My mobile
number in South Africa: +27 (0)788228537 (South Africa is six hours behind
HK)
I
wish all dear readers a Happy New Year!
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Sunday
January 1
Feast
of Mary, Mother of God |
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Pope
(267, below): Freedom
is something magnificent, yet it can also be dissipated
and lost. |
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A
woman from South Africa in prison in Hong Kong asked me to
visit her sister in Soweto, next to Johannesburg. This I
did yesterday, meeting the sister and her family at the
famous Regina Mundi O.M.I. church in Soweto.
The
woman in prison and her sister both are abandoned wives
(very common here). Each has two children. The six of them
were living in a two-room garage for whose rent they paid
1,000 Rand (US$73) per month. Their only income was a
government allowance of R350 per child. That's R1,400 per
month. After paying rent they had R400 to live on.
Which
is why the older sister got caught up in drug trafficking
....desperate to get money for the family. Now the younger
sister is minding all four children....sometimes not able
to give them food. The children going to school sometimes
go on an empty stomach.
Thanks
to kind HK friends I've been able to give them enough to
pay 5 months rent ...plus a bit extra. And I've asked the
younger sister to use the ideas in Good
News for the Poor to break out of the poverty
cycle. In fact I've given her a job: translate GNFTP into
her native language, Sotho. Almost impossible for her with
so many children to find work.
With
the younger sister and four children yesterday was an
unemployed male cousin (with health problems) and another
abandoned mother with a one month old baby (a neighbour of
the younger sister), and three other young friends of the
children.
Photos
of the group are Here
(shown with permission of the family). And see "Smile",
below.
Jesus,
thank you for Day Four!
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
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Readings
are from Simple
Bible
(which has Chinese translation
available) |
c.f.
Readings for January 1
Numbers
6
God said to Moses and Aaron:
"This is how you are to bless the people. Say to them:
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace."
Dear
God, please bless everyone in the world
My recording
of this reading
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Psalms
66-68
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shine its light upon us.
Let all the peoples praise you, O God.
Let all the peoples praise you.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his name.
Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.
Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
God provides a shelter for the homeless.
God gives his people strength. May all the peoples of the
earth know you and praise you, O God
Recording
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Galatians 4.4-6
When the appointed time came, God sent his
Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of
the Law, and to enable us to be adopted as children of God, brothers and
sisters of his Son
The proof that we are children is that God has
sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries
"Abba, Father"
Jesus, help me understand how I have been
adopted,
how you are my Brother
Recording
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Luke
2.21
When
the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised,
they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had
given him before his conception.
Jesus
- "God saves" - you are our Saviour
Recording
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The
Church in its early centuries said Mary was the Mother of
God, not to glorify Mary, but to counter people who said
that Jesus was not God. Today we also remember that the
name "Jesus" means "God saves" ....and
we pray for peace on this World Day of Peace
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The Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
267:
Recording
Freedom
is something magnificent, yet it can also be dissipated
and lost.
Moral
education has to do with cultivating freedom through
ideas, incentives, practical applications, stimuli,
rewards, examples, models, symbols, reflections,
encouragement, dialogue and a constant rethinking of our
way of doing things; all these can help develop those
stable interior principles that lead us spontaneously to
do good.
Virtue
is a conviction that has become a steadfast inner
principle of operation.
The
virtuous life thus builds, strengthens and shapes freedom,
lest we become slaves of dehumanizing and antisocial
inclinations.
For
human dignity itself demands that each of us “act out of
conscious and free choice, as moved and drawn in a
personal way from within”
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Fr. Harry
Winter O.M.I.
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Lutheran
Friends - Encouragement and Caution More
items at Fr Harry's website Here |
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Today
I am reading Day Six of this excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common
Home" (used with permission)
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00: Recording
In
her dialogue with the State and with society, the
Church does not have solutions for every particular issue.
Together
with the various sectors of society, she supports those
programs which best respond to the
dignity of each person and the common good.
In
doing this, she proposes in a clear way the
fundamental values of human life and convictions
which can then find expression in political activity.
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Hour
of Love HK
radio program 9.05pm HK time each Sunday night
- with messages about African inmates in HK prisons (c.
