V2Catholic.com A voice for the
poor Edited
by HK prison chaplain
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I . 胡頌恆神父
jdwomi@gmail.com
Links, Search
& Archives Imitating
Pope
Francis
This
website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates'
letters!
HK
Indon
Kenya
Nigeria
Phil
S.A.
S.Amer
Thail
Tanz
Ug
EU
How
campaign began
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
www.AsylumSeekerHK.com
Tues July 18
During January of the past 3 years I've made 3 trips to Africa as part of my anti-drug campaign. See very bottom of this page for reports of those trips. For January 2018 I had thought of another Africa trip - to Nigeria. But now that drug mules have stopped coming from Africa (at least for the time being) and that the number from South America is again spiking, I'm hoping to visit South America in January 2018 Please God. With the same aims as on previous trips: to visit the families of inmates in HK (who ask me to contact their families) and to do publicity to stop drug trafficking to HK. Which countries? I'll wait and see how many inmates from which countries reply to a letter I plan to send them next month (like this one sent last year to inmates from Southern Africa). And guess who is due to be in Chile Jan 15-18 and Peru Jan 18-21? He's from Argentina and lives at the Vatican!
Ex-prisoner En Route to Job Interview Takes Shirt Off Back to Save Man's Life
Letter
in Chinese by
a local HK man
saying how he and his friend were "set
up" on a drug trafficking charge -
here
(July 10)
Letter
in Spanish from a South American man
- tricked by a Nigerian Gang to traffic drugs to HK - here
(July 12)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings 2:
Before King David died, he encouraged his son
Solomon
to love the Lord with all his heart and soul. Solomon executed his main enemies and rivals,
including Adonijah who had again plotted to become king. Solomon then was secure and safe as king.
Dear God, thank you for the
life of David
who, despite his faults, loved you with all his heart
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
52-60: Lord, I will tell everyone about how good you
are.
You are our Creator. Everyone should love you. Thank you for so often rescuing me from
trouble.
You uphold my life. Sometimes I have so many troubles and cares
that I can't get to sleep.
Sometimes I wish I was a bird and could fly away to a safe place.
When I fear, I will trust in you,
in you whose word I praise. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise. Each morning I will sing of your strength,
and each morning acclaim your love.
O God, please help me to praise
and love you every day
Recording
Colossians
3.15-16: May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts.
Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its
richness, find a home in you.
Help each other grow in wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts, sing songs to
God.
Jesus, live in my heart. Please live in
my heart
Recording
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
Reflection
on the above readings:
Who is
the world's most famous refugee? His name starts with "J" - see image,
above.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
126: Recording: We can also look to the great tradition of monasticism.
Originally, it was a kind of flight from the world, an escape from the decadence of the cities.
The monks sought the desert, convinced that it was the best place for encountering the presence of God.
Later, Saint Benedict of Norcia proposed that his monks live in community, combining prayer and spiritual reading with manual labour (ora et labora).
Seeing manual labour as spiritually meaningful proved revolutionary.
Personal growth and sanctification came to be sought in the interplay of recollection and work.
This way of experiencing work makes us more protective and respectful of the environment; it imbues our relationship to the world with a healthy sobriety.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
127: Recording
Today, as the Church seeks to experience a profound
missionary renewal, there is a kind of preaching which falls to each of us as a
daily responsibility. It has to do with bringing the
Gospel to the people we meet, whether they be our neighbours or complete
strangers.
This is the informal preaching which takes place in the middle of a conversation, something along the lines of what a missionary does when visiting a home.
Being a disciple means being constantly ready
to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can
happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during
work, on a journey.
-------------------------------------
Interactive
Bible Quiz - Genesis
Based on the actual words of the Bible.
How many
times can you get 3/3 ?!
----------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Visit to poor areas by two groups from St Benedict's Parish in Shatin, Hong Kong
- with a common lunch today
------------------------------------------
Last night (and for much of yesterday) there was heavy
rain in HK. Must say I love the sound of rain ...and I love walking in the rain
(with sandals, shorts, umbrella). So, last night when preparing this menu, my
background music was something I'd never heard before: The
Sound of Rain and Classical Music
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N 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 18th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 18th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Ivory Coast
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon July 17
What "gay
marriage" did to Massachusetts
(original English video)
and now a special
version for HK (which I watched yesterday with some visitors):
- with Cantonese soundtrack and Chinese subtitles
The secret lives of Chinese missionaries in northern Iraq
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings
1:
When King David was very old and near the end
of his life,
Absalom's brother Adonijah plotted to become king. The prophet Nathan therefore advised Bathsheba
to go to David and remind him that he had promised
to let Bathsheba's son Solomon become king. David then summoned the priests and royal
guards
and ordered them and Nathan to anoint Solomon as king.
