My Islam File        Muslim map of world

 The importance of civility: what we can learn from Japan

When writer Rob Walker lived in Japan for two years, he was struck by the city of Himeji's seemingly boundless reserves of good manners and courtesy. Virtues like humility and civility, he argues, are rooted in Japan’s history and language, providing an example for the rest of the world.

Islamic State - Why Beheadings?

Genesis 3

A creature hostile to God took the form of a snake, and tempted the first man and first woman.

The snake tempted them to disobey God.

When God asked them why they disobeyed him, the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the snake.

God said to the snake: "You are the enemy of the human race.
Someday a member of the human race will defeat you."

God said to the man and woman:
"From dust you came, and to dust you will return."

The first man's name was Adam (meaning "man"). The first woman's name was Eve (meaning "life").

Dear God, please help me understand how evil in the world
started when Adam and Eve disobeyed you

Psalm 124

"If the Lord had not been on our side", this is Israel's song.

If the Lord had not been on our side when people rose against us, then would they have swallowed us alive, when they were angry with us.

Blessed be the Lord who did not let us become a prey for their teeth.

Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the hunter.

Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. 

Thank you, Lord, for all the times you have rescued me from trouble

Recording

2 Timothy 2.14-25

Remind everyone to avoid useless debates and discussions. These  cause scandal and loss of faith

Be available for the Master to use you for any good work

Focus on goodness, faith, love and peace.

Avoid futile speculations which only lead to quarrels

A servant of the Lord is not to engage in quarrels, but should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient

Be gentle with anyone you have to correct

Jesus, please help me avoid useless discussions and arguments

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

 John 8.1-11

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, the religious leaders brought to him a women who had been caught committing adultery

The leaders said to Jesus "According to the Law of Moses, this woman should be stoned to death. What do you say?" They said this to test him, looking for something to use against him

Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. Since they kept up their questioning, he looked up and said to them "If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to cast a stone". Then he kept writing on the ground

The leaders went away, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman. Jesus said to her "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

"No one, sir", she replied. "Neither do I condemn you", said Jesus. "Go and don't sin any more"

Jesus, what did you write on the ground? The leaders' sins?
 "If you, O Lord, should write a record of our sins, who could claim innocence?" (Psalm 130)

Recording

 Tesla's low-cost renewable battery could revolutionise Africa's energy supply

(Please God the Catholic Church in HK will someday have such a centre. Our "non-Catholic" brethren put us to shame in their care for drug addicts)
Security chief visits Sai Kung  
Secretary for Security TK Lai visits Sai Kung to inspect drug treatment and rehabilitation services in the district, and anti-drug and anti-crime efforts there

Yesterday in a detention centre, as I gave out copies of the new booklet "No Next Time", one inmate noticed the Mark Six images on the cover and asked what was the supplementary number. I pointed to the Cross on the cover ...he understood....in Chinese "cross"  is "10-figure". 

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 12th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangsu

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 12th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Guinea-Bissau

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please pacify Boko Haram 

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File    Muslim map of world

Castro to attend Papal Cuba Masses

“If the Pope keeps going the way he’s going, I’ll come back to the Catholic Church.”   

On this day:

1610 + Matteo Ricci     

1607 + Michelle Ruggieri 

Joko Widodo defends death penalty as 'positive' for Indonesia

Indonesian president says it was his duty to carry out executions as calls surface for foreign aid to be linked with human rights in Asia Pacific region

Genesis 1-2

God made the world. God made  the sun, the moon  and the stars.... the whole universe. God said "Let there be light" and there was light.

God made the earth with all its plants and trees and animals and fish and birds.

God made the first people ..... the first man and first woman. God made them in his own image and said to them "Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth."

God saw all that he had made, and all of it was good, very good
 
Dear God, thank you for making such a beautiful world!

My recording of this reading

Psalm 123

To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens.

My eyes, like the eyes of slaves on the hand of their lords.

Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the Lord our God till he show us mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. We are filled with contempt.

Indeed all too full is our soul with the scorn of the rich, with the proud man's disdain.

Lord, please protect poor people 
from being exploited by rich people

Recording

2 Timothy 2.2-9

You have heard everything I teach in public. Hand it on to reliable people so that they in turn will be able to teach others

Put up with your share of difficulties like a good soldier of Christ Jesus, like an athlete who keeps all the rules, like a hard-working farmer

Remember the Good News that I carry: "Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David"

On account of this Good News, I am chained up like a criminal. But no-one can chain up the Good News

Jesus, help people who are in prison on account of the Good News

Recording

John 7.32, 45, 46

The religious leaders sent the Temple police to arrest Jesus

When the police returned to the leaders without Jesus, the leaders asked "Why didn't you arrest him?"

