ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. Please check videos at this Islam File

Albania captures Pope Francis’ agenda in miniature     

Francis came to praise its unique model of partnership among religions, remember its martyrs, and praise Mother Teresa who was born in Albania

Hong Kong students begin
democracy protest  (Guardian)

Hong Kong students protest
against Beijing rule  (ABC)

NCR Editorial: 
Don't ignore the past
in the present fight 
against Islamic State

Judith 12: 

Holofernes allowed Judith and her maid to stay in a special tent each night, and each morning to go to a spring near Bethulia to wash and pray.

After 3 days, Holofernes held a banquet for his staff. He invited Judith to the banquet with the aim of seducing her.

Holofernes was so captivated by Judith's beauty that he kept on drinking wine until he was drunk.

All the while Judith kept praying to God for strength and help.

Dear God, please give me
a bit more of Judith's faith and courage

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalms 29-30:

The Lord gives us strength, the Lord blesses us with peace.

Thank you, Lord, for so often helping and healing me. I cried to you when sickness surrounded me, and you healed me.

You changed my mourning into dancing. So I will thank you always.

Thank you, Lord, for all the times you have healed me

Recording

Acts 17:

Paul continued speaking to the intellectuals: "We have no excuse for thinking that the Creator looks like something carved in gold, silver or stone

God overlooked that sort of thing when we were ignorant. But now he is telling everyone to repent and believe in Jesus raised from the dead"

Some intellectuals laughed at Paul.
A few became believers

Jesus, please give intellectuals the humility to believe in you

Recording

Recommended: check these readings early morning, think about them during the day, check them again at night. This habit gives us extra energy, courage, motivation, peace and compassion for each day

Mark 1:

Jesus went to Galilee and proclaimed the Good News from God. "The time has come" he said "and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News."

As he was walking along by the sea of Galilee, he saw two fishermen Simon and his brother Andrew.  Jesus said to them "Follow me and I will make you into fishers of people".  Simon and Andrew then followed Jesus.

Going a little further, Jesus saw two more fishermen, James and his brother John. He called them also to follow him.  They left their nets and boat and followed him.

Jesus, please bless all "fishers of people"

Recording

Civil disobedience must be used to abolish the oil, gas and coal companies and replace a government held captive by corporations. Otherwise, we will say goodbye to life as we know it

Frank Brennan S.J.

The history of the ethical demands of migration and
national border security in an island-nation continent 
– a perspective from Australia, the land downunder

277. New difficulties are constantly surfacing: experiences of failure and the human weaknesses which bring so much pain. 

We all know from experience that sometimes a task does not bring the satisfaction we seek, results are few and changes are slow, and we are tempted to grow weary. 

Yet lowering our arms momentarily out of weariness is not the same as lowering them for good, overcome by chronic discontent and by a listlessness that parches the soul.

 It also happens that our hearts can tire of the struggle because in the end we are caught up in ourselves, in a careerism which thirsts for recognition, applause, rewards and status. 

In this case we do not lower our arms, but we no longer grasp what we seek, the resurrection is not there. In cases like these, the Gospel, the most beautiful message that this world can offer, is buried under a pile of excuses.

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Tuesday,  please bless the people of South Asia

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 23nd of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Zhejiang

Pope wishes Chinese bishops "were here" (at Vatican meeting for new bishops), tells them they are not alone, that they have his solidarity      

Pope Francis praises human rights and religious freedom during Albania visit

Francis lauded the mutual respect and trust between Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians in Albania as a "precious gift" and a powerful symbol in today's world.

Francis's decision to choose tiny, poverty-ridden Albania instead of one of the continent's big Catholic powers for his first European trip as pontiff is in keeping with a papacy that wants to give priority to the poor and the neglected

Psalm 28:

To you, O Lord, I call, my rock, hear me. If you do not heed, I shall become like people in the grave.

Lord, you are my strength and my shield. In you my heart trusts.

Thank you, Lord, for so often hearing my prayer. I will always thank and praise you.

