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
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Tues Aug 29
Yesterday I was at the High Court for two cases....the second one having the
best of all possible results: an acquittal! Thank
you Jesus! I had the joy of welcoming an
Indonesian asylum seeker as she was released from the G/F detention centre of
the High Court building....and I took her to the home of a mutual Indonesian
friend for accommodation. The acquitted woman's story is here
(together with my serious doubts of a year ago about the woman's alleged guilt). And see 
below!
Letter in English from a South African woman in prison
in HK for drug trafficking - saying how she was tricked at Johannesburg airport
to carry drugs to HK - here
(July 24)
Letters from a man from Guinea, warning
others not to make the mistake he made ...even if there is a threat against your
family, as there was against his family - here
(June 13 and July 20)
Letter in English from a
Colombian man
in prison in HK for drug trafficking - warning others not to make the mistakes
he made - here
(Aug 25)
"Gay marriage" ballot: The
Silent Voice in this Debate
"the
most primal and sacred bond there is, the bond between a mother and her baby"
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Nehemiah 7-13:
The wall of Jerusalem was finally rebuilt
and doors were set in place in the wall.
In the seventh month of the lunar calendar
Nehemiah assembled all the people
and read to them the Book of the Law of Moses. This was the first time that most of the
people
had heard the words of Moses' Book. The people were grateful to God
and praised him with great happiness. The people also promised God
that they would serve him more faithfully in the future. But
while Nehemiah was away on a visit to the king
the people and leaders became careless about the Law. When
Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem
he brought the people back to proper observance of the Law. Dear God, may we find joy and
strength in reading the Bible
and may the world have more good leaders like Nehemiah
My
recording of this reading
Psalm 106: O give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
His great love is without end. They are happy who do what is right,
who at all times remember what is just. When our ancestors came out of Egypt,
they forgot the greatness of God's love. Each time they strayed, God forgave them.
But still they continued to forget God who was their saviour,
God who had done such great things for them in Egypt.
O Lord, our God, please don't
let us forget your love
Recording
2
Timothy 2.14-25: Remind everyone to avoid useless debates and
discussions.
These cause scandal and loss of faith. Be available for the Master to use you for any
good work. Focus on goodness, faith, love and peace.
Avoid futile speculations which only lead to quarrels. A servant of the Lord is not to engage in
quarrels, but should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient. Be gentle with anyone you have to correct.
Jesus, please help me avoid useless
discussions and arguments
Recording
Mark
6.17-29 (for feast of
beheading of John the Baptist):
Not long after Jesus began traveling and teaching,
King Herod arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison. This was because John had told Herod he was breaking the Law
by living with Herodias, his brother's wife. During a birthday party for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias danced. Her dancing so pleased Herod
that he said he would give her anything she wanted. Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a dish.
Herod then had John beheaded.
Jesus, please give the world
good leaders, and protect people from bad leaders like Herod
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
John the Baptist
"spoke truth to power"....and was executed.....just as later happened
to his cousin Jesus....and just as still happens to good people around the world
who have the courage to speak truth to power.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
160: Recording What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?
This question not only concerns the environment in isolation; the issue cannot be approached piecemeal.
When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values.
Unless we struggle with these deeper issues, I do not believe that our concern for ecology will produce significant results.
But if these issues are courageously faced, we are led inexorably to ask other pointed questions: What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us?
It is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations.
We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity.
Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us.
The issue is one which dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
154b: Recording
The preacher needs to be
able to link the message of a biblical text to a human
situation, to an experience which cries out for the light of God's word.
This interest has nothing to do with shrewdness or calculation; it is profoundly religious and pastoral.
Fundamentally it is a "spiritual sensitivity for reading God's message in events", and this is much more than simply finding something interesting to say.
What we are looking for is "what the Lord has to say in this or that particular circumstance".
Preparation for preaching thus becomes an exercise in evangelical
discernment, wherein we strive to recognize - in the light of the Spirit
- "a call which God causes to resound in the historical situation itself.