9.25pm). Tonight Bruce will play recordings from the three
families I've visited so far. |
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Yesterday I
felt so sorry for the family I visited - they really are
struggling to exist - that I gave them everything I had in
my wallet ...including my taxi fare home ...planning to
get money for the driver on my arrival. But three
teenagers in the family group got wind of this and thought
they would be helpful by explaining my predicament in Zulu
to a taxi driver I was negotiating with. Driver promptly
declined to take me as a passenger. So I said to the
teenagers, please don't tell the next driver I ask! (Next
driver no problem ...got paid on arrival) |
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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
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And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 1st
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Anwei
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month: On
this 1st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Congo
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
today, Sunday,
please bless
all Muslims in my own country |
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Vacancy:
a new Facebook editor for this website.
Kind volunteer editor of the past few years, Vincent, in Melbourne, is due
to be married today - congratulations Vincent and Maria! .."May you
live to see your children's children" (Psalm 128) - and the
time has come to pass the baton to another kind volunteer. Please contact
me if you are interested in this vacancy: jdwomi@gmail.com
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Saturday
December 31 |
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Pope
(266, below): We
need to be trained in childhood to say
"Please", "Thank you" and
"Sorry" |
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On
my previous visits to Africa - to meet families of
prisoners in HK - I often met two or more families at a
time. But on this visit, with a little bit more time
available, I'm meeting one family at a time ....and
learning a lot about the circumstances in which people
took drugs to HK.
Yesterday
I spent quite a while travelling to meet a remarkable
family, and spent a couple of hours with them. They want
their story - the story of an inmate in HK - made public
(in fact the arrest details are already public) ...in
order to stop a local Drug Lord who is continuing to
recruit women as drug mules.
Story
will, DV, be on this website in the coming week or so
....after facts are checked.
Photos
of the meeting yesterday are Here
(with permission of the family)
Thank
you Jesus for Day Three!
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
|
Readings
are from Simple
Bible
(which has Chinese translation
available) |
Exodus
3
The Israelites begged God to free them
from slavery in
Egypt.
God heard their cry and called Moses
to be their leader.
God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and said to him
"I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I have heard the prayers of my people in
Egypt.
I now send you to Pharaoh to win the freedom of my people."
Moses asked what was God's name.
God replied 'I Am who I Am.
Tell the people "I Am has sent me to you".'
Dear
God, God of life, God of Abraham, we praise you Lord.
My
recording of this reading |
Psalm
136
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his great love is without end.
It was his wisdom which made the skies,
for his great love is without end.
It was he who made the sun, moon and stars,
for his great love is without end.
It was he who rescued and protected his people
Israel,
for his great love is without end.
He gives food to all living things,
for his great love is without end.
To the God of heaven give thanks,
for his great love is without end.
We praise you, Lord, for your
great love is without end
Recording
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Acts
13.1-3
In the church at Antioch in Syria, the following were
prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Paul
One day while they were offering worship to
the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said "I want Barnabas and Paul
set apart for the work to which I have called them"
After fasting and prayer, the
leaders prayed for Barnabas and Paul with the laying on of hands and sent them off on a
missionary journey
Holy Spirit, help me be attentive to
your guidance
Recording
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Luke
1.67-80
When John (the Baptist) was named, his father Zechariah was
filled with the Holy Spirit
and said "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel. He has visited his
people.
And you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of the Most High. You
will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him"
When John grew older, he lived in the
wilderness until the time came for him to begin his ministry
Jesus, please help me prepare your way
by helping people to know you
Recording
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On
this last day of the year we give God thanks for all his
goodness to us in 2016, we ask pardon for our sins of
2016, and we ask his continued help and protection in 2017
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The
Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
266:
Recording
Good
habits need to be developed.
Even
childhood habits can help to translate important
interiorized values into sound and steady ways of acting.
A
person may be sociable and open to others, but if over a
long period of time he has not been trained by his elders
to say “Please”, “Thank you”, and “Sorry”, his
good interior disposition will not easily come to the
fore.
The
strengthening of the will and the repetition of specific
actions are the building blocks of moral conduct; without
the conscious, free and valued repetition of certain
patterns of good behaviour, moral education does not take
place.
Mere
desire, or an attraction to a certain value, is not enough
to instil a virtue in the absence of those properly
motivated acts.
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Today
I am reading Day 5 of this excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common
Home" (used with permission)
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240: Recording
It
is the responsibility of the State to
safeguard and promote the common good of society.
Based
on the
principles of subsidiarity and solidarity,
and fully committed to political dialogue and consensus
building, it plays a fundamental role, one which cannot be
delegated, in working for the integral development of all.