You are the strength of your people Israel. Save your people. Be our shepherd and carry us for ever.

Lord, please help people who are in big danger today

Recording

Acts 17:

In Athens, Paul was sad see so much idol worship. Each day he talked to as many people as he could about Jesus

He was invited to a meeting of intellectuals. He said to them "The Creator of the world does not make his home in shrines made by human hands

He wants everyone to know him as the living God. It is in him that we live and move and have life"

 Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in you we live and move and have life

Recording

Mark 1:

About this time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the river Jordan.

As soon as Jesus came out of the water, he saw the sky open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him.

Then a voice came from heaven
"You are my Son, the Beloved. My favor rests on you".

Straight after this the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days. During this time Jesus was tempted by Satan.

Holy Spirit, please increase your influence in my life

Recording

Today's Word……"LISTEN"

 ^{I cannot stress enough, the importance of the lector ministry.
 Someone’s evangelization and increase of grace might well depend on it!}

Climate warning to world leaders- stick to 2C limit or face 'mayhem'
Experts deliver stark message for Obama and Cameron ahead of UN summit in New York

The Scottish referendum- a passionate, raw, but oh-so-civilised struggle

Scotland has delivered to the world a new gold standard in how modern political democracy ought to function. This was achieved during a struggle that was as passionate, raw and emotional as anything ever previously encountered in these islands. Yet not a bullet was fired and nor were there any physical casualties.

276. However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads.

 Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history.

 Values always tend to reappear under new guises, and human beings have arisen time after time from situations that seemed doomed. 

Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power.

New letter in Swahili from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison 
-  in response to publication by Tz government of 403 Tanzanians in prisons overseas

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Monday,  please bless the people of Europe & Russia

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 22nd of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Zhejiang

Security tightened at Vatican over fears Pope Francis could be in danger

Jesus, please protect Pope Francis in Italy, and as he travels today to Albania  the birthplace of Mother Teresa

Another case of the rule of law being just a paper tiger in China:
China, internment in a mental hospital for criticizing government

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. I've been trying to learn more from videos which I've linked in my Islam File

Psalm 144:

Recording

Matthew 20:

Jesus said to his disciples
The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them the normal daily wage.

Then about 9am he went again to the market place. He saw more men without a job.  He got them also to go to his vineyard. He promised to pay them a fair wage.

About noon and again about 3pm he once more went to the market place and employed two more groups of men.

About 5pm he went one final time and employed one last group of men.

 Recording

Matthew 20 (continued)

At sunset when the men came to be paid, the owner paid everyone a normal day's wage.  This made the dawn group unhappy.

They grumbled and said "We have done a full day's work in the heat. Yet we got the same as those who did only one hour's work. This is not fair!"

The owner replied "I am paying you what we agreed to. Why do you begrudge my generosity?"

Jesus, please help me not be jealous of your gifts to others

The opposite of today's Gospel landowner!
The True Story Of How One Man Shut Down American Commerce To Avoid Paying His Workers A Fair Wage

Also in Chicago:
Pope names moderate Bishop Blase Cupich to lead Chicago, replacing conservative George

John Allen's report on Bishop Blase  ....lives simply, no Latin Mass ... like Francis

(No one has mentioned it, but I think this very good appointment was the work of Cardinal O'Malley who has a similar track record to Bishop Blase)

Everyone’s Vocation  Calling for an end to lay clericalism

The emergence of lay ecclesial ministries has been an important development in Catholicism over the last 40 years. It has brought fresh vitality to many parishes and made a significant contribution to pastoral work. The problem is not lay ministry as such but the clericalization of the laity and the neglect of formation for the lay apostolate in the world that have accompanied its rise. Now, barring a sudden change, Pope Francis’ vision of a missionary church engaged in outreach to the world is at risk of being a dead letter for American Catholicism. If that happens, the clericalism of the Catholic laity will deserve a large share of the blame.

Pages 111-114

276  Christ’s resurrection is not (just) an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world. 

Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force.

