Thank you Albert for photos!

Latest reports from RTHK

Apple Daily's dedicated www: 
Occupy Central  - live broadcast

China's flag hit by protests

Notice how the vast majority of protestors are young people!  They really care about stopping Beijing from deleting HK's freedoms!

At Mong Kok yesterday I did not see even one policeman! Many secondary students were in the crowd which was really well behaved, absolutely no violence

The use of tear gas by the police motivated many people to take to the streets to call for Beijing to stop bullying HK ...and to call for the resignation of HK's Chief Executive Leung Chun Yin (who, even before this protest, was extremely unpopular in HK, with virtually no moral authority)    

My feeling: CE will be asked by Beijing to resign, as happened to a predecessor Tung Chee-hwa after 500,000 HK protestors took to the streets. But Leung's resignation will not halt the protestors: they want Beijing to stop deleting HK's freedoms.
A big problem: President Xi Jinping has an iron first

Taipei students support Occupy Central

Taiwanese watching HK unrest

Australia, Italy issue HK warnings

HK's National Day fireworks cancelled

Hong Kong surprises itself with the exuberance and spontaneity of protests
“I was watching TV while I ate dinner and when I saw what the police did (tear gas) I almost cried. My family said: You don’t have to go there – you can’t do anything in front of China; you can’t change anything ... But I think I had to come. There’s no excuse. If you don’t stand up today there’s no tomorrow,” she said.

The video at top of this report is a good summary of the HK situation. The commentator, John Garnaut, is a genuine authority on China

China censors images of Hong Kong protests in TV broadcasts to mainland 
- it's exactly because of this sort of lack of media freedom that HK people are on the streets!

Esther 2: 

A selection process was begun to find a woman to replace Vashti as queen.

Esther was a beautiful Jewish orphan girl who had been brought up by her cousin Mordecai.

After the long selection process was finished, Esther was chosen to be queen. No one in the palace knew she was Jewish.

Dear God,  please bless all kings and queens

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 34:

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips. In the Lord my soul shall make its boast,
the humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me, together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me. From all my terrors he set me free.

The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
They are happy who seek refuge in him.

The Lord is close to the broken- hearted. Those whose spirits are crushed he will save.

Lord, by our Bible reading and prayer, may we taste and see your goodness each day

Recording

Acts 19:

For three months, Paul went to the Jewish prayer hall in Ephesus, speaking boldly about the kingdom of God

When some Jews strongly attacked the Way, he stopped going to the prayer hall, and began daily discussions in a lecture room

He kept doing this for two years, with the result that people from many places, both Jews and non-Jews, were able to hear the word of God

Jesus, please give more and more people the opportunity to hear your word

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:

A leper came to Jesus and on his knees pleaded "If you want to, you can heal me".

Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said "Of course I want to heal you. Be healed!"

The leprosy left him at that moment and he was healed.

Jesus, please heal people who are lepers

Recording

(not leopards)

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. 
I'm trying to learn more by watching videos like this one: 
Muhammad's life (with English subtitles and narrated in perfect English,
excellent for English students). 

China's Xinjiang hotbed: who created the violence?
The government says it needs to respond with an iron first to emerging terrorist violence but many have questioned whether the crackdown actually preceded the violence. By turning the screws on the Uighurs tighter every day, is China creating a hotbed of discontent?

Australia's ABC reporting: 
excellent on sensationalism, extremely poor on accuracy

An inaccurate headline and sub headline:
Protests paralyse Hong Kong
(not true: only affected a few districts; 95% of the territory not affected)

"Banks and government schools close as huge pro-democracy protests bring the city to a standstill"
(not true: only a handful of banks and schools (on HK Island) were closed. 99% of banks and schools were open. Only a few areas were affected, 98% of the territory not affected. C'mon ABC, you can do better than that!)

But story does have one point that I was not aware of: Taiwan's President Ma was born in HK! 
In fact, he was born in Yau Ma Tei, a few minutes from my home in Jordan!