In this situation, and also through it, God calls the believer"
-------------------------------------
Interactive
Bible Quiz - Joshua
Based on the actual
words of the Bible.
How many times can you get 3/3 ?!
----------------------------------
The Indonesian lady just out of prison (see story at top
of today's menu) has a friend with two small two daughters in a room which MercyHK
helped arrange. Room is on 13/F of an old apartment building not far from my
home in Jordan ...building is like a United Nations where all sorts of things
take place. But it's convenient and cheap. I actually signed the contract for
the room but until yesterday had never seen it! Mutual friend kindly said lady
just of jail could stay with her for the time being. When lady just out of jail
and I arrived at G/F lift of the building, while waiting for the lift, we were
immediately approached by a man who said "do you need a room for a couple
of hours?"
--------------------------------------
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 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, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon Aug 28
Over the past week HK and Macau have been hit by two
typhoons....the first one particularly severe. Lots of damage in HK but no
deaths. In Macau lots of deaths as well as damage. Reason for the difference? HK
was prepared...people heard the warnings and took them seriously. Macau was
unprepared ... received warnings too late. There's a moral here as every country
faces cultural typhoons like the radical gay agenda. Take preventative action
now ....or finish up like Massachusetts
(notice how the letters "macau" are in
Massachusetts! ...English teacher...)
Book
published in Nigeria to oppose gay agenda attack on African values
Letter in Portuguese from a Brazilian man in prison in HK for
drug trafficking: his story, his warning, his request - here
(Aug 8)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Nehemiah
6: As Nehemiah and the Jews rebuilt the wall
some people continued to obstruct them. But with God's help the wall was
finished in 52 days.
Dear God, please help us do
your work, despite difficulties
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
105: Give thanks to the Lord, make known his deeds among all the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise.
Tell all his wonderful works. Be proud of his holy name.
Let hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Consider the Lord and his strength.
Constantly seek his face. Never forget how the Lord has helped us in the
past,
how he has protected Israel from its beginning till now.
Dear
God, please help me understand how you have been loving and protecting me
since the beginning of my life
2
Timothy 2.2-9: You have heard
everything I teach in public. Hand it on to reliable people so that they
in turn will be able to teach others. Put up with your share
of difficulties like a good soldier of Christ Jesus, like an athlete who
keeps all the rules, like a hard-working farmer. Remember the Good News
that I carry: "Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race
of David". On account of this Good
News I am chained up like a criminal.
But no-one can chain up the Good News.
Jesus, help people who
are in prison on account of the Good News
Recording
Matthew
13: Jesus said to the people:
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
It's the smallest of all seeds.
But it becomes a big bush, then a big tree that the birds live in. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which
leavens flour. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
in a field.
Someone finds it, then sells all they have to buy the field. The kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net
that catches all sorts of fish. Good fish are put in a basket. Useless
fish are thrown away.
So at the end of time, bad people will be thrown into hell.
Jesus, may your kingdom come,
your will be done
Recording (what
a great photo, below ..check look on grey bird in middle!)
Reflection
on the above readings:
Today is the feast of Saint Augustine who had a colorful life...but the seed of
faith planted in his heart by his mother Monica eventually bore fruit to produce
one of the most famous saints in Christian history.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
159: Recording
The notion of the common good
also extends to future generations.
The global economic crises have made painfully obvious the detrimental effects of disregarding our common destiny, which cannot exclude those who come after us.
We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity.
Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others.
Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit.
Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.
The Portuguese bishops have called upon us to acknowledge this obligation of justice: "The environment is part of a logic of receptivity. It is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next". An integral ecology is marked by this broader vision.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
153b: Recording
It can also happen that we look for excuses
to water down the clear meaning of the text. Or we can wonder if God is
demanding too much of us, asking for a decision which we are not yet prepared to
make.
This leads many people to stop taking pleasure in the encounter with God's word; but this would mean forgetting that no one is more patient than God our Father, that no one is more understanding and willing to wait.
He always invites us to take a step forward, but does not demand a full response if we are not yet ready.