The police replied "There has never been anyone who has spoken like him"

Jesus, in the history of the world, there has never been anyone who has spoken about goodness and truth like you

Recording

Peace Be With You Says Jesus Christ
To believe that Jesus Christ is WITH YOU is the starting point of Faith

A lesson here for all political parties which neglect the poor:
Scottish Labour has only itself to blame for its crucifixion

A lesson here for all governments - developers don't care much about standards, only about profits. If developers are not controlled, chaos results:
Rains to remain ruinous if we don’t up city planning

Twice a month I go to Lo Wu Women's Prison (in Sheung Shui) for a prayer service - on the first and second Sundays. Yesterday with a group of overseas inmates, I got some African inmates to lead the singing ...inspiring....but when they added a bit of jumping around to hand clapping, most of us looked nervously at one inmate from another country ... 8 months pregnant. On Mother's Day.

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 11th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hunan

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 11th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Eritrea

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please pacify ISIS 

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File     Muslim map of world

A beautiful song for Mother's Day  .... and let's remember our four mothers!

Misery as rains pound Dar

From a Dar Es Salaam reader:
"Its raining right here in Dar es Salaam NON STOP, day and night, things are getting worse as you can see in this video, poor people are the ones who suffer, poor infrastructure, poor sewage system, trafick jams everywea, you get om tired, you spend  three to four hours in a jam. Noooo!!!"

Last night I said the 7.30 Mass at St Paul's, Yau Ma Tei. My attention was caught by one of the notices at the end of Mass. It said that last Sunday's special collection for Nepal (organised by the diocese, and held in every parish) raised HK$14,000. God bless the good people of St Paul's! 

c.f. Readings for "Easter 6"

Acts 10.1-48

Cornelius was a Roman centurion stationed in the town of Caesarea.
He and his household prayed, loved God, and helped the local people

One morning Cornelius had a vision that Peter would visit him.
In another town, Peter was instructed by the Lord to visit Cornelius

Peter preached God's message to Cornelius and his household. While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners

Jewish believers  who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the Holy Spirit would come down on non-Jewish people

Holy Spirit, please come down on all peoples everywhere!

My recording of this reading

Psalm 98

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand has brought salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation. He has shown his justice to the nations.

He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp, with the sound of music.

Let the sea, the world and all peoples acclaim the King, the Lord.

Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord, for he comes to rule the earth.

He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.

Lord, may all peoples in all countries know your love and goodness

Recording

1 John 4.7-16

Let us love one another. 
Love comes from God.
God is love.

God showed his love for us
by sending his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Since God has loved us so much
we should love one another.

God is love.
Anyone who lives in love, 
lives in God,
and God lives in him

Jesus, you are love itself. May I live in your love

Recording

John 15.9-13

At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love by keeping my commandments, especially this commandment: love one another, as I have loved you

You can have no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends"

Jesus, thank you for loving us. Help us to love one another as you have loved us

Recording

 Religious tensions in Nigeria
With almost 180 million people, Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in the world. It has a larger population than Russia. It is also a major exporter of oil. A troubled Nigeria means trouble for all of Africa.

 China's land reclamation in disputed waters stokes fears of military ambitions
According to the report, China’s government says the projects “are mainly for improving the living and working conditions of those stationed on the islands”  (???)

This website's statistics for April 2015. God bless all readers and bloggers! May this little site encourage us to keep on caring about what's happening in the world and in the Church, especially as regards the poor

10 years ago
 today

2005-05-10 HK visitors Amir and Hermann, helping with English at CAS & Ricci Centre

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 10th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hubei

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 10th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Guinea

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please bless all Muslims in my own country 

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File      Muslim map of world

Algerian converts requesting Bibles

Thousands of Muslims in Algeria are requesting Bibles and becoming Christians, disillusioned with the so-called Arab Spring and the rise of violent Islam, the country’s sole Bible distributor said

Getting ready for Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment

Powerful vested interests are seeking to silence or at least mute the Pope’s expected stance on climate change

Australia in July could be scene of Jesuit-led climate action

From July 7-10, the presidents of Jesuit higher education institutions and the directors of other Jesuit institutions from around the world will meet on the campus of the Catholic University of Australia

From the final pages of the Old Testament - from the prophets Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Pride of heart leads us astray

See how they are listless, those whose souls are not at peace

Lord, I have heard of all your wonderful deeds in the past.
Do them again in our day, Lord!