This report also inaccurate: teachers' union is not on strike. Only a few schools were closed!

Some time ago in the Pokfulam area of Hong Kong I met a little girl whose mother was trying to get her to speak English. So I asked the little girl "What's your name?"
To which she replied "My name is six years old"

283.  The great men and women of God were great intercessors.

 Intercession is like a “leaven” in the heart of the Trinity. It is a way of penetrating the Father’s heart and discovering new dimensions which can shed light on concrete situations and change them.

 We can say that God’s heart is touched by our intercession, yet in reality he is always there first. What our intercession achieves is that his power, his love and his faithfulness are shown ever more clearly in the midst of the people.

The Citizen has published a report about South China Morning Post article on Tanzanian inmates in HK being threatened by the Tanzanian ambassador. Jamii Forums has a post in Swahili (...also had English post, but this has been deleted for whatever reason)

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 30th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanghai

ABC Australia:
Tear gas fired in Hong Kong 
HK police have fired repeated volleys of tear gas to disperse massive pro-democracy protests

Yesterday at a prayer meeting I saw a man crying ...because his daughter had been arrested at the democracy protest two days before ...and he'd had no contact as to her location or circumstances. May she soon be released! 

Latest news about
HK democracy protests

Apple Daily's dedicated www:
  Occupy Central  - live broadcast of democracy protests  

HK South China Morning Post - HK Tanzanian inmates threatened by Tanzanian ambassador:

Readings for Feast of the angels
Michael, Gabriel, Raphael

Tobit 12 (Raphael): 

When Tobit's banquet was finished, Tobit wanted to thank Raphael for all his help.

Only then did Raphael tell Tobit and Tobias that he was an angel sent by God to help them.

"I am Raphael, one of the 7 angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord.

Never tire of giving God thanks.
And never tire of helping the poor."

Raphael farewelled them, rose in the air, and left them. They praised and thanked God for all he had done for them.

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 138:

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart. You have heard the words of my mouth.

With the angels I will bless you.
I will adore you in your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love which are far above what we can understand.

On the day I called you answered.
You increased the strength of my soul.

All earth's kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.

They shall sing of the Lord's ways:
"How great is the glory of the Lord!"

Recording

Michael

Rev 12  (Michael):

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought the dragon and his angels

Michael won. Satan and his followers were driven out of heaven

The great dragon, the serpent, known as the Devil or Satan,
was hurled down to earth. His angels were hurled down with him

The dragon began to make war on the children of the Woman - those who obey God and bear witness to Jesus

Recording


Gabriel

Luke 1 (Gabriel):

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel
Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed to a man named Joseph

The angel said to her "Mary, Rejoice! You have been greatly blessed by God.  You are to conceive and have a son whom you must name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God"

Mary said to the angel, "How can this happen since I am a virgin?"

The angel replied "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will specially bless you. Know this too: your cousin Elizabeth has, in her old age, conceived a son, and is now in her sixth  month"

"I am the handmaid of the Lord", said Mary, "let what you have said, be done for me".  And the angel left her

Recording

Does Paternal Work?
^{The Pope’s style while it can be viewed as refreshing, even exciting at times, still speaks of an old, old way of being and doing business in the Church. Overall, I do not believe, a paternalistic approach can move the Church forward.}

Some thoughts on the upcoming Synod on the Family
(Questions from a Ewe)

On October 1 in HK there will be fireworks and many orchestrated ceremonies to celebrate China's National Day. But how can HK people be expected to celebrate when the Beijing government is trying to cancel HK's freedoms?  Like having a party before your execution ...

Notice how most of the protestors are young people ...many university students. They are the ones bravely taking a stand for HK's freedoms.  May the international community soon have the courage to put pressure on Beijing to stop attacking HK's freedoms. Don't wait till PLA tanks are firing in Central

282 This attitude becomes a prayer of gratitude to God for others. “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you” (Rom 1:8). It is constant thankfulness: “I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:4); “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (Phil 1:3).