Dear God, please give the world
good leaders
Psalms
49-50: I will turn my mind to a parable,
with the harp I will solve a problem. The problem is: why do bad people prosper and
succeed? The answer: at the end of their lives bad
people will have to face death and judgement, just like everyone else. When we are rich, we often lack wisdom.
Wealth blinds our minds and hearts. Let's not forgot God and his laws.
Let's try to be good and lead good lives.
Lord, please help me understand
the meaning of life
Colossians
3.12-14: You are God's special friends. He loves you.
You should be clothed in sincere compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Allow for other's weaknesses. Forgive each
other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you. You must
forgive others. Over all these clothes, to keep them together
and to complete them, put on love.
Jesus, help me be a better and kinder
person
Recording
Matthew
2.1-12: Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem,
during the reign of King Herod. Some months after Jesus' birth,
several wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. They said "Where is the infant king
of the Jews?
We saw his star as it rose and we have come to offer him honor." King Herod felt threatened by this news.
He knew from the Scriptures that the promised Saviour would be born
in Bethlehem. So Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem,
pretending that he too would like to offer honor to the child. The wise men headed for Bethlehem, guided by
the star.
The star filled them with joy.
The star stopped over the place where the child was. The wise men fell to their knees and honored
the child.
They offered him gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. Then they returned to their own country by a
different way,
having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod.
Jesus,
help me to honor
you like the wise men
Reflection
on the above readings:
"The star filled them with joy" (Gospel). Such is the effect of
looking for and finding Jesus
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
125: Recording
If we reflect on the proper
relationship between human beings and the world around us, we see the need for a
correct understanding of work; if we talk about the relationship between human
beings and things, the question arises as to the meaning and purpose of all
human activity.
This has to do not only with manual or agricultural labour but with any activity involving a modification of existing reality, from producing a social report to the design of a technological development.
Underlying every form of work is a concept of the relationship which we can and must have with what is other than ourselves.
Together with the awe-filled contemplation of creation which we find in Saint Francis of Assisi, the Christian spiritual tradition has also developed a rich and balanced understanding of the meaning of work, as, for example, in the life of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and his followers.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
126: Recording
Underlying
popular piety, as a fruit of the inculturated Gospel, is an
active evangelizing power which we must not underestimate: to do so would be to
fail to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit.
Instead, we are called to promote and strengthen it, in order to deepen the never-ending process of inculturation.
Expressions
of popular piety have much to teach us; for those who are capable of reading
them, they are a locus theologicus which demands our attention,
especially at a time when we are looking to the new evangelization.
-------------------------------------
A
Sunday school
teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was
on the Ark ?"
"No," replied Johnny. "How could he, with just two worms?"
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South America
Sat: Cent, N. 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 17th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Malawi
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun July 16
Hong Kong people are excellent when it comes to checking the latest weather
bulletin if there's a typhoon in the area (as there might be today!). First
there's Signal No. 1, then No. 3, then No. 8 (and, rarely, No. 10). Yesterday
morning I attended a meeting that is concerned about the great harm the radical
rainbow agenda is wrecking in North America and other places. In North America
it's already Signal No. 8. But very few HK people are aware that the same
radical rainbow typhoon is approaching HK ....already No. 1 ...soon No. 3 ...and
we need to take action. In Australia it's already No. 3 and unless people take
action there will soon be No. 8
Colombia: More cocaine being produced than ever
before
Two
Kenyan women arrested in Nairobi with drugs destined for Thailand
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 15
Isaiah 55: Thus says the Lord: "As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do."
Psalms
61-65: O God, hear my cry,
you who are my refuge and help. In you alone is my soul
at rest. My help comes from you. Take refuge in God,
everyone in trouble.
Trust him at all times. O God, you are my God,
for you I long.
My body and soul thirst for you
like a dry, weary land without water. Your love is better
than life,
my lips will speak your praise. On my bed I remember
you.
