Voice: Keith Lim
Today is Friday, 13th of October. 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.
We read Psalm 55:16-23
But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.
20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down
into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.
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 14:53-65
53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
“Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Jesus’ response to this question would become His final nail to the Cross.
And indeed, through the centuries, countless believers have been martyred because of how they answered this same question.
One may wonder: Why must this question even be asked?
Surely the authorities, having plotted His arrest and begun His torture, already knew their intent. Perhaps the question was less for discovery than for justification — a way to make their cruelty seem lawful. By framing the execution as obedience to the law, they could quiet their own conscience. Like Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands and declared, “I am innocent of this man’s blood” (Matthew 27:24), the persecutors sought moral cover for their violence.
That same appeal to “law” still provides justification for the persecution of Christians in many parts of the world today. Hatred finds relief when wrapped in legality, allowing consciences to remain untroubled even as injustice is done.
Closer to home, we remember Pastor Raymond Koh, who was kidnapped in 2017 and never seen again. Our hearts cry, “Avenge your children, O Lord!”
Yet our Lord Himself prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
It is this same principle of divine mercy that allows our sins to be forgiven. Ironically, when the crowd shouted, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matthew 27:25), their words carried a deeper truth — His blood indeed covers us, not for judgment, but for redemption.
So today, will we take a moment to ask His forgiveness anew, and to determine once more to be faithful to Him?
Will we also remember those who suffer or are martyred because they confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Today, we also commemorate St. Ignatius of Antioch, the third Bishop of Antioch, who was martyred for his faith and leadership in the early Church. On his way to execution in Rome, he wrote to the believers:
“I am God’s wheat, and I am ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread of Christ.”
May his courage inspire us to stand firm in faith and love, no matter the cost.
We end with this special Collect:
Almighty God, we praise your Name for your bishop and martyr Ignatius of Antioch,
who offered himself as grain to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts
that he might present to you the pure bread of sacrifice.
Accept, we pray, the willing tribute of our lives
and give us a share in the pure and spotless offering of your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Amen.
Be blessed by this song, How can I keep from Singing, by Audrey Assad
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation,
I catch the sweet†, tho’ far-off hymn
That hails a new creation;
Thro’ all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
What tho’ my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What tho’ the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night he giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smooths,
Since first I learned to love it,
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing;
All things are mine since I am his—
How can I keep from singing?
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 terrywong@anglican.org.sg
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