Voice: Emily
Today is Thursday, 13th of November.
As we start another day, let us observe a moment of silence.
We pray:
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Psalm 15
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
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.
Matthew 5:38-48
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Love Your Enemies
Jesus’ teaching on loving one’s enemies was astonishingly new in His day—and it remains unique among the world’s religious and philosophical traditions.
Think about the questions it raises:
Why should someone turn the other cheek?
If you are being sued for a million dollars, why would you offer two—especially if you are innocent?
Why should we lend freely to anyone who asks?
If your boss is abusive and demands unpaid labour, why should you “go the extra mile” and work even longer?
Why should one perpetuate injustice?
At face value, these teachings appear unreasonable, even impossible.
The only way to understand them—as with many of Jesus’ teachings—is to realise that He often speaks with hyperbole.
Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration meant to emphasise a point.
Examples include:
- “A camel going through the eye of a needle”
- “Hating one’s parents” in order to follow Him
These statements are not intended to be taken literally.
They shock the listener, helping us grasp the seriousness of what is being taught.
We do something similar in everyday speech:
- “We’ll die soon under this heat!”
- “This plate of char kway teow will stop your heart!”
Hyperbole sharpens the point.
Jesus begins with:
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you…”
Then He shocks us with His teaching:
Love your enemies.
Pray for those who persecute you.
Why?
Because this reflects the very heart of God.
He will teach us to pray later: Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
It is what He Himself will demonstrate—all the way to the Cross.
Is there someone you feel angry or bitter against?
Has a wound taken root deep within your spirit?
Will you allow the words and Spirit of Christ to touch, heal, and free you?
It may be complex or deeply painful.
Bring it to the Lord.
And remember:
Sometimes, God uses others to walk with us on the journey toward healing.
May His love make us more like Him.
We end with the Family Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin
against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and
the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
We leave you with this beautiful rendition of “Instrument of Peace”. This song is an adaptation of the Prayer of St Francis, which is a cry for us as believers to be channels of God’s grace and love to others – not just in convenient times, but also in difficult ones. This song is from the “Poets and Prophets” Project Album. More information can be found in this link.
The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
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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