This
role, at present, calls for profound
social humility
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I'm not sure
what New Year's Eve will be like tonight here in
Johannesburg ...but I'll never forget New Year's Eve last
year in Meru, Kenya ...when someone on the street outside
the O.M.I. centre where I was staying was firing a rifle! |
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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
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And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 31st
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tianjin
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month: On
this 31st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Nepal
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
today, Saturday,
please bless
the Taliban |
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Friday
December 30 |
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Pope
(265, below): Often
we prove inconsistent in our own convictions |
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Yesterday I travelled to Eastgate
shopping centre to meet the family of a lady in
prison in Hong Kong. Was a lovely experience
meeting two of her daughters and five little
grandchildren, including two babies she has never
seen, but I was saddened to learn that the father
of one group has abandoned them, and the father of
the other group refuses to get a job.
Before
the meeting I planned to go to an internet shop in
Eastgate to check on some broken links on my
websites ....and just as I was wondering where I'd
find an internet shop, who should I see coming
towards me but two of Mother Teresa's Sisters of
Charity. As we started chatting they told me they
were going to the post office, which had computers
for customers to use! So we went to the post
office. I told them about the family I was about
to meet (I knew in advance of their situation, which is why they were the first on my
visit list.) The sisters kindly offered to help
them in the future, so I gave them the sisters
contact details.
I'm
having internet connection problems ...which is
making it difficult for me to prepare this website
....and catch up on a very large backlog of
emails. Sorry ...
Thank
you Jesus, for Day Two!
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The
Book Blog
4
readings + recordings |
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Comments/reflections
welcome here
Readings
are from Simple
Bible |
c.f.
readings for Feast of the Holy Family
Sirach
1-3:
All wisdom comes from God.
Love for God is the source of wisdom.
If
you desire wisdom, keep the Lord's commandments,
in private as well as in public.
Keep
the commandment to honor your parents. Respect for
your father will atone for your sins. Honor for
your mother will gain you blessings.
Support
your father in his old age. Even if his mind
should fail, show him kindness. Do not despise him
in your health and strength.
Be
gentle in the way you live your life. The greater
you are, the more humbly you should behave.
Dear
God, please help me always respect and honor my
parents
My
recording of this reading
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Psalm
128
O
blessed are those who love the Lord and walk in
his ways.
By
the labor of your hands you shall eat. You will be
happy and prosper:
your
wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your
house; your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.
Indeed
thus shall be blessed the people who love and
honor the Lord.
May
the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your
life. May you see your children's children in a
happy Jerusalem!
On Israel, peace!
Dear
Lord, may all married people live to see their
children's children
Recording
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Colossians
3.16-21:
Let
the message of Christ, in all its richness, find
a home with you. Teach each other, and advise
each other, in all wisdom.
Wives,
give way to your husbands, as you should in the
Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them
with gentleness.
Children, be obedient to your parents, because
that is what will please the Lord.
Parents, never drive your children to
resentment, or you will make them feel
frustrated.
Jesus,
please bless everyone in my family
Recording
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Luke
2.39-52
Joseph
and Mary moved back to their own town of Nazareth.
The child Jesus was filled with wisdom as he grew
older
Each
year Joseph and Mary would take Jesus to
Jerusalem for the celebration of the
Passover. When Jesus was 12 years old, they went
to Jerusalem as usual
But
when their traveling group left Jerusalem, Jesus
stayed behind without his parents knowing it.
They presumed he was somewhere with the group .
When they couldn't find him, they went back to
Jerusalem to look for him
After
2 days, they found him, in the Temple,
listening to the religion teachers and asking them
questions. People who heard him were astounded at
his intelligence
His
mother said to him "My child, why have you
done this to us? Your father and I have been
really worried about you"
Jesus
replied "Why were you looking for me? Didn't
you know that I must be concerned with my Father's
work?" But they didn't understand what
he meant
He
went with them to Nazareth and lived under their
authority. His mother stored all these things in
her heart
Jesus,
please help all "lost children" to be
found!
Recording
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In
today's world, family life is under attack. If
families are to survive, they more than ever need
to get on their knees and pray together.
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Australian police seize more than a tonne of cocaine – video
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The
Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
265: Recording
Doing what is right means more than “judging
what seems best” or knowing clearly what needs
to be done, as important as this is.
Often
we prove inconsistent in our own convictions,
however firm they may be; even when our conscience
dictates a clear moral decision, other factors
sometimes prove more attractive and powerful.
We
have to arrive at the point where the good that
the intellect grasps can take root in us as a
profound affective inclination, as a thirst for
the good that outweighs other attractions and
helps us to realize that what we consider
objectively good is also good “for us” here
and now.
A
good ethical education includes showing a person
that it is in his own interest to do what is
right.
