Voice: Doreen
Today is Tuesday, 16th of December. In this Season of Advent, may Christ, the true, the only light banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
Psalm 70
1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
O Lord , make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
who say, “Aha, Aha!”
4 May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord , do not delay!
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 17: 1-13
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
We will live forever
The Transfiguration is one of the most extraordinary events in the life of Jesus. It stands as a moment where heaven briefly opened, and the glory of the Son of God was revealed—not in the shadows of suffering, but in dazzling brilliance. It was a foretaste of the resurrection and the glory to come.
For the three disciples, the vision was overwhelming. To see Jesus radiant and transfigured was already beyond comprehension. But then—Moses and Elijah appeared. Two towering figures from centuries past, long gone from earthly life, now alive and conversing with Jesus. Unsurprisingly, the disciples were filled with fear and confusion (Mark 9:6, 10). How could this be?
From our vantage point, with the resurrection of Jesus behind us, this moment is not so puzzling. Rather, it is deeply hopeful. The Transfiguration reminds us that death is not the end. We are not extinguished at death, but await transformation. In different times and forms, we continue in God’s eternal purposes. We will live forever. Forever, after all, is a very long time—and our earthly life is but a small chapter in a much greater story.
Scripture assures us that what the disciples saw in Jesus, we too will experience. Paul declares in Philippians 3:21,
“Christ… will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
John echoes this in 1 John 3:2:
“When Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
Whether you are proud of your current body or painfully aware of its limitations, there is a glorified version awaiting. A radiant, resurrected you. Isn’t that astonishing?
Think of what this means for how we live today. Many live as if this life is all there is—so when life is cut short, even by old age, it feels tragic. There are dreams unfinished, books unread, tasks left incomplete. But what if eternity gives us room for all that is truly worthwhile? What if every good thing will one day be restored and fulfilled in God’s new creation?
And what of our relationships? In this life, goodbyes feel final. But Jesus promised His disciples in John 14 that they would be with Him forever. The bonds formed in Christ are not severed by death. In God’s kingdom, we do not say goodbye forever.
When we take seriously what we believe—the resurrection, the glorified body, and eternal life—it changes everything. It reorients our priorities, reshapes our hope, and redefines what truly matters.
It transfigures the way we live.
We end with declaring our faith again in the Apostle’s Creed. As you do so, think about the implications of these beliefs.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
In closing, be blessed by this song, Transfiguration
Jesus on the mountain peak, stands alone in glory blazing.
Let us, if we dare to speak, join the saints and angels praising.
Praise and glory, praise and glory, praise and glory to our Lord!
Let us, if we dare to speak, join the saints and angels praising.
Trembling at His feet we saw, Moses and Elijah speaking.
All the prophets and the law, shout through them their joyful greeting.
Praise and glory, praise and glory, praise and glory to our Lord!
All the prophets and the law, shout through them their joyful greeting.
Swift the cloud of glory came, God, proclaiming in its thunder,
Jesus as the Son by name! Nations, cry aloud in wonder.
Praise and glory, praise and glory, praise and glory to our Lord!
Jesus as the Son by name, Nations, cry aloud in wonder.
Jesus is the chosen one, living hope of ev’ry nation,
Hear and heed Him, ev’ry one, sing with Earth and all creation.
Praise and glory, praise and glory, praise and glory to our Lord!
Hear and heed Him, ev’ry one, sing with Earth and all creation.
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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