On you I muse through the night. You are the Creator of
the world.
You care for the earth, you give it water. To you our praise is
due,
wherever we are on earth.
Lord, my
soul clings to you. Your right hand holds me fast
Recording
Romans
8.14-21: Everyone moved by the Spirit is a child of
God.
The Spirit lets us use children's language to speak to God tenderly as "Abba, Father".
Since we are God's children, we are also his
heirs, coheirs with Jesus,
sharing his suffering so as to share his glory. What we suffer in this life can never be
compared with the glorious life we will have in heaven. The whole of creation looks forward to sharing
the same glory, to sharing immortality.
Abba, Father, may everyone love and honor you.
Help everyone get to heaven
Recording
Matthew 13.1-23: One day Jesus told the people this story: A farmer was planting seeds in his field. Some seeds fell on the path. Birds ate them. Some seeds fell on rocky ground. They became sickly plants, without roots, and died. Some seeds fell among thorns. When they became plants, they were choked by the thorns. Some seeds fell on good soil and produced a rich harvest.
People who hear God's word without good will
are like the seeds on the path.
They are easy prey for Satan. People who hear God's word only superficially
are like the seeds on rocky ground.
As soon as difficulties come, such people easily give up. People who hear God's word with one ear
but with the other listen to the call of greed and pleasure
are like the seeds among thorns. Greed kills the word. People who hear God's word with good will and
put it into practice
are like the good seeds which produced a rich harvest.
Jesus, please help me be good
seed!
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian with English, Chinese and
Spanish subtitles
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
124: Recording
Any approach to an integral ecology, which by
definition does not exclude human beings, needs to take account of the value of
labour, as Saint John Paul II wisely noted in his Encyclical Laborem
Exercens.
According to the biblical account of creation, God placed man and woman in the garden he had created (cf. Gen 2:15) not only to preserve it ("keep") but also to make it fruitful ("till").
Labourers and craftsmen thus "maintain the fabric of the world" (Sir 38:34).
Developing the created world in a prudent way is the best way of caring for it, as this means that we ourselves become the instrument used by God to bring out the potential which he himself inscribed in things: "The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and a sensible man will not despise them" (Sir 38:4).
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
125: Recording
To
understand this reality (popular piety) we need to approach it with the gaze of
the Good Shepherd, who seeks not to judge but to love. Only
from the affective connaturality born of love can we appreciate the theological
life present in the piety of Christian peoples, especially among their poor.
I think of the steadfast faith of those mothers tending their sick children who, though perhaps barely familiar with the articles of the creed, cling to a rosary; or of all the hope poured into a candle lit in a humble home with a prayer for help from Mary, or in the gaze of tender love directed to Christ crucified.
No one
who loves God's holy people will view these actions as the expression of a
purely human search for the divine. They are the
manifestation of a theological life nourished by the working of the Holy Spirit
who has been poured into our hearts.
-------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head for a moment before starting his sermon. One day, she asked him why. "Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages. "I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon." "How come He doesn't answer it?" she asked.
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Fri: South America
Sat: Cent., N 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 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Qinghai
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 16th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat July 15
This website's anti-drug campaign continues, but now another campaign begins: to help slow down the number of asylum seekers arriving in the dead-end that is Hong Kong ....and to help the 10,000 already in the dead-end to get out of it. Which is why a letter is linked below from an Indian asylum seeker....to deter others and call for compassion. Letter is in Punjabi....if anyone can translate it, please email me: jdwomi@gmail.com (before starting the job, in case more than one kind offer is received). I saw the letter writer yesterday at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre where he is awaiting sentence for the "evil crime" (?) of working illegally in a dead-end situation where government subsidies for asylum seekers is not enough to live on.
I had cancer at 24. I was sent home to die. But I survived
- here's how
Liu Xiaobo obituary He insisted love could dissipate hate
This man should be canonised!
Another
drug mule from Brazil - but no mention of nationality
Letters
in Punjabi from an Indian asylum seeker in prison in HK ...for working illegally -
here
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2
Samuel 16-24: When David was living in exile,
some people helped him, some people insulted him.
To insult his father and to claim the kingship
Absalom publicly had sex with his father's concubines. Gradually David was able to re-build his army
and his army defeated Absalom's soldiers in battle. In that battle, Absalom died
and David mourned his death for a long time. Eventually David was able to become king of
all Israel again.