Often it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit. On razed land life breaks through, stubbornly yet invincibly. 

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Sunday,  please bless the people of Africa

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 21st of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan

Pope Francis: “The Eucharist ...
is not a prize for the perfect, 
but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak” 
- The Joy of the Gospel, no. 47

Australian priest challenges Cardinal Pell:

Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, Cardinal Pell
      

Indian TV news anchor sacked after referring to Chinese president Xi Jinping as Eleven Jinping!

Finallly, the West is acting on Ebola. What took so long?

We are rushing to drop bombs on Iraq while we have dithered about sending drugs to Africa

Psalm 27:

The Lord is my light and my help, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, before whom shall I shrink? Though an army encamp against me, even then would I trust. (..Judith..)

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek. Hide not your face. I am sure I will see your goodness in the land of the living.

Hope in the Lord, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!

 Lord, please increase my remembering, my longing .... and my hope

Recording

Acts 17:

That night Paul and Silas left for the town of Beroea. At the local prayer hall, the Jews were very open-minded and they warmly welcomed the word of the Lord

Every day they studied the Scriptures to check that Paul's words were true. Many Jews and many non-Jewish people became believers

Jesus, please help people be open-minded when hearing your message

Recording

Mark 1:

This is the story of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Long ago God said through  the prophet Isaiah "I am going to send my messenger before you. He will prepare your way. A voice cries out in the wilderness: prepare a way for the Lord".

And so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness,
proclaiming a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

As the people were baptized by John in the river Jordan, they confessed their sins.

John wore a garment of camel skin. Locusts and wild honey were his food.

He said to the people "Someone is coming who is more important than I am. I am not worthy to kneel down and undo his sandal straps. I baptize you with water. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit".

Jesus, please help us prepare a way for you like John the Baptist

Recording

Chinese authorities demolish two churches on same day

Pope's address to new bishops (including HK's 3 new bishops?)

“I also beg you not to fall prey to the temptation to change the people. Love the people that God has given you, even when they have committed grave sins, without tiring of turning to the Lord for forgiveness and a new beginning, even at the cost of having to cancel your false images of the divine face or the fantasies you have nurtured of how to ensure their communion with God”. The Church, he added, is to offer “welcome to all without discrimination, offering the firmness of the authority that enables growth and the gentleness of paternity that generates”

c.f. Bishop Anthony Fisher named as Cardinal George Pell's successor

Cardinals jousting in public- Been there, done that

Interview with Cardinal Kasper: The case for mercy

5 Reasons Why the US Coalition Against ISIS is an Empty Shell

275. If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty. 

Jesus Christ truly lives. Put another way, “ if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14 ).

 The Gospel tells us that when the first disciples went forth to preach, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message” (Mk 16:20 ). The same thing happens today. We are invited to discover this, to experience it.

 Christ, risen and glorified, is the wellspring of our hope, and he will not deprive us of the help we need to carry out the mission which he has entrusted to us.

This website's Tanzania File (updated today with info re first Tanzanian arrested at HK airport for 3 months)
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

What's this war really about?  (from this excellent article)

"This is a war over the soul of Islam."  Here is why: For decades, Saudi Arabia has been the top funder of the mosques and schools throughout the Muslim world that promote the most puritanical version of Islam, known as Salafism, which is hostile to modernity, women and religious pluralism, or even Islamic pluralism.

Saudi financing for these groups is a byproduct of the ruling bargain there between the al-Saud family and its Salafist religious establishment, known as the Wahhabis. The al-Sauds get to rule and live how they like behind walls, and the Wahhabis get to propagate Salafist Islam both inside Saudi Arabia and across the Muslim world, using Saudi oil wealth.

Saudi Arabia is, in effect, helping to fund both the war against the Islamic State and the Islamist ideology that creates Islamic State members (some 1000 Saudis are believed to be fighting with jihadist groups in Syria), through Salafist mosques in Europe, Pakistan, Central Asia and the Arab world.

