Voice: Li Huan
Today is Monday, 11th of April. We start by praying the Collect for Purity:
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The appointed Psalm for today is Psalm 67
Psalm 671May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah2that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!6The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.7God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
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.
Luke 6:27-36
27“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Turning the Other Cheek
We have before us a teaching of Jesus that is both deeply cherished by believers and often misunderstood—or even ridiculed—by those outside the faith.
Someone strikes you on one side of your face.
Do you now turn the other cheek and invite another blow?
At first glance, Jesus’ words can seem impractical, even unreasonable. A superficial reading may suggest passivity, weakness, or a call to become a doormat. But that is not what Jesus is teaching.
Jesus is not promoting a weak and helpless submission to evil. Rather, He is confronting something deeper—the cycle of retaliation that governs human relationships.
In the world’s logic, hurt must be answered with hurt.
Insult with insult.
Evil with evil.
“An eye for an eye.”
But Jesus introduces a radically different way—the way of the Kingdom.
To “turn the other cheek” is not to endorse injustice, but to refuse to mirror it. It is a deliberate choice not to let another person’s sin dictate your response. It is to guard one’s own heart from the slow corrosion of hatred and resentment.
Instead of escalating conflict, the disciple of Christ absorbs the blow and responds with grace.
This is not weakness—it requires tremendous inner strength. What many today describe in the language of emotional resilience or mental wellness, Scripture has long taught as spiritual maturity.
And what is the clearest example of “turning the other cheek”?
Look to the cross.
In Gospel of Luke 23:34, as Jesus endured injustice and suffering, He prayed:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
He did not retaliate.
He did not curse.
He did not call down judgment.
Instead, He absorbed the violence of sin and responded with mercy.
This is the way of Christ.
And this is the way He now calls us to walk.
Prayer: Will you take some time to pray and ask the Lord to give you the grace and strength to forgive someone who have hurt you?
Collect from the Sixth Sunday of Easter
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant that, as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;
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.
Be blessed by this rendition of the Prayer of St Francis, by written & performed by Jean Tan and Sherise Netanya.
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
Daily Devotion 
Leave a comment