Dear God, may Israel be a land of peace
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
47-48: All peoples, clap your hands, cry to God with
shouts of joy.
For the Lord, our Creator, we must love and honor,
great king over all the earth. Especially in his holy city is the Lord worthy
to be praised.
Praise is fitting in Mount Sion, our earth's most sacred site. O God, as we pray in your temple,
our hearts meditate on your love. May peoples and rulers everywhere
acknowledge and love you as Creator of the Universe.
Let all the peoples praise you, Lord. Let all the peoples praise you
Recording
Colossians
3.5-11:
Kill all the bad things that trouble earthly
life:
fornication, impurity, evil desires, greed, anger, bad
temper, spitefulness, abusive language, dirty talk and lying. You have deleted your old self, and have
downloaded a fresh copy of the divine image. That image is Christ. He must
be installed in every part of your life.
Jesus, take over my life. Install yourself in
every part of my life
Recording
Matthew
1.18-25: This is how Jesus came to be born.
His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph. But before they lived
together,
Mary became pregnant by the power of the Holy
Spirit. An angel appeared
to Joseph in a dream
and said "Joseph,
descendant of David,
do not be afraid to live with Mary as your wife".
Her baby has been conceived by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
She will give birth to a son.
You must name him 'Jesus'
('God saves')
because he will save his people from their sins." Joseph took Mary
to his home as his wife.
She gave birth to a son, Jesus.
Dear
Jesus, Son of God, son of Mary, step-son of Joseph,
please help me understand how you are the Saviour of the world
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
Colossians speaks of down-loading and installing Jesus in our lives. This is what happened for Mary in today's Gospel! Jesus was "down-loaded" from Heaven....and "installed" in her body! Every Christian is meant to be a "Christopher" ("God-bearer")!
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
123b: Recording In
the absence of objective truths or sound principles other than the satisfaction
of our own desires and immediate needs, what limits can be placed on human
trafficking, organized crime, the drug trade, commerce in blood diamonds and the
fur of endangered species?
Is it not the same relativistic logic which justifies buying the organs of the poor for resale or use in experimentation, or eliminating children because they are not what their parents wanted?
This same "use and throw away" logic generates so much waste, because of the disordered desire to consume more than what is really necessary.
We should not think that political efforts or the force of law will be sufficient to prevent actions which affect the environment because, when the culture itself is corrupt and objective truth and universally valid principles are no longer upheld, then laws can only be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
124: Recording
The
Aparecida Document describes the riches
which the Holy Spirit pours forth in popular piety by his gratuitous initiative.
On that beloved continent, where many Christians express their faith through
popular piety, the bishops also refer to it as "popular
spirituality" or "the people's mysticism".
It is truly "a spirituality incarnated in the culture of the lowly". Nor is it devoid of content; rather it discovers and expresses that content more by way of symbols than by discursive reasoning, and in the act of faith greater accent is placed on credere in Deum than on credere Deum.
It is "a legitimate way of living the faith, a way of feeling part of the Church and a manner of being missionaries"; it brings with itself the grace of being a missionary, of coming out of oneself and setting out on pilgrimage:
"Journeying
together to shrines and taking part in other manifestations of popular piety,
also by taking one's children or inviting others, is in itself an evangelizing
gesture". Let us not stifle or presume to
control this missionary power!
-------------------------------------
New sign on Pope's
door: 'Complaining Not Allowed'
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent. & N
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 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Zimbabwe
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Frid July 14
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo dies
Why
we can't afford to lose the fight for family
"The battle
for mankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by
teachers who correctly perceive their roles as the proselytisers of a new
faith...These teachers must embody the same selfless dedication as the most
rabid fundamentalist preachers, for they will be ministers of another sort,
utilising the classroom instead of the pulpit to convey humanist values in
whatever subject they teach, regardless of educational level - pre-school, day
care or large state university.....The classroom must and will become an arena
of conflict between the old and the new - the rotting corpse of Christianity,
together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of
humanism."
The speed with which the radical gay movement has infiltrated and
taken over education, media, politics etc is astounding. With sadness I note
that Amnesty also has been conquered.
July: month of the Precious Blood of Jesus
An amazing story: The
singing of a London tramp, made into a moving recording:
Jesus'
Blood Never Failed Me Yet (need to turn volume
up ...and wait for sound to begin at about 28 seconds...then music at 4 mins).