Today,
it is less and less effective to demand something
that calls for effort and sacrifice, without
clearly pointing to the benefits which it can
bring
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Today
I am reading Day
4
of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our
Common Home" (used with permission)
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239b:
Recording
In
a culture which privileges dialogue as a form of
encounter, it is time to
devise a means for building consensus and
agreement while seeking the goal of a just,
responsive and inclusive society.
The
principal author, the historic subject of this
process, is the people as a
whole and their culture, and not
a single class, minority, group or elite.
We
do not need plans drawn up by a few for the few,
or an enlightened or outspoken minority which
claims to speak for everyone. It is about
agreeing to live together, a social and cultural
pact.
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10
years ago today |
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Marco Polo
children + HK Cecilia & Winnie + English Corner |
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Stung into Action |
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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
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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
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month: On
this 30th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Haiti
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention
each day of the week:
Jesus,
today, Friday,
please bless
all Muslims |
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Thursday
December 29 |
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Pope
(264, below): Parents
are also responsible for shaping the will of their
children, fostering good habits and a natural inclination
to goodness. |
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Hello from Johannesburg where I arrived yesterday around
midday after a 9 hour flight from HK to Dubai (where I had
a long meeting ...1am to 2am local time.... with airport
security officials re drugs arriving on transit flights
from Sao Paulo, Brazil ...then given to couriers to take
to HK), then an 8 hour flight to Johannesburg (after one
hour on Dubai tarmac ...take off delayed by fog).
Immigration
computers at J'burg not working and staff undermanned
...so getting through immigration took about 90 minutes
...with a crowd of many hundreds not amused...and at times
jumping the queue.
Then I stayed another hour at J'burg airport getting
hooked up, so to speak: USB modem for my trusty Toshiba
notebook + sim card for mobile phone (number at top of
this menu)....then 20 minute trip by taxi to accommodation
location in J'burg South. Am staying in a very peaceful
but very secure place with the latest security fence and
security team. Am due to meet the first of some 20
families in the J'burg area tomorrow Please God
(families of prisoners in HK).
Thank you Jesus for Day
One!
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
|
Comments/reflections
welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible |
Exodus
2
One Israelite mother hid her baby boy for three months.
When she could no longer hide him
she put him in a basket
and placed the basket among reeds near a river bank.
The basket was found by Pharaoh's daughter
when she went to bathe in the river.
She felt sorry for the baby and decided to keep it.
The baby's sister saw all this happen
and asked Pharaoh's daughter if she'd like a nurse for the baby.
Pharaoh's daughter agreed,
and so the baby's mother was paid by Pharaoh's daughter
to be the baby's nurse.
When the child was weaned, he was taken to Pharaoh's daughter
who treated him like her own son.
She named the baby Moses.
My
recording of this reading
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Psalm 135
Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord.
Praise the Lord for he is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving.
I know the Lord is great. He does whatever he
wills
in heaven, on earth, in the seas.
Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak.
They have eyes but they cannot see.
Sons of Israel, do not trust in useless idols.
Sons of Aaron, trust only in our Creator and Lord.
Dear Lord, please
help people
who worship idols to know and love you
Recording
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Acts
12.20-23
Wearing his robes of state and sitting on a
throne, King Herod made a speech to the leaders of Tyre and Sidon. People
acclaimed him saying "It is a god speaking, not a man!"
At that moment, the angel of the Lord struck
him down, because he had not given the glory to God. He was eaten away
with worms and died
Jesus, please help us remember that all our
talents are a gift from you. "Not to us, Lord, but to your name be
the glory"
Recording
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Luke
1.1-4
Dear
Friend of God, there are already many reports written about
Jesus.
These reports come from people who were the earliest
eyewitnesses and ministers of the Good News.
After checking the whole story, I also have decided to write a report, so
that you may see for yourself the truth and accuracy of the Good News
Jesus, help me understand
your Good News
Recording
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Today's
second reading (Psalm 135) speaks about having mouths and
eyes. When we remember how virtually every creature has
mouths and eyes, how can anyone say this old world did not
have a Creator? How come we "just happen" to
have vitally necessary things like eyes, mouths, ears,
noses ....not to mention legs and arms? "Only a fool
says in their heart that there is no Creator" (Psalm
14)
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The
Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
264: Recording
Parents
are also responsible for shaping the will of their
children, fostering good habits and a natural inclination
to goodness.
This
entails presenting certain ways of thinking and acting as
desirable and worthwhile, as part of a gradual process of
growth.
The
desire to fit into society, or the habit of foregoing an
immediate pleasure for the sake of a better and more
orderly life in common, is itself a value that can then
inspire openness to greater values.