He simply asks that we sincerely look at
our life and present ourselves honestly before him, and that we be willing to
continue to grow, asking from him what we ourselves cannot as yet achieve.
-------------------------------------
I
saw something for the first time yesterday ....as I was walking in rain ...I saw
a lady with an ordinary umbrella shielding herself ...and she had a small
umbrella - inside out - so she was holding handle ..... and upside down umbrella
was shielding her .....little dog! (Doggie bag ...doggie brella?)
--------------------------------------
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 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, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun Aug 27
This is a most disturbing video ... hard to believe what is
happening. And it will increasingly happen in HK, Australia and other places
unless ordinary people take action:
The
War on Children (11 mins, with Chinese subtitles)
"Casino
factor" may have played part in Macau's late typhoon warning
If you have an Indonesian
friend/helper, please ask them to read this ...maybe they can help the writer to
avoid prison:
May 29 and June 9, 2017: Letter
in English (May 29) and Indonesian (June 9) from an Indonesian asylum seeker
in prison in HK for drug trafficking. She is urgently hoping someone can use the
info in her letters to locate the people who set her up. Notice how the English
letter says Customs did not do anything with her info (a big problem in HK
...Customs don't/won't use inmates' info) ....yet I was able to use that info to
find photos of the man and woman who set up the inmate. Next target: to locate
that nasty couple...
Items put on Spanish
social media by family of a Venezuelan woman in prison for drug trafficking.
This is the sort of thing that most judges give discount for at sentencing time
because both inmate and family have helped my anti-drug campaign- here
(July 2017)
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 21
Isaiah 51-52: Pay attention to me, you peoples.
Listen to me, you nations. The islands put their hope in the
Lord.
They put their trust in his strength. How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of one who brings good news,
who proclaims peace and salvation,
and tells Zion "Your God is king!" Break into shouts of joy, you
ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord is redeeming his people. All the ends of the earth
shall see the salvation of our God.
Lord, may more and more people
in more and more countries
know you and love you.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
138: I thank you, Lord, with all my heart.
You have heard the words of my mouth. With the angels I will bless you.
I will adore you in your holy temple. I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which are far above what we can understand. On the day I called you answered.
You increased the strength of my soul. All earth's kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the Lord's ways:
"How great is the glory of the Lord!" Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes. Your love, O Lord, is eternal.
Do not abandon us whom you have made.
Lord, when we remember how much
you love us and help us, every day of the year is a Thanksgiving Day
Recording
Romans
10-11:
If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord, and
if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you
will be saved. How wonderful is God! How great his
wisdom and knowledge.
What finite creature could ever understand the mind of our infinite
Creator? All that exists comes from him. To him be
glory for ever!
Jesus, Father, Spirit - three persons, one God
- to you be glory for ever!
Recording
Matthew
16.13-20: One day Jesus asked his disciples
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?" The disciples replied
"Some people say you are one of the famous prophets". Jesus then asked them
"And what about you. Who do you say I am?" Peter answered
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus then said to Peter
"Blessed are you, for my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. So I now say to you:
you are Peter ('the rock') and on this rock I will build my church.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom."
Jesus, Son of God, please help the church to continue your work on earth
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
Today's readings remind us that Pope Francis is now looking after the keys. Let's renew our resolution to read a bit of Francis' beautiful key teaching each day ...as in the selections below. His teaching on climate change is urgently needed ....as is his teaching about spreading Gospel values. Can I give two minutes to this spiritual food each day?
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
158: Recording
In the present condition of global society, where
injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human
rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately
becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential
option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters.
This option entails recognizing the implications of the universal destination of the world's goods, but, as I mentioned in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, it demands before all else an appreciation of the immense dignity of the poor in the light of our deepest convictions as believers.
We need only look around us to see that, today, this option is in fact an ethical imperative essential for effectively attaining the common good.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
153a: Recording
In
the presence of God, during a recollected reading of the text, it is good to
ask, for example: "Lord, what does this text say to
me? What is it about my life that you want to change by this text?