 Far from being suspicious, negative and despairing, it is a spiritual gaze born of deep faith which acknowledges what God is doing in the lives of others. 

At the same time, it is the gratitude which flows from a heart attentive to others. When evangelizers rise from prayer, their hearts are more open; freed of self-absorption, they are desirous of doing good and sharing their lives with others.

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 29th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Chongqing

Latest HK news about student democracy protestors

Hong Kong riot police forcibly disperse pro-democracy demonstrators - video   

Apple Daily's dedicated www: Occupy Central 
- live broadcast of latest happenings  
(hard to believe this is HK ...)

I was in HK before and during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.  The momentum built up to the June 4 crackdown. Please God the same will not happen in HK ...but with the start of  Occupy Central, there's a feeling of Tiananmen in the air.

Readings for "Sunday 26"

Ezekiel 18: 

When a sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

Recording of this reading
for English students

Today's Gospel

Psalm 24:

Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.

In you I hope all day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me.

The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray. He guides the humble in the right path. He teaches his way to the poor.

Recording

Philippians 2:

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. 

There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of their own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus.

Recording

Matthew 21:

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. 

The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. 

Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. 

Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.

 For John the Baptist came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’

Recording

A call to refocus on the love between a man and a woman

My Islam File 
-  the videos I have watched
 and learnt from

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. I'm trying to learn more by watching videos like this one: Muhammad's life (with English subtitles ...and narrated in perfect English ...excellent for English students). 

This video has much information about the "Satanic verses", about the massacre of Jews ("the world's first Holocaust"), why Jerusalem is Islam's third city (after Mecca and Medina), how many wives Muhammad had (9+), the development of Sufism, how Muhammad used non-violent diplomacy (in one case sparing a whole city, Mecca, that had surrendered to him), the moving Last Sermon of Muhammad, how the Quran does not condone violence in 2014 

What makes a terrorist?
With Islamic extremism dominating the headlines, new research in Kenya and Somalia investigates how and why people become radicalised.

We must beware – Isis wants the west to conduct a crusade
If ISIS can provoke the west into what they will call a crusade they can count on growing support from marginalised Muslims both in the Middle East and in countries such as Britain and France.

Tide of suffering in an unholy war
As the Islamist group Boko Haram is said to be surrounding the city of Maiduguri in the latest stage of its campaign of violence against Christians and Muslims alike, an expert on the country considers why the authorities are powerless to halt its progress

Pages 123-126 describe Nazi Germany's discovery of atomic information, concern about this by Jewish scientists, Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt, and Roosevelt's decision to launch a funded nuclear weapons project

Three Good Arguments That Jesus Was a Woman  

281. One form of prayer moves us particularly to take up the task of evangelization and to seek the good of others: it is the prayer of intercession.

 Let us peer for a moment into the heart of Saint Paul , to see what his prayer was like. It was full of people: “…I constantly pray with you in every one of my prayers for all of you… because I hold you in my heart” (Phil 1:4, 7).

 Here we see that intercessory prayer does not divert us from true contemplation, since authentic contemplation always has a place for others.

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 28th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Beijing

HK secondary students protest in cause of democracy

Christians back HK democracy protests with food and faith
Religion, politics increasingly blur in fight for universal suffrage     

Today on the Feast of Vincent de Paul, this movie trailer is a good summary of Vincent's life:

Vincent de Paul: Charity's Saint 

Zeal and martyrdom: Oblate missionaries' 75 years in Mindanao 

Readings for Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, servant of the poor

I Cor 1: 

Those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. 

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 111: 

Recording

Recording

Vincent was the initiator of assistance to abandoned children, to prisoners, victims of catastrophe, refugees, and housebound invalids.

In all these works, he was a precursor, showing the way which is still followed today by institutions and governmental departments of social services.

