Voice: Doreen
Today is Monday, 3rd of August. Take a moment to be still. Be aware of His presence and His love.
We praise the Lord is the words of Psalm 44:1-8
O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name 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.
Acts 1:6-11
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The New Testament readings over the next few weeks will focus on the Book of Acts. In today’s reading, we reflect on the Ascension of Christ:
The Ascension is not the final chapter in salvation history. It anticipates the Parousia—the close of the age and the return of Christ.
He will come “in the same way.” Jesus will return bodily—the same Jesus who was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. And when he returns, he will redeem and renew our broken world.
Something is terribly wrong with our world. It is beautiful, yet deeply broken. We are especially conscious of that in this season. The Russo-Ukrainian war continues to rage for reasons we once thought the modern world had moved beyond. We grieve over all that is happening in Myanmar, Iran, Israel and Palestine, and Sudan.
Meanwhile, the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. Criminals escape justice while the innocent suffer. Corruption is openly practised in the corridors of power. Earthly justice is finite, tainted by human sinfulness and constrained by human limitations. Miscarriages of justice are inevitable.
The Ascension reminds us that we are looking forward to the day when Christ’s reign will be fully experienced on earth.
Each time we say the Lord’s Prayer, we pray through the One who is seated in authority:
“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
In other words: “Jesus, as you reign in heaven, reign fully here on earth.”
This is the prayer of the Church.
At Gethsemane and Calvary, Jesus stood in the gap for us. Now he continues to do so—no longer kneeling in a garden of darkness or hanging upon a cross of despair, but seated in radiant glory and sovereign authority.
The Resurrection affirms that he lives.
The Ascension affirms that he reigns.
And he will bring shalom. There is no single English word that fully captures its meaning: peace, justice, integrity, wholeness and harmony. Shalom is creation made whole under the reign of its rightful King.
So the angels asked:
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
Or, in colloquial Hokkien: “Kuah si mit?”—“What are you looking at?”
There is work to be done until he comes again:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth.”
The Ascension stretches our vision in two directions: upwards and outwards.
Like the disciples, we tend to be bound by the time and space of the present moment. The Ascension raises our eyes beyond the here and now—upwards to the throne of Christ and forwards to the day of his return. But it also sends our gaze outwards, towards the world in which we are called to be his witnesses.
We do not simply stand looking into heaven. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we bear witness to the risen and reigning Christ until he comes again.
So will you entrust your concerns—personal, relational and global—into the hands of the One who reigns and intercedes for you?
Will you trust that Christ will come again to establish, finally and fully, his reign of perfect justice and peace upon the earth?
And until that day comes, will you take your place as his Spirit-empowered witness?
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
We end with the Collect for today:
Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and the light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you, i
n the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
We invite you to joining this song of praise:
The Church has a very simple prayer called the Agnus Dei, which is Latin for “Lamb of God”. Be blessed by this contemporary version sung by a Ukrainian Choir. Some stanzas are sung in Ukrainian.
Alleluia, Alleluia
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia, Alleluia
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia
Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Amen
Alleluia, Alleluia
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia, Alleluia
For the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia
Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy, Holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb…
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. Unless otherwise stated, the reflections are written by Revd Wong.
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. We also welcome donations to MPCC. Information on how you may give can be found in this link.
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