Even when everything seems hopeless, I trust in you Lord, I praise you Lord.

Seek the Lord, all you humble people. Seek integrity, seek humility.

In the days to come, people will say "We want to go with you, since we have learnt that God is with you".

Rejoice heart and soul, people of Jerusalem. See, your king comes to you. He is humble and riding on a donkey.

Dear God, thank you for all the beautiful teachings and stories
 in  "The Old Testament", ("The First Testament").  I now look forward to your message in "The New Testament"  ("The Second Testament")

My recording of this reading

Psalm 122

I rejoiced when I heard them say
"Let us go to God's house."

And now our feet are standing 
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray
"Peace be to your homes."

For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Lord, may your peace be in our hearts and homes

Recording

2 Timothy 1.6-8

I remind you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you
when I prayed over you with the laying on of hands

God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power,
and love and self-control

Never be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord. Like me and with me, put up with hardships for the sake of the Good News

Jesus, help me put up with hardships for the sake of the Good News

Recording

John 7.37-39

During the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Jesus called out loudly  in the Temple "If anyone is thirsty, come to me. Anyone who believes in me, come and drink!"

As Scripture says "From his heart will flow fountains of living water"

Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit, which people who believed in him were to receive.

The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified

Holy Spirit, flowing from the heart of Jesus, please increase your influence in my life

Recording

On this day in 1941: 

Time to choose on climate
Tesla Motors is about to mass produce batteries that could change the global demand for power, and yet Australia is still pinning its short-term hopes on coal. Where's our long-term plan?

"Chickens, eh?" says one guy. "Hey, if I guess how many chickens you got, will you give me one?"

"Heck," says the guy with the bag, "iffin you guess right, I'll give you both of 'em."

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 9th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Henan

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 9th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Central African Republic

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please pacify the Taliban

Australian Peter Gardner fronts Chinese court on drug smuggling charges

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File     Muslim map of world

Pope meets the Harlem Globetrotters

Italian O.M.I. martyred in Laos among group on way to canonisation by Pope

I have mixed feelings about this YouTube presentation. It's style puts me off, but there are some facts in it that are good to know to  balance previous videos which looked at Islam through rosy glasses - re "the Golden Age of Islam" and the Crusades

Why we are afraid of Islam?

So, thanks to the kindness of HK friends, I've been able to give IDD cards to prison authorities for such inmates to use. This service has been most appreciated recently by inmates from Nepal who are anxiously trying to check the safety of their families after the recent earthquake

Micah 5-7

Bethlehem, you are the least important town in Judah, but Israel's future ruler will come from you.

He will shepherd our people with the power of God. He himself will be our source of peace.

My people, remember what God has done for you. Remember how God wants you to live.

This is what God asks of you: act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.

Lord, please help me act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with you

My recording of this reading

Psalms 120-121

I call to the  Lord in the hour of my distress: "Lord save me from people who speak with lying lips".

Long enough have I been dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but they are for fighting.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where shall come my help?

My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

The Lord is our guard and our shade. Day and night we shall not be afraid.

The Lord will guard our going and coming, both now and forever.

Lord, please protect us from danger, day and night

Recording

2 Timothy 1.1-5

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, to Timothy, dear child of mine in the faith, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord

I always remember your sincere faith. It came first to live in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and now in yourself

Jesus, thank you for parents who pass on the faith to their children

Recording

John 7.1-13

Jesus now stayed in Galilee. He could not stay in Judea because the religious leaders wanted to kill him

Not even his brothers believed in him

In Jerusalem, no one spoke about him openly, for fear of the religious leaders

Jesus, people were scared to talk about you, your brothers didn't believe in you, and the leaders wanted to kill you. How small my  problems are compared with yours

Recording

Business, Pentagon pursue climate change strategies
A hurricane in New York City. A four-year California drought. The 10 hottest years on record, all occurring since 1998. One doesn't need to know the scientific modeling to see that climate change is real.

John Allen

Joyce Banda, Africa’s first female ex-president- 'I shall always be proud of what I’ve done'
In a rare interview, Malawi’s former leader discusses misogyny in politics and her fight against corruption

May 8

HK police did an excellent job in catching 6 Mainland men who recently kidnapped a wealthy HK lady and extracted a ransom from her father. But part of the ransom - many millions of dollars - is still missing, believed buried in a HK bush park.
Good chance to make money ...selling shovels to many folk who will just happen to go for a walk in that park in the coming days.