Words: Jesus' blood never failed me yet, Never
failed me yet, Jesus' blood never failed me yet, There's one thing I know, For
he loves me so
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
2 Samuel 14-15:
When David had finished his time of mourning
for Amnon,
he allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem.
Only after two years did David agree to meet
Absalom.
He met him and pardoned him. But as time went on Absalom started to plot
against David.
Absalom gathered enough supporters to overthrow David. David found out about the plot and fled from
Jerusalem.
David was very sad and prayed to God
that someday he could return to Jerusalem.
Dear God, please help
people who are exiled from their homes
Psalm
46:
God is for us a refuge and strength,
in time of distress he is a helper close at hand. Therefore we shall not fear even though the
earth should rock,
even though the mountains fall into the sea. The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come and consider the works of the Lord
and always remember his words: "Be still and know that I am God".
Lord, help us to be more aware
of your presence,
especially when we are in trouble
Recording
Colossians
3.1-2: Since you have been brought back to true life
with Christ,
focus on heaven, where Christ is, sitting at the Father's right hand. Let your thoughts be more on heavenly things,
less on the things that are on earth.
Jesus, please help me think more often about
heaven.....since that's where I hope to spend all eternity! Help me
understand how this present world is just a temporary arrangement
Recording
John
21.25 and 20.31: Jesus did many other things. If all of them were written down, so many books would be needed
that no library could hold them all. This book has been written to help
you believe that Jesus is the Saviour, the Son of God. Through your
faith in Jesus, may you have eternal life.
Jesus, Son of God, thank you for John's
Gospel. May more and more people know you and love you
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
Two famous songs based on
Psalm 46:
A
Mighty Fortress is our God
Be
Still and Know that I am God
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
123a: Recording
The culture of relativism is the same disorder which
drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects,
imposing forced labour on them or enslaving them to pay their debts.
The same kind of thinking leads to the sexual exploitation of children and abandonment of the elderly who no longer serve our interests.
It is also the mindset of those who say: Let us allow the invisible forces of the market to regulate the economy, and consider their impact on society and nature as collateral damage.
In the absence of objective truths or sound principles other than the satisfaction of our own desires and immediate needs, what limits can be placed on human trafficking, organized crime, the drug trade, commerce in blood diamonds and the fur of endangered species?
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
123: Recording
Popular piety enables us to
see how the faith, once received, becomes embodied in a culture and is
constantly passed on. Once looked down upon, popular piety came to be
appreciated once more in the decades following the Council.
In the Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, Pope Paul VI gave a decisive impulse in this area. There he stated that popular piety "manifests a thirst for God which only the poor and the simple can know" and that "it makes people capable of generosity and sacrifice even to the point of heroism, when it is a question of bearing witness to belief".
Closer to our own time, Benedict XVI, speaking about Latin
America, pointed out that popular piety is "a precious treasure of the
Catholic Church", in which "we see the soul of the Latin American
peoples".
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Service visit to Zhaoqing poor areas by group from Hong Kong Canossian Primary School
Visit to Xinxing St Thomas Community by members of Hong Kong St Thomas Society
------------------------------------------
Yesterday had plenty of variety: in the morning a meeting
with a Legislative Council member (concerning my anti-drug campaign). Last
night: the weekly meal with homeless and other poor people.
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: S.
America
Sat: Cent, N. 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 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jilin
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 14th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Ehthiopia
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thur July 13
For some weeks I'd been keeping yesterday free for a visit to Hei Ling Chau drug
treatment centre (...last visit was on April 29). But ....after an 8 hour visit
to Tai Lam's Women's prison on Tuesday I came away with so many office jobs to
do that I needed to stay home yesterday at the desk.....offering up the day's
work as a prayer for the inmates at HLC. One office job: using Facebook and
phone numbers provided by drug mules to get information about the Drug Lords who
recruited/tricked them. Yesterday I found a few....one of them by putting his
phone number into my contact list and then accessing it with WhatsApp - which
immediately produced his photo and name! This is the sort of rocket science that
Customs is supposed to use ....but....they won't/can't/don't
George Monbiot: Black
BoxUnesco's
tragicomic aversion to public engagement
Venezuela is now torn by strife ....which explains why so many
vulnerable people, desperate for money, are being recruited/tricked by the
Nigerian Drug Lords of Sao Paulo to take drugs to HK ...like this poor woman
whose story, in Spanish, is told here
(Feb 8)
Letter
in Chinese by a woman
from mainland China
who has lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 22 years - recruited/tricked to bring
drugs to HK - here
(June 23)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
2
Samuel 13: David had many wives and concubines.
