Voice: Ting Ai
Today is Wednesday, 25th of March. Take a moment to pause and be still.
Being the Season of Lent, we pray the Collect from Ash Wednesday:
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our brokenness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The appointed Psalm for today is Psalm 111.
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
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.
1 Samuel 2:1-10
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.2 “There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Annunciation and Humility
Today we commemorate the moment when Mary was told that she would bear a child—an event known as the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary. One helpful feature of following the Anglican lectionary is that the significant moments in the life of Christ are brought into focus throughout the year.
In our Old Testament reading from the First Book of Samuel, Hannah’s Song celebrates the birth of Samuel. His birth was itself a miracle, for Hannah had been barren for many years. Her song bears striking similarity to Mary’s song—the Magnificat—as both proclaim how God chooses to work through the lowly and accomplish His purposes through what seems impossible.
Hannah’s song is about reversal:
- The Lord exalts the poor and needy
- The bows of the mighty are broken
- The barren woman bears children
- The lowly are lifted to places of honour
The Lord is sovereign over all, for “the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.”
This pattern runs throughout the story of God’s people. Those who fear Him and remain humble are lifted up. Those who are proud and self-reliant are brought low.
Our Lord Jesus Christ captures this truth succinctly:
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
Why does God favour the humble?
Because the humble are closer to the truth.
Humility allows us to see reality as it is, not as our ego wishes it to be. Pride blinds; humility opens our eyes to our limits and our need for grace.
The humble are teachable—willing to listen, to learn, and to be corrected. The proud cling to illusions; the humble receive truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
Scripture affirms this again and again:
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
Like Hannah and Mary, may the Lord be magnified in and through our lives.
🌿 Thought for Lent
Pray and ask the Lord to strip away every illusion that pride has built within you. Ask Him to give you a humble heart—one that sees clearly, listens deeply, and yields fully to His will. Today, humble yourself before Him.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
Pour your grace into our hearts,
O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary,
may by his Cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Be blessed by this version of the Magnificat.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
And my spirit exalts in God my Savior
For He has looked with mercy on my lowliness
And my name will be forever exalted
For the mighty God has done great things for me
An His mercy will reach from age to age
And holy, holy, holy is His name
He has mercy in every generation
He has revealed His power and His glory
He has cast down the mighty in their arrogance
And has lifted up the meek and the lowly
He has come to help His servant Israel
He remembered His promise to our fathers
And holy, holy, holy is His name
And holy, holy, holy is His name
Link to the full 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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