Moral
formation should always take place with active methods and
a dialogue that teaches through sensitivity and by using a
language children can understand.
It
should also take place inductively, so that children can
learn for themselves the importance of certain values,
principles and norms, rather than by imposing these as
absolute and unquestionable truths.
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Today
I am reading Day 3 of this excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common
Home" (used with permission)
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239a: Recording
The
Church proclaims “the Gospel of
peace” and she wishes to cooperate with all
national and international authorities in safeguarding
this immense universal good.
By
preaching Jesus Christ, who is himself peace, the new
evangelization calls on every
baptized person to be a peacemaker and a credible witness
to a reconciled life.
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10 years
ago today |
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Macau groups- Canossian group, A-Yau'group, Clara's group, Cecilia &
Winnie - thank you for helping poor children! |
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As I entered
the plane for my flight from HK to Dubai on Tuesday night,
I was surprised that it was a "double decker"
plane ...an A380. But more accurately it was an A190,
since it was only half full of passengers |
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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 South
East Asia and the Pacific
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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
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month: On
this 29th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Mauritania
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda |
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Please
God, as you read this, I am on a plane on the way from HK to Dubai, then
another plane to Johannesburg ...where I'm due to start meeting families
of prisoners in HK ...and do some publicity to stop drug mules coming to
HK. See coming days for fuller reports and photos.
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Wednesday
December 28 |
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Pope
(263, below): Physical or emotional
absence creates greater hurt than any scolding which a
child may receive for doing something wrong |
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Congratulations
to this website's kind Facebook editor in Melbourne .... for his
wedding on Dec 31.
Dear V and M, may you live to see your children's children (Psalm
128)!
--------------------
Speaking
of parents and children, the father of the little guy in the
manger is an asylum seeker currently in detention. More
photos of baby Here
(with other photos of recent Sunday night gatherings for the poor
at St Paul's YMT)
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Chris
McDonnell
(UK blogger) |
The
end of another year
We
are entering a period of uncertainty that is possibly more
dangerous than the Cold War of the late 20th C. We have
to chart our course in the coming year with both care and prayer
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
|
Comments/reflections
welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible |
Exodus
1
After about 300 years, when the Israelites had grown to a huge number,
the Egyptians began to see the Israelites as a danger to Egypt.
So they forced the Israelites into slavery
and made their life miserable.
The Egyptians forced the Israelites to make bricks
and build cities.
But the more the Israelites were oppressed,
the more they increased in number.
So the Egyptian king told the Israelite midwives
to kill all new-born boys.
But the midwives let the baby boys live,
and God was pleased with the midwives and blessed them.
Pharaoh then ordered all Israelite baby boys
to be drowned in the river.
Dear
God, please stop people, especially children,
from being used as slaves
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Psalm
134
O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
Lift up your hands to heaven
and bless the Lord through the night.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.
Lord, please protect my
family tonight and every night
Recording
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Acts
12.1-17
About this time, King Herod began persecuting
the church. He beheaded the apostle James, brother of John. He arrested
Peter during Passover time. He put Peter in prison and planned to have him
put on trial and killed after Passover
Each day Peter was in prison, the believers
stormed heaven praying for him. On the night before he was to be put on
trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with chains, with
more soldiers at the prison entrance
Suddenly Peter's cell was filled with light,
and an angel told him to get up. The chains fell from his hands. The angel
led Peter out of the prison, without the guards knowing what was happening
Peter then left for another place. Herod was
unable to find him
Jesus, please help Christians who are in
prison for their faith
Recording
Today's
Gospel:
|
For today's Feast
of the Holy Innocents:
Matthew
2.13-23
After
the wise men left Bethlehem, an angel appeared to Joseph in a
dream and said "Go quickly to Egypt, because Herod wants to
kill the child".
That
same night, Joseph got up
and set out for Egypt with Mary and Jesus.
Herod was angry after being tricked by the wise men. He got his
soldiers to kill all baby boys two years old or younger in
Bethlehem.
After
Herod died some months later, an angel appeared to Joseph in a
dream and told him to return to Israel.
Joseph,
Mary and Jesus moved to the town of Nazareth, thus fulfilling the
prophecy about the Saviour: "He will be called a
Nazarene".
Jesus,
you were once a refugee.
Please bless all refugees in the world today
Recording
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What a contrast: people saving
babies from being killed (today's first reading) and people
killing babies (today's Gospel).
Not
much has changed ... people still killing babies (abortion) and
people trying to stop babies being killed (anti-abortion groups).