This game has reached its limit. First, because the Islamic State presents a challenge to Saudi Arabia. The Islamic State says it is the "caliphate", the centre of Islam. Saudi Arabia believes it is the centre. And, second, the Islamic State is threatening Muslims everywhere

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Saturday,  please bless the people of Central & North America

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 20th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan

China Breaks its Promise to HK
China fears democracy contagion
if true universal suffrage is allowed in Hong Kong

Henan suffers severe yet silent crackdown on Christianity
Provincial court hands down harsh sentences to pastors, and bans preaching to people under age 18

- so much for rule of law in China
- no wonder HK is so nervous     

In the red corner saying "No"  are Cardinal Pell, Cardinal Burke etc. 

In the blue corner saying "Yes" are Cardinal Kasper, Pope Francis and ..... Jesus

Cardinals reject pope's message of hope for remarried couples

Pell adds voice to growing opposition to Kasper’s efforts to relax Communion ban for remarried divorcees

Oct 5 Synod: Come Holy Spirit!

Psalms 24-26:

The Lord's is the earth and all its peoples. It is the Lord who is Creator of the universe.

May all hearts open their doors to the Lord. Let him enter, the king of glory.

Lord I hope in you all the day long.
Forgive my sins and help me walk in your truth.

Creator of our vast universe, how could we not open the doors of our hearts to you?

Recording

(Today's Gospel)

Acts 17:

Paul and his friends next went to the town of Thessalonika. On three Sabbaths,  Paul spoke at the local prayer hall, explaining how Jesus is the Anointed One

Some Jewish listeners and many non-Jewish people became believers. But the religious leaders, out of jealousy, stirred up a gang from the market place

The gang dragged some believers to the city council. The leaders shouted "The people who have been turning the whole world upside down, have come to our town. They claim there is another emperor, Jesus"

The believers were eventually allowed to go on bail

Jesus, please don't let jealous people stop anyone from becoming a Christian

Recording

Matthew 28: 

The 11 apostles went to Galilee,
to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them.

When they saw him they fell down before him in worship.

Jesus said to them
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Teach them to understand and live according to my words. And know that I am with you always, yes, to the end of time"

Jesus, "God-with-us",  please help us live our lives according to your teaching ....and thank you, Matthew, for this beautiful Gospel Report

Recording

Terrorism raids carried out across Sydney, Brisbane

I have signed the petition 

Saudi clerics declare Isis terrorism a 'heinous crime' under sharia law

c.f. Pope with Uruguay President - "the world's poorest president"

275.  In the second chapter, we reflected on that lack of deep spirituality which turns into pessimism, fatalism, and mistrust.

 Some people do not commit themselves to mission because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort.

 They think: “Why should I deny myself my comforts and pleasures if I won’t see any significant result?” 

This attitude makes it impossible to be a missionary. It is only a malicious excuse for remaining caught up in comfort, laziness, vague dissatisfaction and empty selfishness. It is a self-destructive attitude, for “man cannot live without hope: life would become meaningless and unbearable”

Arriving passenger at HK arrested with 1.8kg of heroin
c.f. this article re lax security at KL airport

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

A conversation with Sydney’s new Archbishop

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Friday,  please bless the people of South America

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 19th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi

Francis invites China's
 President Xi Jinping
 to the Vatican !
(Xi's wife is a Catholic?!)

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam.

Continuing my own effort to learn more, yesterday I watched How Islam Began, in which Fred Donner claims that the early "Believers' Movement"  included Jews and Christians, but then evolved into Islam (Muslims only). Donner says that if Muslims study their origins, they might be more open to a peaceful existence in today's world.  

Just as I was feeling happy about the video on the left by Fred Donner, and started comparing an evolving Islam with the original "Jesus Movement" which evolved into Constantine Christianity, I discovered the Tablet article linked here!