- from this beautiful reflection 

Recording

St Vincent de Paul Society
Welcomes new volunteers. 
Google local contact details

On September 22 at HK's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, an inmate from the Mainland had a large growth of the right side of his neck. The growth had been there for several months. He had been told he would probably need an operation. After receiving a copy of "Dr Jesus" the inmate, even though not a Christian, prayed to Jesus. In a couple of days the growth was completely gone. The overjoyed inmate said the growth's departure was due to prayer. He had not taken any medicine

Britain's involvement in the new Iraq war is a doomed and dangerous gesture

Cambodia refugee deal: Protests outside Australian embassy in Phnom Penh
Around 100 protesters gathered outside the embassy to protest against the deal, saying the poverty-stricken country was unable to look after its own people and should not be taking in Australia's refugees.

Cambodia deal - another stain on our reputation

280. Keeping our missionary fervour alive calls for firm trust in the Holy Spirit, for it is he who “helps us in our weakness” (Rom 8:26 ). But this generous trust has to be nourished, and so we need to invoke the Spirit constantly.  He can heal whatever causes us to flag in the missionary endeavour.

 It is true that this trust in the unseen can cause us to feel disoriented: it is like being plunged into the deep and not knowing what we will find. I myself have frequently experienced this. Yet there is no greater freedom than that of allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt to plan and control everything to the last detail, and instead letting him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills.

 The Holy Spirit knows well what is needed in every time and place. This is what it means to be mysteriously fruitful!

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, 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 27th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tibet

Oct 1 (National Day) and Oct 2 (Chung Yeung Festival) are public holidays in HK, and the Occupy Central Democracy movement is due to be launched on those days. 

Occupy protest may be cleared by Oct 3rd

Tai to unveil timing of sit-in      

What a moving story!

Ebola’s children: here in hospital for a week and then gone forever
There is a divide in Liberia, keeping the healthy and privileged from the sick and needy. But I could not help crossing it

Up to 1.4m people could be infected with Ebola by January, CDC warns

This article is long and strong, but contains much important info for those of us who are trying to better understand Islam and the Middle East situation:
The Barbarians Within Our Gates - Arab civilization has collapsed. It won’t recover in my lifetime 
This reminds me of another article I saw recently re Christians in Middle East being responsible for preserving Arabic culture! 

Esther 1:

The Persian Empire of King Ahasuerus stretched from India to Ethiopia.

Ahasuerus gave a banquet for all his leading people. But Queen Vashti refused to join the banquet.

The king therefore decided to replace Vashti as queen.

Dear God, please bless all kings and queens in the world

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 33:

Ring out your joy to the Lord, all good people, for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

For the Lord loves justice and right; he fills the earth with his love.

By his word the heavens were made, he spoke and the universe came into being.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord, he is the source of all true  joy.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,
since we place all our trust in you.

Lord, please help us notice your love everywhere

Recording

Acts 19:

Paul left Corinth and went to the city of Ephesus where he found a dozen men who had been baptized by John the Baptist

He asked them "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"

They replied "We have not been taught about the Holy Spirit"

When Paul explained Jesus to them, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul then prayed with them using the laying on of hands, and the Holy Spirit came down on them. They began to speak in tongues and to prophesy

Holy Spirit, please fall afresh on me and  increase your influence in my life

Recording

Mark 1: 

The next morning, long before dawn, Jesus left the house and went off to a lonely place to pray.

When Simon and the other fishermen found him, they said
"Everyone is looking for you".

Jesus replied "We must go to the nearby towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came".

Jesus went all through Galilee,
preaching in the prayer halls and casting out devils.