This is a special day each year when Catholics pray that
governments do more to support unmarried mothers (so they will not
need abortions), that governments do not allow abortions
(especially abortion right till the moment of birth, as in
Victoria, Australia) and that that the Lord will give wisdom and
courage to all who trying to protect unborn babies
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The
Joy of Love - Pope Francis'
letter - on
love in the family Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
263: Recording
Parents
rely on schools to ensure the basic instruction of their children,
but can never completely delegate the moral formation of their
children to others.
A
person’s affective and ethical development is ultimately
grounded in a particular experience, namely, that his or her
parents can be trusted.
This
means that parents, as educators, are responsible, by their
affection and example, for instilling in their children trust and
loving respect.
When
children no longer feel that, for all their faults, they are
important to their parents, or that their parents are sincerely
concerned about them, this causes deep hurt and many difficulties
along their path to maturity.
This
physical or emotional absence creates greater hurt than any
scolding which a child may receive for doing something wrong.
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Today
I am reading Day 2 of this
excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
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238: Recording
Evangelization
also involves the path of dialogue. For the Church today, three
areas of dialogue stand out where she needs to be present
in order to promote full human development and to pursue the
common good: dialogue with states, dialogue
with society – including dialogue with cultures and the
sciences – and dialogue with other
believers who are not part of the Catholic Church.
In
each case, “the Church speaks from the light which faith
offers”, contributing her two thousand year experience and
keeping ever in mind the life and sufferings of human beings. This
light transcends human reason, yet it can also prove meaningful
and enriching to those who are not believers and it stimulates
reason to broaden its perspectives.
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10 years ago
today |
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2006-12-28
Fr Martin's SDB Macau group - visited all centers these past few days - gave up
school holidays to spend time with the poor |
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As I set out on my
third Africa journey, I think of my dear Dad who was a volunteer
soldier in North Africa (..a Rat of Tobruk..)....and I ask the
Good Lord to give me a bit of Dad's courage .... as in this poem
of Dad's: Seeing
It Through |
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|
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 28th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Beijing
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month: On
this 28th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Lesotho
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus,
today, Wednesday, please pacify Al-Shabaab |
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Tuesday
December 27 |
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Pope
(262, below): Education
includes encouraging the responsible use of freedom to
face issues with good sense and intelligence. |
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Moving
letter (in Thai and English) by a
Thai women in prison in HK for drug
trafficking - saying how she was tricked by her Nigerian
husband to go from Thailand to Brazil and bring drugs to HK. PDF Here
(scroll down to English ...once you start reading, you
won't stop...)
I've posted this story at Nigeria's number one Blog: Here
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Tonight I'm due to leave from HK for South Africa. I'm not sure when I
next will be able to update this website.
DV on reaching Johannesburg I'll buy
a mobile phone card and then put its number at the top of this menu by Dec
29.
Each day while away I'll try to check email. But in some of the places
I'm due to visit, the internet connection may not always be working.
Aims
of my trip are the same as Jan 2015 (Tanzania) and Jan 2016 (Kenya and
Uganda): to visit the families of prisoners in HK, to promote awareness
about the danger of drug trafficking to HK, and to lobby for prisoner
transfer agreements.
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
|
Comments/reflections
welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible |
c.f. readings for
St John the Apostle
John
13.34-35:
Jesus said to his disciples at the meal "I give you a
new commandment: love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another
By
this love you have for one another, everyone will know
that you are my disciples"
Jesus,
please help all Christians to love one another as you have
loved us
Recording
of this reading
|
John
20.1-10
Before
dawn the next morning, Sunday, Mary Magdalene went to the
tomb. She saw the stone had been moved from the
tomb's entrance
She
ran to Peter and John and said "Someone has taken the
Lord out of the tomb"
They
ran back to the tomb. Peter went in first. He saw that the
linen cloths were on the ground. But the cloth that had
been around Jesus' head was not on the ground. It was
neatly folded and in a place by itself
Then
John went into the tomb. He saw, and he believed
Jesus,
I believe you rose from the dead. Please increase my faith
Recording
|
1
John 1.1-2
Something
which has existed since the beginning - that we heard,
that we saw with our own eyes, that we touched with our
hands: the Word, who is life
- this is our subject
That
life was made visible.