One of his sons, Amnon, fell in love with his step-sister Tamar
and raped her. King David was very angry about this
but did not punish Amnon, since he loved him.
Amnon was his first-born son. But another son, Absalom, Tamar's full
brother,
hated Amnon and killed him. Absalom fled for three years to another land.
All that time the king mourned for Amnon.
Dear Lord, please spare my family from conflict
and strife
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
42-45: Like a deer that longs for running streams,
so my soul is longing for you, my God. My soul is thirsting for you, the God of my
life.
I think of you all the time, here in my land of exile. People make fun of us here in exile.
They taunt us saying "Where is your God?" Yet no matter what happens we will hope in you,
for you are our saviour and our God. No
matter where we are or what happens to us,
our hearts will long for you, like a bride longing for her groom.
Lord, no matter what happens,
may I always hope in you
Recording
Colossians
2.9-18:
In Christ's body lives the fullness of
divinity.
In him, you too find fulfillment. In baptism, you were buried with him and then
raised to new life.
Our real life is life with and in Christ. Be careful of people who are always going on
about some vision they have had, giving such visions more importance than
Christ himself.
Jesus, may my focus always be on you
Recording
John
21.15-17: After they had eaten, Jesus said to Peter
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter answered "Yes
Lord, you know I love you". Jesus said to him "Feed my
lambs". A second time Jesus asked him "Simon, son
of John, do you love me?" He replied "Yes Lord, you know I love
you".
Jesus said to him "Look after my sheep". Then he asked a third time "Simon, son of
John, do you love me?" An unhappy Peter replied "Lord, you know
everything. You know I love you". Jesus said "Feed my
sheep"
Jesus, you know I love you. Increase my
love
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
122: Recording A
misguided anthropocentrism leads to a misguided lifestyle.
In the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I noted that the practical relativism typical of our age is "even more dangerous than doctrinal relativism".
When human beings place themselves at the centre, they give absolute priority to immediate convenience and all else becomes relative.
Hence we should not be surprised to find, in conjunction with the omnipresent technocratic paradigm and the cult of unlimited human power, the rise of a relativism which sees everything as irrelevant unless it serves one's own immediate interests.
There is a logic in all this whereby different attitudes can feed on one another, leading to environmental degradation and social decay.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
122b: Recording
Each portion of the people of God, by
translating the gift of God into its own life and in accordance with its own
genius, bears witness to the faith it has received and enriches
it with new and eloquent expressions.
One can say that "a people continuously evangelizes itself".
Herein lies the importance of popular piety, a true expression of the spontaneous missionary activity of the people of God.
This is an ongoing and developing
process, of which the Holy Spirit is the principal agent.
-------------------------------------
10 years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Happy sight at Yau Ma Tei post office yesterday: a class
of kindergarten children on a tour .....gasps as a postman emptied one of the
collection boxes....and lots of smiles at each child took a turn in buying some
stamps at the counter. But in this IT age, I wonder how often those children
will ever post a letter when they get older?!
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N America
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless the people of
South East Asia
And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 13th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 13th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Mali
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed July 12
On
recent prison visits I've become aware of a new group of drug mules that have
not been on my radar before: women from Thailand who "married"
Nigerian men in Thailand ....and then were sent by their "husbands" to
South Africa (Johannesburg) to take drugs to Thailand (via HK airport...where
they were arrested in transit ...such is the efficiency of HK). My feeling is
that most of these women are innocent...they genuinely did not know what they
were carrying ...yet some of them have already served many long years in prison
in HK. I hope to publish some of their stories in the near future, in the hope
that something can be done to help these women appeal against sentence.
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
So
let's storm the Bastille
We owe Mandela a huge debt for the manner in which apartheid was dismantled.
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2 Samuel 12:
The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David.
Nathan said: "Why did you do what is displeasing to the Lord?" David replied: "I have sinned against the
Lord." Nathan said: "The Lord forgives you, but
because of your sin,
the child will die." After the child died, Bathsheba conceived
another son by David,
whom she named Solomon. The Lord specially blessed Solomon.
