love one another as Christ has loved us, the world cannot help but notice. “How good and pleasant it is!” It is like precious oil flowing down from the head, covering the body with blessing. It is like the dew of Hermon, refreshing everything in its path.
For there—in that place of unity—the Lord commands His blessing.
We pray the Collect for the day:
Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
Be blessed by this song, Psalm 133 (Unity) by Tom Mottershead
Behold how good and pleasant it is
When brothers dwell in unity
Oh how good and blessed it is
When we’re together
Like precious oil on the head
Like the dew as it falls
On the mountain
God’s blessing flows
Oh how good and pleasant it is
When brothers dwell in unity
With life forevermore
With God forevermore
With life forevermore
With you forevermore
So why do we fight so much?
When you’ve already fought for us?
So why don’t we fight for love?
To be one, as You are one
So why do we go to war?
When you’ve already won us at the cross?
So now let us fight for love
To be one, as You are one
Souls are won, as we are one
So make us one, as You are one
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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