We
saw it, and we are giving our testimony, telling you of
the eternal life which was with the Father and has been
made visible to us
Jesus, Word-made-flesh,
you are the Way, the Truth and the Life
Recording
|
Revelation
1.9-17
I,
John, share your sufferings. I was on the island of Patmos,
imprisoned for having preached about Jesus
One
Sunday the Spirit possessed me. I heard a voice shouting
"Write down all you see, and send it to the seven
churches of
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia
and Laodicea"
I
turned to see who had spoken to me, and I saw Jesus, full
of glory. His face was like the sun shining with all its
force
He
said to me "Do not be afraid. It is I, the First and
the Last. I am the Living One"
Jesus,
Living One, we praise and adore you, Lord
Recording
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In
these days after Christmas let us often reflect on the
words of St John (at the start of his gospel and in
today's third reading): "In the beginning was the
Word". The Baby in the manger of Bethlehem is the
C.E.O. of the Universe. Some Kid! ....and he wants to be
friends with each one of us!
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How China is using the media as a form of soft power in Australia |
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Tanzania
President, mystery nun and 2015 election outcome
- why President attended a
Christmas Mass |
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The
Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
262: Recording
Were
maturity merely the development of something already
present in our genetic code, not much would have to be
done.
But
prudence, good judgement and common sense are dependent
not on purely quantitative growth factors, but rather on a
whole series of things that come together deep within each
person, or better, at the very core of our freedom.
Inevitably,
each child will surprise us with ideas and projects born
of that freedom, which challenge us to rethink our own
ideas.
This
is a good thing.
Education
includes encouraging the responsible use of freedom to
face issues with good sense and intelligence.
It
involves forming persons who readily understand that their
own lives, and the life of the community, are in their
hands, and that freedom is itself a great gift.
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Interactive
Bible Quiz - Job
Based on the actual words of the Bible.
How
many times you can get 3/3 ?! |
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Today
I am reading the introduction
to this excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common
Home" (used with permission ...tomorrow: Day
1...)
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237b: Recording
The
good news is the joy
of the Father who desires that none of his little ones be
lost, the
joy of the Good Shepherd who finds the lost sheep and
brings it back to the flock.
The
Gospel is the leaven which causes the dough to rise and
the city on the hill whose light illumines all peoples.
The Gospel has an
intrinsic principle of totality:
it will always remain good news until it has been
proclaimed to all people, until it has healed and
strengthened every aspect of humanity, until it has
brought all men and women together
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10 years
ago today |
|
Helping the poor in Zhaoqing- Fr Victor, Clara & friends from
Macau; Fr Stefano, Candy and friends from Hong Kong
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Little
boy in "Outback" Australia had never seen rain.
There had been a drought for more than 5 years.
Then just before Christmas the clouds began to form.
On Christmas Eve water fell from the sky.
The little boy ran to the window to see what was
happening.
He called out to his mother "Mum, what's that?"
His mother replied "That's rain, dear"
(..reindeer..) |
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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 27th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tibet
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 27th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Uganda
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
please pacify
Boko
Haram |
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I
wish all dear readers the peace of Christmas right through 2017!
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Yesterday in my homily at Mass, I used this 4 min video:
Christmas
Truce of 1914:
On returning home,
while catching up on loads of office work, I watched/listened
to this moving documentary:
Peace
in No Mans Land - The Christmas Truce (1914)
And
then this one:
The
Great War: Christmas Truce
which has the
words "these young boys were not made to kill each
other"
And
lastly: A
World War II Christmas story from 1944
|
Photo and details of Chuck
Valentine Ezeh, a Nigerian Drug Lord in Kuala Lumpur
who has put 5 Indonesian women in prison in HK
for drug trafficking. Here
(Dec 15). And see
my post at Nigeria's number
one blog - Here
(scroll down to my name)
Letter (in
Indonesian) from an Indonesian
woman, an asylum seeker, a
resident of HK, in prison in HK on a drug trafficking
charge - saying how she was tricked by an African man in
HK to receive a parcel of drugs from Brazil: Here
(Dec 16)
Letter (in Chinese) from
a
Mainland woman recruited by a Nigerian man in Guangzhou
to take drugs from Malaysia to HK -Here
(July 13 ...scroll down to this second letter) - with
photos of the Nigerian man.