"Have mercy on me, God, in
your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence" (David's
prayer in Psalm 51)
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
51: Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness,
and cleanse me of my sin. My offences truly I know them.
What is evil in your sight I have done. But in my defence please don't forget that
sinfulness is part of the human condition, part of our DNA. A pure heart create for me, O God.
Put a steadfast spirit within me. Give me again the joy of your help.
With a spirit of fervor sustain me.
Lord, you will not spurn
a humbled, contrite heart
Colossians
2.6-8: You must live your whole life according to the
Christ you have received - Jesus the Lord. You must be built on him and held firm by the
faith you have been taught. Make sure no one deceives you with any
teaching based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ.
Jesus, please protect people from false
teaching
Recording
John 21.1-14:
Jesus also appeared to the disciples at the
Sea of Galilee, when Peter, John and 5 other disciples were fishing. They
had spent all night in their boat, but had caught nothing. In the morning, Jesus stood on the shore,
though the disciples did not recognize him. He called out "Lower your
net on the right side of the boat". Immediately the net filled with fish. John
realized that the man on the shore was Jesus. John said to Peter "It
is the Lord", and they returned to the shore, which was only about
100 meters away. The net had 153 big fish, but did not break. Jesus had prepared some bread. He also had
some fish cooking on a charcoal fire. He said "Come and have
breakfast".
Jesus, Risen Lord, without you, no fish. With
you, 153 fish. Please help me be more aware of your presence in my life
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
King
David had many wives and concubines. Why did God bless Solomon, the product of
"unpleasing" circumstances? Was not God rewarding
"unpleasantness"? ....one of a number of questions I'd like to ask
about in Heaven some day please God!
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
121: Recording We
need to develop a new synthesis capable of overcoming the false arguments of
recent centuries.
Christianity, in fidelity to its own identity and the rich deposit of truth which it has received from Jesus Christ, continues to reflect on these issues in fruitful dialogue with changing historical situations.
In doing so, it reveals its eternal newness
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
122a: Recording
We can see that the different peoples among whom the
Gospel has been inculturated are active collective subjects or agents of
evangelization.
This is because each people is the creator of their own culture and the protagonist of their own history.
Culture is a dynamic reality which a people constantly recreates; each generation passes on a whole series of ways of approaching different existential situations to the next generation, which must in turn reformulate it as it confronts its own challenges.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
The English editorial in today's Ming Pao newspaper
(which I recorded last night) mentions that the world's 2nd largest shipping
company belongs to a Swiss company ....which had me thinking...is there a river
in Switzerland which could take a container vessel?
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E.Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N 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 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, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
Please also join me in praying for the very many deformed and handicapped people from China who are on the streets of HK as beggars...as well as deformed people in China itself ...like Hung Chun Cai
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai
--------------------
Gay marriage: an elephant in the room (by John W)
Video: What "gay marriage" did to Massachusetts
Frightening
YouTube reports:
LGBT radical impact
on educational institutions (No.
5); LGBT
infiltrating churches
(No. 6); US corporations massively
supporting LGBT agenda (No. 7). What
has happened in the US is now starting to happen in other places. Some
day our children will ask "why didn't you do more to stop this evil?"
--------------------------------------------
Pope's surprise visit to drug treatment centre
Pope is practising what he preaches: "get out and mix with the poor"
HK
readers might like to join me in praying each day for one group of HK
prison inmates: Sun:
Lo Wu; Mon: C.I.C., Siu Lam, Tai Lam; Tue: Stanley
Wed: Hei Ling Chau Thu: Lantau
Fri: Lai Chi Kok
Sat: Hospitals, Pik Uk & other centres
|
On revolving map: Left click bottom right silver button Left click country Left click state/province ....till you find your city/town ! |
|
Left click this table of flags for details of hits on this main page
|
This website was launched in construction
mode in Hong Kong on November 20, 2011 - the Feast of Christ
the King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
Map and Flag Counter began Feb 11, 2012. Previous visits 4,932.
Note: counter on this page + Map & Flag Counter record visits only to this
main/index page.
Visits to other pages and to Facebook page are not
recorded.
This site's 2017
statistics.
Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile (852) 6709 5674
China
mobile 13030213703 - out of
action for the time being
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++