Patricia Crone dismembers Fred Donner

Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path. He is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil. My cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

My Shepherd is the Lord. Nothing indeed shall I want

Recording

Acts 16:

Late that night in prison, Paul and Silas were praying and singing God's praises, while the other prisoners listened to them

Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison. All the doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners

The main jailer drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking the prisoners had escaped

But Paul shouted to him "Don't hurt yourself. We are all still here"

Trembling, the jailer threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas. Then he escorted them out of the prison asking "What must I do to be saved?"

They said "Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and both you and your household will be saved"

They explained the word of God to him and his family. He washed their wounds and then they "washed his wounds" by baptizing him and all his household

They had a meal together in the jailer's home, to celebrate the family's conversion to belief in God

Jesus, let more people know the joy of conversion

Recording

Matthew 28:

Jesus died on Friday afternoon.
Early on Sunday morning, two women went to Jesus' tomb.

Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, and an angel from heaven came and rolled away the big stone at the tomb's entrance.
The guards at the tomb were terrified of the angel.

The angel said to the women "Do not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen from the dead. Go and tell his disciples he has risen from the dead and will see them in Galilee".

The women were filled with joy and ran to tell this news to the disciples.

As they left the tomb area, Jesus himself appeared to them and said  "Do not be afraid. Go and tell the disciples they must go to Galilee. They will see me there".

Lord Jesus, by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free. You are the Savior of the world.

Recording

What can you see?!
Click to enlarge

Perhaps the most arresting fact about the Scottish referendum is this: that there is no newspaper – local, regional or national, English or Scottish – which supports independence except the Sunday Herald. The Scots who will vote yes have been almost without representation in the media

c.f. UK 'failed state after decades of inept governance'

c.f. Indonesia’s Bare-Knuckle Politics Target Democracy

Also on this day, in 1982:
The Sabra and Shatila massacre, part of an Israeli attack on Lebanon which inspired Osama Bin Laden to attack the NY Word Trade Center Twin Towers, unsuccessfully in 1993, then disastrously in 2001
"As I watched the destroyed towers in Lebanon, it occurred to me to punish the unjust the same way [and] to destroy towers in America so it could taste some of what we are tasting and stop killing our children and women"

Moral of the story: injustice breeds terrorism.
To stop terrorism, stop injustice 

274. Every human being is the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives. 

Jesus offered his precious blood on the cross for that person.

 Appearances notwithstanding, every person is immensely holy and deserves our love.

 Consequently, if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my life. 

It is a wonderful thing to be God’s faithful people. We achieve fulfilment when we break down walls and our heart is filled with faces and names!

Islamists bankrolled by large-scale African drug-smuggling operation

Cocaine found in Vatican car

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Thursday,  please bless the people of S.E. Asia & Pacific

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 18th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong

In Email from HK reader, re Gaza:

"It is always some hidden agenda that keeps the world stagnant in so many things.  We should be moving forward instead of finding  arguments to justify what to say, act , or believe. Yes, the Jews and Palestinians need to reconcile and find a common ground  and let them live in peace. Somehow, we all need to do the same"
      

 ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam.  I am trying to learn more.

Yesterday I finished watching this ground-breaking video:
Islam, the Untold Story
- an amazing search for the historical beginnings of Islam. Like a detective story. Gripping

c.f. TV historian triggers storm after controversial program about Islam ("The Untold Story")

Tom Holland Responds to the Program's Critics

TV (ABC) interview with Tom Holland about origins of Islam

Psalm 22:

Many evil people attack me.
They make holes in my hands and my feet. They await my death.

They divide my clothing among them, they throw a dice for my robe.

Yet I know Lord, that  you are good and holy. I know how you heard the cries of our ancestors and you helped them.

It was you who took me from the womb and entrusted me to my mother's breast.

To you I was committed from my birth, from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Lord, I trust in you even now.
I trust you will not scorn my prayer.

Even now I praise you as my Creator. May all the nations know and worship you.

Lord,  please help people who are in big trouble to increase their trust in you

Recording

Acts 16:

One day we met a slave girl  who made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. The girl followed us each day shouting "These are the servants of God"

Paul said to the spirit possessing her "I order you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave her". The spirit immediately left her, but her owners were angry that she could no longer tell fortunes.