Letter in Spanish from
a Mexican man in HK for drug
trafficking: Here
(Dec 16)
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The
Book Blog
4 readings +
recordings |
|
Readings
are from Simple
Bible
(which has Chinese translation
available) |
Feast
of St Stephen -
THE STORY OF STEPHEN
Acts
6.8-15
One
of the seven deacons, Stephen, was filled with grace and
power. He began to do many miracles
A
group of Jews tried to beat Stephen in a debate. But they
could not win, because the Holy Spirit was guiding Stephen
in his speech
The
group then got some men to falsely accuse Stephen of being
disloyal to Moses and to God
The
group had Stephen arrested and brought before a meeting of
the religious leaders. At the meeting, false witnesses
accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and the Law
Jesus,
please protect people who are accused by false witnesses
Recording
of this reading
|
Acts
7.1-54
The meeting of religious leaders had falsely accused
Stephen of being disloyal to Moses
So
Stephen gave a long speech, full of loyalty to Moses. Then
he made a stinging attack on the leaders: "You
stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears.
You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your
ancestors did.
Your
ancestors killed the prophets who foretold the coming of
the Just One. You have gone further: you have killed the
Just One himself"
When
the leaders heard these words, they were very angry and
wanted to kill Stephen
Jesus,
Just One from heaven, please don't let me resist the Holy
Spirit. Holy Spirit of God, please increase your influence
in my life
Recording
|
Acts
7.55-58
Stephen,
filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up and saw the glory
of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand
"I
can see heaven thrown open", he said, "and Jesus
standing at the right hand of God"
At
this, the religious leaders at the meeting covered their
ears with their hands. They sent Stephen out of the city
and stoned him. The false witnesses (who were required to
throw the first stones) put down their clothes at the feet
of a young man named Paul
Recording
YouTube:
The
stoning of Stephen
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Acts
7.59 - 8.3
As
they were stoning him, Stephen prayed "Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit". Then he knelt down and prayed
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them". Then
he died. Paul entirely approved of the killing
That
day a bitter persecution started against the church in
Jerusalem and everyone except the apostles fled to the
countryside
Paul
began working for the destruction of the church. He went
from house to house arresting men and women and sending
them to prison
Jesus,
thank you for the example of Stephen who, like yourself,
forgave those who were killing him
Recording
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Feast
of Stephen. His extraordinary forgiveness of Saul surely
had something to do with the deradicalization of Saul.
A powerful lesson for today's radicalized IS world
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For
today's Feast of St Stephen: |
Good
King Wenceslas with Lyrics - sung by a children's choir
- a famous story about helping
the poor |
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|
The
Joy of Love - Pope
Francis' letter - on
love in the family Full
English text Full
Chinese text
261:
Recording
Obsession,
however, is not education.
We
cannot control every situation that a child may
experience.
Here
it remains true that “time is greater than space”. In
other words, it is more important to start processes than
to dominate spaces.
If
parents are obsessed with always knowing where their
children are and controlling all their movements, they
will seek only to dominate space.
But
this is no way to educate, strengthen and prepare their
children to face challenges.
What
is most important is the ability lovingly to help them
grow in freedom, maturity, overall discipline and real
autonomy.
Only
in this way will children come to possess the wherewithal
needed to fend for themselves and to act intelligently and
prudently whenever they meet with difficulties.
The
real question, then, is not where our children are
physically, or whom they are with at any given time, but
rather where they are existentially, where they stand in
terms of their convictions, goals, desires and
dreams.
The
questions I would put to parents are these: “Do we seek
to understand ‘where’ our children really are in their
journey? Where is their soul, do we really know? And above
all, do we want to know?”.
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246d:
Recording
God
of love, show us our place in this world as channels of
your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one
of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may
avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the
common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in
which we live.
The
poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with
your power and light, help us to protect all life, to
prepare for a better future, for the coming of your
Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you! Amen.
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237a:
Recording
To
Christians, this principle ("the whole is greater
than the part") also evokes the
totality or integrity of the Gospel
which the Church passes down to us and sends us forth to
proclaim.
Its
fullness and richness embrace scholars and workers,
businessmen and artists, in a word, everyone. The genius
of each people receives in its own way the
entire Gospel and
embodies it in expressions of prayer, fraternity, justice,
struggle and celebration.
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10 years
ago today |
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2006-12-26
Visit to CAS, Marco Polo & Ricci School by HK St Aflred's group. Also
at Ricci- Clara's Macau group |
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All HK prison
inmates received a special treat yesterday for Christmas
Day - a leg of chicken ... Christmas Day being one of just
a few "leg" days each year...most days being
"wing" days! |
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|
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 26th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Xinjiang
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 26th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Togo
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
please pacify
ISIS |
Letters
from (mainly African) inmates in Hong Kong prisons - and
other drug trafficking items: 2016
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 HK
Asylum Seekers' File
(stopping
South Asians from being "people smuggled" to HK) |
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English students: Seven
new
recordings with
text
each day.
Use to/from
school/work !