Jesus, may every town on earth welcome you and hear your message

Recording

Exporting responsibility
Cambodia looks set to resettle refugees from Nauru.
But the problems with this policy go beyond Cambodia's grim human rights record

Protection visas a relic

Our disconcerting certainty in battling terrorism

I'm no fan of George Weigel, but there's a lot sense in the suggestion of Benedict XVI that Islam needs to have a Reformation, to renounce violence and embrace peace, as Christianity has also tried to do. The more I watch videos on Islam, as a way of better understanding it, the more I think Benedict's suggestion is the way to go:
Why Benedict's Regensburg speech has been vindicated by George Weigel

Benedict, above, saying same thing as Sardar, here:

After I finished watching the video Muhammad's life from which I learned a lot about Islam and which I found most encouraging about the good points in Islam, I checked the background of its author: Ziauddin Sardar. This link has the following most interesting words:

A believing Muslim, Sardar is one of the strongest internal critics of Islam. He believes that the tendency to fall back comfortably on age-old interpretations is now dangerously obsolete. Islam’s relationship and attitude to women, minorities, and notions of exclusivity and exclusive truth need to change fundamentally. In his work, Reformist Ideas and Muslim Intellectuals, Sardar states that: "Muslims have been on the verge of physical, cultural and intellectual extinction simply because they have allowed parochialism and traditionalism to rule their minds." He adds: "We must break free from the ghetto mentality."

Sardar's most consistent output has been in the area of post-colonial Islamic reform, which is the subject of many of his books, including Islamic Futures: the Shape of Ideas to Come (Mansell, 1985) and The Future of Muslim Civilization (Mansell, 1987). Sardar believes that present-day Islamic societies have allowed creative thinking to fossilise. This is a situation which stands in contrast to Islamic history when scholars and scientists let their minds roam free and created an extraordinary renaissance in ideas, new knowledge and technology.

Pax Christi leaders alarmed that airstrikes will aid ISIS recruiting

Why nixing the sign of peace is a bad call
Vatican 'wrongheaded' in its attempt to put the kibosh on one of the Church's most popular rites

243. Sometimes it seems that our work is fruitless, but mission is not like a business transaction or investment, or even a humanitarian activity.

 It is not a show where we count how many people come as a result of our publicity; it is something much deeper, which escapes all measurement.

 It may be that the Lord uses our sacrifices to shower blessings in another part of the world which we will never visit.

 The Holy Spirit works as he wills, when he wills and where he wills; we entrust ourselves without pretending to see striking results. 

We know only that our commitment is necessary. Let us learn to rest in the tenderness of the arms of the Father amid our creative and generous commitment. Let us keep marching forward; let us give him everything, allowing him to make our efforts bear fruit in his good time

Irish navy intercepts massive cocaine shipment off coast of Cork  (no jokes please, I've got Irish blood....but I'm sure some wag will make up a story about sailors unable to find their way back to port)

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, Friday,  please bless the people of South America

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

On this 26th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Xinjiang

Radical Muslims protest against 'infidel' new Jakarta governor

Mob refers to the Christian, ethnic Chinese politician as 'the devil'

A most important article with lots of info about HK's tycoons:
Hong Kong’s Mega-Rich Kowtow in Beijing While HK students seek democracy, wealthy look after themselves. 

Judith 14-16: 

At daybreak the Jews attacked the Assyrian camp. When the Assyrians realized that Holofernes was dead, they panicked and fled.

The Jews gave thanks to God for all that Judith had done. Judith praised the God of Israel for rescuing the Jews:

"Lord you are great, you are glorious, wonderfully strong, unconquerable. May all peoples love and serve you."

Dear God, thank you for the story of Judith. Please help me imitate her faith

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 32:

Happy is the person whose sin is forgiven. For a while I refused to ask for forgiveness, and my body paid the penalty.

But then I said "Lord, forgive me"
and my spirit and body revived.

Lord, when I do wrong, please give me the grace to say sorry and ask forgiveness  

Recording

Acts 18:

In Corinth, Paul was rejected by the Jews, so he spent his time preaching to non-Jewish people. Many Corinthians became believers and were baptized

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced. I am with you"

So Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months preaching the word of God 

Jesus, give Christians  more courage to speak your message

Recording

Mark 1:

Jesus  went to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus took her by the hand and helped her up. The fever left her,  and she began to serve her visitors.