The owners seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to court, saying to the magistrate "These people are causing a disturbance in our city". A crowd supported the owners in calling for their punishment.

They were given many lashes and put into prison with their feet in irons

Jesus, please help Christians who are suffering in prison because they announced your message

Recording

Matthew 27:

Joseph from Arimathaea was a rich man who had become a disciple of Jesus. After Jesus died on Friday, he asked Governor Pilate for Jesus' body.

Joseph wrapped the body in a clean burial cloth and put it in his own new tomb in a rock cave. He then put a large stone at the cave's entrance.

The next day, Saturday,  the religious leaders went to Pilate and said "This imposter said he would rise from the dead after 3 days.
Therefore you should secure the tomb in case his disciples steal the body and say he has risen from the dead".

Pilate gave them a guard and told them to secure the tomb. The guards took up their position at the tomb and seals were put on the entrance stone.

Jesus in the tomb, please give eternal life to all who have died

Recording

Chris McDonnell  (Wed UK blogger)

A reflection on the late Ian Paisley:
No, never, maybe

"While I welcome the fact that he ultimately embraced power sharing, it was too little too late and should not be used to excuse the pain and suffering that he inflicted on the people of Northern Ireland for the majority of his political life"  

Bishop Pat Power

Being a Catholic today

As I watch the evening news or read the newspaper, I am confronted with stories of the plight of refugees and asylum seekers, unemployment, homelessness, poverty in a multitude of forms, domestic violence, alcohol-induced violence, suicide especially among the young, mental illness, Aboriginal disadvantage, rural crises and drug addiction, as just some of the ills plaguing Australian society.

At the heart of these tragic stories is the diminishing of the value of human life. Of course, there are many good news stories as well, but unfortunately they do not always attract the same publicity.

Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the vastness and the complexity of the problems. But I am heartened by the slogan often used by development agencies which encourage us to think globally and act locally. Personal friendships, neighbourly concern and simple acts of kindness can be powerful antidotes to many of our contemporary evils.

A Native American Proverb: “Listen or your tongue will make you deaf”. What a lesson to learn! It is worth reflecting on this maxim. How deaf am I because I only hear my own voice, my own ideas? If each of us could take the time to truly listen to one another, our prejudices might fall away, our mistrust might disintegrate, and our fear might be replaced by confidence and compassion.

Jesus, keep him safe!

Click to enlarge

The Goldberg Brothers - The Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner
Here's a little fact for automotive buffs, or just to dazzle your friends.  The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner. On July 17, 1946 , the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter. Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car. They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately. The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent. The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label, 'The Goldberg Air-Conditioner,' on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed. Now old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Jewish, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg's name on two million Fords. They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names would be shown. And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show -- Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max -- on the controls.

274.  If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving. 

Not for their physical appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God’s handiwork, his creation.

God created that person in his image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Wednesday,  please bless the people of East Asia

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 17th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi

Pope Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:

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Newness, harmony, mission

Engagements of Pope Francis

Zenit.org - reports from Rome

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This website tries to stop "tanks"
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Imposter Priests
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HK Democracy File - essential reading

HK Asylum Seekers File

IS (ISIS) File - Essential Reading

Gaza File - essential reading

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1998 ICEL Sacramentary

Misguided Missal 

The new translation
Ghastly process/result

Ron Schmit:
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 Sacred Space  Daily prayer online.
Available in 19 languages

Jackie Evancho  - To Believe

Pray-as-you-go.org
Daily prayer with beautiful music

Whole text of 1966 Jerusalem Bible

The Last Supper -  Bohdan Piasecki 
(click to enlarge)

Bob Welsh - My Christmas Eve

 A Tale of Two Brains

The Story of Jonah 
as Told by The Cutest Little Girl
(gets even better as it goes along)

North Africa refugee boat - Link

Abortion Survivor’s Letter
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Why I collect rubbish for Pope

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Globalisation of Indifference

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China Library
 - essential reading for anyone interested in China's Christian history