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 8th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Heilongjiang

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 8th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Sierra Leone

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, on this Muslim day of prayer, please bless all Muslims!

NZ/Australia man faces death sentence in China

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File     Muslim map of world

ABC video report:
Bali 9 lawyers unhappy with AFP explanation for tipping off Indonesia

-----------------------------

Women pay a very high price for striving for equality, and religions offer no support.

I can't find link on internet, but there's a lovely article in HK "Sunday Examiner" of April 26 about Rabbi Elio Toaff who died recently in Rome. 

Story is told of his boyhood when the family had a Catholic housekeeper.

Elio's father made sure the housekeeper was free for Mass on Sunday, and the housekeeper made sure Elio and his siblings said their Jewish prayers when going to bed! 

Yesterday at Hei Ling Chau Island drug treatment centre, I personally introduced about 200 inmates, individually and in small groups,  to the new booklet "No Next Time" in the hope that it will help  prevent them from returning to detention.

Not returning will be like winning the lottery (in HK the Mark Six), which is why the book's six main pages use the Mark Six's number-images!

Micah 1-4

In the future, the mountain of the Temple of the Lord will be the most important place in the world.

All nations will come to this place.
They will say:

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, so that he may teach us his ways, and we may walk in his paths.

Nation will not lift sword against nation. There will be no more training for war.

Yes please, Lord, stop nations fighting each other. Please give peace to our world

My recording of this reading

Psalm 119

They are happy who follow God's word, those who seek God with all their hearts.

How can young people avoid evil?
By seeking you and obeying you, Lord.

Open my eyes, Lord, that I may understand the beauty of your word.

Lord, when I'm worried or in trouble, your word revives me and gives me strength.

Lord, keep my eyes from what is false. Bend my heart to your word and not to love of gain.

The word from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.

The unfolding of your word gives light, and teaches simple people.

Lord, thank you for your word which gives peace to our hearts

Recording

1 Timothy 6.17-19

Warn people who are rich in this world's goods that they are not to look down on others.

Tell them not to set their hopes on money, but on God who, out of his riches, gives us all we need for happiness

Tell rich people to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share. 

In this way they will have a healthy account in the Bank of Heaven

Jesus, please help rich people do more to help poor people

Recording

John 6.59-69

After hearing what Jesus said about his flesh and blood, many of his disciples said "How can anyone believe in such crazy ideas?" 

Many disciples then stopped following Jesus

Jesus said to the 12 apostles "What about you? Are you also going to leave me?"

Peter replied "Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life. We believe you are the Holy One of God"

Jesus, please don't ever let me stop following you

Recording

Joan Chittister

The forgotten voices of war crying out in the dark
Like everyone else in the United States who hears snippets of TV news programs as they go their busy ways, Yazidi, like ISIS, became a new word for us

An ignoble boycott calculated to hurt Russia
Russians threw everything they had into throwing back Hitler’s invading armies, and suffered grievously, with between 23 and 40 million dead in the range of reliable historians’ estimates. Without their sacrifice, Europe would be a Nazi empire today.

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 7th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hebei

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 7th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Burkina Faso

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please pacify Al-Qaeda 

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

My Islam File      Muslim map of world

Indonesia bans sending maids to Middle East 
- to 21 Middle East countries
- recent executions as cause for new policy

In Hong Kong, as in most parts of the world, the majority of prison inmates are not first-timers, especially the drug addicts. Most have been in prison before, some of them many times, some of them up to 40 times.  Yesterday a little book, very little - only 8 pages - arrived from the printer - DG!  Aim of the book is to encourage inmates not to return to prison. Name of the book: "No Next Time".  Full text, in English & Chinese, is here

Jonah 2-4

God arranged for a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish for 3 days.

Inside the fish, Jonah prayed to God for help. God heard Jonah's prayer and got the fish to vomit Jonah on the shore.

Again God told Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh. This time Jonah did as God requested.
"Forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed" he proclaimed.

The people of Nineveh believed God's message. They put on sackcloth and ashes. They fasted and prayed. They repented of their evil behavior.

God saw their change of heart, and spared Nineveh.

Jonah complained to God: "Your change of mind will cause me a big loss of face."

God said to Jonah: "Do I not have the right to show compassion to my people?"

Lord, please help me repent of bad behavior

Psalm 117

O Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Acclaim him, all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us.
He is faithful for ever.