That night all the local sick people were brought to Jesus. He healed many who were suffering from all kinds of diseases. He also cast out many devils.

Jesus, please heal (..name..) who is sick

Recording

Under Xi, how low can China go?

What we know about Abdul Numan Haider

It's not enough to simply be 'tough on terror'

UK: Leading Source of Female Jihadists in Syria and Iraq
As many as 60 Muslim women between the ages of 18 and 24 are believed to have left Britain to join ISIS during the past 12 months alone

c.f. Scottish woman who married Isis fighter 'wants to become a martyr'
Parents of privately educated Aqsa Mahmood tell CNN she travelled to Syria from Glasgow to join Isis and does not intend to return

Living with Lymphatic Filariasis
Working with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health, The Carter Center is winning the battle against lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Nigeria. About 120 million people worldwide are infected with this neglected tropical disease which causes enormous swellings of the limbs and genitals and dangerous

'The Devil's Share': FGM In Mauritania and Senegal
FGM is widespread in Mauritania and Senegal, where it is believed to be "the devil’s share" of a woman’s body where the devil hides. (Warning graphic images)

Big trouble in little China 
China's economy going down, and taking Australia with it

New evidence of torture by Sri Lanka's security forces

Why Are We Bombing Syria?
The fact can’t be refuted: 
ISIS was born of Western intervention in Iraq and covert action in Syria

279. Because we do not always see these seeds growing, we need an interior certainty, a conviction that God is able to act in every situation, even amid apparent setbacks: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7).

 This certainty is often called “a sense of mystery”. It involves knowing with certitude that all those who entrust themselves to God in love will bear good fruit (cf. Jn 15:5). 

This fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive and unquantifiable.

 We can know quite well that our lives will be fruitful, without claiming to know how, or where, or when. 

We may be sure that none of our acts of love will be lost, nor any of our acts of sincere concern for others. No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted. All of these encircle our world like a vital force.

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 25th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Ningxia

HK students escalate democracy strike
"Someone needs to take the lead in showing the government they're wrong, and this time it's up to the students," said Ryan Lo, a 19-year-old theater student. "We oppose the Chinese government trying to limit the freedoms Hong Kong people deserve."      

HK will accept reforms: Xi
("accept reforms" here means "accept loss of freedoms like freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of meeting in groups etc")

"Occupy Central" to begin Oct 1:
Tai invites people to 'banquet'

I'd be grateful if a kind HK reader would please help Ali, an ex-inmate, born Pakistan, been HK many years, has HK I.D., has HK driver's licence (1,2,3,18,22) looking for part or full-time work. Please phone Ali: 55371088 

Judith 13:

When the banquet was over at a late hour, Judith was alone with Holofernes in his tent. Holofernes lay drunk on his bed.

After praying to God for strength,
Judith used Holofernes' sword to cut off his head.

She went outside and gave the head to her maid. Her maid put the head in her  bag.

Judith and her maid then left the camp as they usually did when they went to pray early in the morning.

They went straight to Bethulia and showed Holofernes' head to the people.

The people were overcome with joy and praised God for what he had done by the hand of a woman.

Dear God, please give people the courage to confront injustice

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 31:

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in distress. My eyes are full of tears, my heart full of sorrow.

Everyone makes fun of me. My friends don't want to know me.
Save me, Lord, from this mess.

I praise you Lord, for you protect those who trust you. You keep them safe from slander and lies.

Be strong, let your heart take courage, all you who  trust in the Lord

 Jesus, when people don't want to know me, please increase my trust in you

Recording

Acts 18:

Paul left Athens and went to the city of Corinth. He met a Jewish couple who had recently left Italy when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome

The couple were tentmakers, like Paul himself. Paul stayed with them and they worked together

Each Sabbath Paul preached in the prayer halls, trying to convert Jews as well as non-Jewish people

Jesus, thank you for the example of Paul who worked to support himself and didn't live off others

Recording

Mark 1:

Mark 1:

Jesus and the fishermen went to the town of Capernaum. On the Sabbath Jesus began to teach in the local  prayer hall.

