Voice: Doreen
Today is Monday, 29th of December. As we approach the end of another year, take a moment to be still in His presence.
We pray:
Almighty and everlasting Father,
we thank you that you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day.
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger;
order us in all our doings;
and guide us to do always what is right in your eyes:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 36
Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
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 18:1-10
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Holy Innocents
Today is Holy Innocents Day. It normally falls on 28 December but in our calendar, it is moved to today.
Holy Innocents’ Day remembers the children of Bethlehem who were killed by King Herod in his attempt to destroy the Christ child (Matthew 2:16–18). They are the first martyrs of the Christian story — not by choice, not by confession, but by circumstance. They died because of Christ, though they never knew His name.
This day, like St Stephen’s Day on last Friday, sits uncomfortably close to Christmas joy. While we are still singing carols, Scripture confronts us with grief, cruelty, and the cost of evil power threatened by divine love. The Church places this feast here intentionally, reminding us that the Incarnation is not sentimental. The coming of Christ exposes the dark cruelty in human hearts even as it promises redemption.
The Holy Innocents stand for all who suffer unjustly:
- children caught in war,
- the vulnerable harmed by the powerful,
- the dispensable, sacrificed to pride and political ambition.
Carols romanticized the first Christmas season, but for some families a carol may go like this:
O little town of heartaches, how troubled we see thee lie
Throughout thy deep and dream-tossed sleep our fears go marching by.
And in thy dark thoughts dwelleth our everlasting fright.
The dread and tears of all the years are visiting tonight.”
Yet their story is not meaningless tragedy. Matthew tells us that their cries echo Rachel weeping for her children — but not without hope.
Jesus said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”
God hears. God remembers. God redeems. Every child.
In Christian faith, they are not forgotten casualties of history but witnesses to the truth that evil does not have the final word. Their deaths foreshadow the cross, and their innocence points to the Lamb of God who would one day suffer for the world.
On this day, the Church grieves — but also resists despair. We lament, but we do not lose hope. We remember, and in remembering, we commit ourselves to protecting life, resisting injustice, and trusting in the God who brings life out of death.
We also remember those whose lives were never given the chance to unfold — the stillborn, the miscarried, and the unborn. Every child who could not live to experience life is held close to the heart of God. Their lives, though brief and unseen by many, were known and loved by Him from the beginning.
In remembering them, we acknowledge the quiet grief carried by many parents and families — grief that is often hidden, unspoken, or misunderstood. The Church holds space for that sorrow and entrusts these little ones to the mercy and compassion of God, who gathers them into His eternal embrace.
As Jesus promised in Matthew 18:10:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
We believe that no life is insignificant, no sorrow unnoticed, and no love wasted. In God’s presence, no one is truly lost.
We pray the Collect for today:
“Heavenly Father, whose children suffered at the hands of Herod,
though they had done no wrong:
by the suffering of your Son and by the innocence of our lives,
frustrate all evil designs and establish your reign of justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Be blessed by this song, A Christmas Blessing by Philip Stopford
May the joy of the angels
The gladness of the shepherds
The worship of the wise men
And the peace of the Christ Child be yours
Be yours this Christmas
May the joy of the angels
The gladness of the cherubs
The worship of the wise men
And the peace of the Christ Child be yours
Be yours this Christmas
May Christ, who by his incarnation
Gathered into one all things earthly
All things heavenly
And fill you with joy
Fill you with joy and peace
And the blessing of God
The Father and the Son
And the Holy Spirit
Be with you and remain with you always
With you always, and remain with you always
Amen, amen
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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