May all the nations love and praise you, Lord

Recording

1 Timothy 6.11-13

As a man of God, avoid things like greed and disputes

You must aim to be a saint, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle

Fight the good fight of the faith, and win for yourself eternal life

Be a constant witness to goodness and truth, like Jesus who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate

Jesus, help me be a witness to goodness and truth

Recording

John 6.52-58

The people said among themselves  "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus replied "If you refuse to eat my flesh , and drink my blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life

For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in them

As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me

This is the bread come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever"

Jesus, thank you for the gift of your Body and Blood
in Holy Communion

Recording

Chris McDonnell (Wed UK blogger) 

The simplicity of hands
Those who cannot physically undertake the Nepal recovery task, join their hands in silent prayer for those who can. Be they Hindu or Muslim, Christian or Buddhist, their prayerful action is shared in the face of great tragedy. Let us join with them.

Brendan Hoban

Unable to bear much reality
Those who study psychology tell me that there are two realities that minimise the need to face the truth about ourselves, or about what’s happening around us. One is called ‘denial’ which most of us are familiar with and which explains itself. The other is called ‘cognitive dissonance’ which seems to mean that deep within us is the tendency to convince ourselves that things could be much worse than they are

Yesterday I went to the Open University of Hong Kong to borrow books for one African inmate and to pay exam fees for another African inmate - and while there I noticed what I hadn't noticed on previous trips: near a room with a sign "Male toilet" is another room "Mail room" ....hope no one gets mixed up

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 6th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hainan

And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 6th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Liberia

And praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, please pacify Al-Shabaab 

Mexico declares all-out war after drug cartel downs military helicopter

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 HK Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK)

Pope Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:

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Newness, harmony, mission

Engagements of Pope Francis

Zenit.org - reports from Rome

This website's kind bloggers
(past and present)
with archives of articles:

Bakhita
 Hazel C
 Daniel Daring
Inigo Joachim
Brian Lewis
 Judith Lynch 
  Martin Mallon
Chris McDonnell
Bill Mulcahy 
Des O'Donnell
Darlene Starrs
 TASMAD
David Timbs 
Peter Wilkinson
   Harry Winter 
  John Wotherspoon

This website tries to stop "tanks"
(war, global warming, exploitation of the poor, globalisation of indifference, liturgical "reform of the reform" & other anti-Vatican II forces etc)

  Weekly Archive  of main page menus

Previous archives 
2013  2012  2011 2010  2009  2008

Previous Bible Blogs of this website

Previous Smiles file

John W: Previous Daily Blogs

The unjust treatment
 of Bishop Bill Morris

Hans Küng:  Letter to bishops  

Revolution to stop authoritarianism 

Fr Joseph Ratzinger: 
Writings on Vat II 

Robert Mickens:  
Vatican Implosion

Nicholas Lash:     Vatican II: 
Of Happy Memory - and Hope?

Robert McNally:  
Crisis & Criticism in the Church 

Priests 9 Masses a day
 - need to ordain married men

Why are women not being
 ordained to priesthood?   (updated)

A Call to Action
Assn Catholic Priests Ireland
Bp Pat Power
Bp Geoff Robinson
Bruce Duncan
Catalyst for Renewal
Catholica
Catholics for Ministry  
Catholics for Renewal 
STANDUP4VATICAN2
The Swag
VII - Voice of the Church
We Are Church

Excellent articles on Mission
  Hugh McMahon SSC

Imposter Priests
- refusing to pass on the teaching of Francis' The Joy of the Gospel

My Islam File

Political leaders who live(d) a simple life style and care(d) for the poor

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 
(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)

YouTube from KLM!

North Africa refugee boat - Link

Abortion Survivor’s Letter
 to the Abortionist

Tribalism lives on, 
for better and for worse

Video: Sydney Peace Prize Lecture by Julian Burnside  

16 Documents of Vatican II

This website's 
Reflections on the 16 documents
 of Vatican II

Be careful of junk reading re Pope:
Chancery report in English
Chancery report in Chinese

Why I collect rubbish for Pope

Taking a stand

Navigation Aids      

  Standing up to bullies

"Reform of reform" agenda

Too Western/European 

Abortion - a true story

The evil of compulsory celibacy

Link between compulsory celibacy
 and sexual abuse

"Same-sex marriage": 
two elephants in the men's room     

     Near Death Experiences

Globalisation of Indifference

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John W's other sites: 

www.doctorjesus.org

www.riccicenter.com 

www.simplebible.info 

www.china8.org 

  www.jesustower.com 

www.oneminuteenglish.com 

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