The listeners were deeply impressed by Jesus' teaching. Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus taught with authority.

That very day in the prayer hall there was a man possessed by an evil spirit.  The spirit shouted out "Have you come to destroy me, Jesus of Nazareth?  I know who you are: the Holy One of God."

Jesus said strongly "Be quiet! Come out of him!" The evil spirit threw the man on the ground and with a loud cry went out of him.

The people in the prayer hall were amazed. They said "Here is a teaching which has authority. Even evil spirits obey him."

Jesus' reputation quickly spread throughout the whole district.

Jesus, Holy One of God, please protect my family from evil

Recording

It was YES or NO

The coming months and years following the decision in Scotland will be of great consequence for the political future of the countries that form the United Kingdom. So will the future of our Church be determined by the courage of diocesan bishops in seeking local solutions to issues rather than always looking for final validation of any and every action from Rome  

Over the past few years I've ordered hundreds of books from Amazon for inmates. A few months ago, for the very first time, an order did not arrive: 12 Swahili-English dictionaries, for inmates from Tanzania.  Order did not have a tracking record. Monthly inquiries at local post office (where I have a post box) produced no leads. Two days ago I emailed Amazon re my problem. Within a couple of hours a reply came: "we are re-sending your order, at no expense" ....and within another few hours there was a confirmation message that the order had already been shipped. God bless Amazon!

Yesterday at a detention centre I chatted with a very happy local man who has been in detention, on remand,  for 3 years and 5 months, on 23 charges of money laundering. Yesterday inside the detention centre he spent many long hours at a 3-way meeting with police, his lawyer and a prosecution lawyer - after which, to his joyful bewilderment, all the charges were dropped!  Which means he should be free in the next few days. DG!
(...and ...of course...he will be entitled to a lot of compensation ....)

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

 Understanding Islam

How many times must Muslim "moderates" distance themselves from the atrocities of people who call  themselves Islamic but who so often demonstrate a feeble understanding of the faith?

Last Monday I visited an ex-inmate who is in a local hospital for a leg operation. He's in a ward with 5 other men. Two of the others have a sign at the foot of their beds which reads in English and Chinese "Condemned" ! (With a condemnation date: June 16, 2014 ....meaning, the beds are to be replaced!)

278.  Faith also means believing in God, believing that he truly loves us, that he is alive, that he is mysteriously capable of intervening, that he does not abandon us, and that he brings good out of evil by his power and his infinite creativity.

 It means believing that he marches triumphantly in history with those who “are called and chosen and faithful” ( Rev 17:14 ).

 Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, and in different ways: like the small seed which grows into a great tree (cf. Mt 13:31-32), like the measure of leaven that makes the dough rise (cf. Mt 13:33) and like the good seed that grows amid the weeds (cf. Mt 13, 24-30) and can always pleasantly surprise us. 

The kingdom is here, it returns, it struggles to flourish anew. Christ’s resurrection everywhere calls forth seeds of that new world; even if they are cut back, they grow again, for the resurrection is already secretly woven into the fabric of this history, for Jesus did not rise in vain. May we never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope!

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 24th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Inner Mongolia

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 Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:

Link
Link		Links 01  02	Link
Link	Link		Link
Link	Link		Link
Link	Link

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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Priests 9 Masses a day
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Why are women not being
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A Call to Action
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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:
 1962 Mass a condemnation of Vat II

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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 
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Bob Welsh - My Christmas Eve

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The Story of Jonah 
as Told by The Cutest Little Girl
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North Africa refugee boat - Link

Abortion Survivor’s Letter
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Tribalism lives on, 
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16 Documents of Vatican II

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Why I collect rubbish for Pope

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     Near Death Experiences

Globalisation of Indifference

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