What troubles me about this text? Why am I not
interested in this? Or perhaps: What do I find pleasant in this text? What is it
about this word that moves me? What attracts me? Why does it attract me?"
When we make an effort to listen to the Lord, temptations
usually arise. One of them is simply to feel troubled or burdened, and to turn
away. Another common temptation is to think about what the
text means for other people, and so avoid applying it to our own life.
-------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
While
waiting on a street corner near my home for some visitors yesterday morning, I
started talking to a group of three women who work on the street, so to speak.
One of them said she saw me a few years ago when
pop star Dickie Cheung visited Lo Wu Women's Prison
--------------------------------------
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 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, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat Aug 26
Radio
interview broadcast last Sunday - I'm one of three people interviewed by Anna
Fenton, re "Religion in HK over the past 20 years" - here
--------------
Gay
marriage ballot: voting "yes" means opening the gate to this sort of
thing:
Kindergarten celebrates 5-year-old transgender 'transition;'
kids traumatized
---------------
Letter
in Portuguese
from a Suriname woman
in prison in HK - recruited by an African man in Sao Paolo to bring drugs to HK
- here
(July 30)
Letter
in Spanish from a
21 year old Peruvian woman in prison in HK for drug trafficking -
recruited by two men in Lima - here
(Aug 11)
-------------------
Tomorrow 3pm at St Paul's Catholic Primary School, YMT: monthly
prayer meeting for healing. Everyone welcome. Previous photos
---------------------
Chris McDonnell
Another
morning (Las Ramblas)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Nehemiah
5:
The people were very poor and could not
pay their debts.
Therefore Nehemiah cancelled all debts owed by poor people. Nehemiah was a just and kind leader.
He even used his own money to pay his expenses,
and never took the salary that he could have claimed.
Dear God, to reduce
government corruption in all countries,
please raise up more leaders like Nehemiah
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
104: Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are. You make the clouds your chariot.
You walk on the wings of the wind. You make springs gush forth in the valleys.
They give drink to all the animals of the field. You make grass grow for the cattle
and plants to provide food for people. You give us wine to cheer our hearts
and oil to make our faces shine. You made the moon to mark the months.
The sun knows the time for its setting. How many are your works, O Lord.
In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your riches
and the sea is swarming with life. All things, great and small, look to you for
food.
You open your hand, they have their fill. You send forth your spirit, and life is
created.
You renew the face of the earth. I will sing to the Lord all my life.
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
Bless the Lord, my soul!
Recordings: 01
02
2
Timothy 1.6-8: I remind you to fan into a flame the gift that
God gave you
when I prayed over you with the laying on of hands. God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but
the Spirit of power,
and love and self-control. Never be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord.
Like me and with me, put up with hardships for the sake of the Good News.
Jesus, help me put up with hardships for the
sake of the Good News
Recording
/2013-09-20LoWu12.JPG){kind=link}
Matthew
13: Jesus told the people another story:
The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
An enemy came and sowed weeds in the same field. When the good seed sprouted, so did the weeds.
The man's servants asked if they should get rid of the weeds. "No", said the man, "you might
damage the good seed if you do that.
Let them both grow till harvest time. Then burn the weeds." Then Jesus explained his story:
"I am the sower. The field is the world.
The good seed stands for people of good will.
The weeds stand for people of bad will. The enemy is Satan. At the end of the world,
I will
send my angels to sort out the good and the bad people.
Bad people will go to hell. Good people will go to heaven".
Jesus, please protect good
people from bad people
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
What the world needs most is .....good leaders like Nehemiah! Jesus, please give the world good leaders!
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
157: Recording Underlying
the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such,
endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral
development.
It has also to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, applying the principle of subsidiarity.
Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society.
Finally, the common good calls for social peace, the stability and security provided by a certain order which cannot be achieved without particular concern for distributive justice; whenever this is violated, violence always ensues.
Society as a whole, and the state in particular, are obliged to defend and promote the common good.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
154a: Recording
The preacher also needs to keep his ear to
the people and to discover what it is that the faithful need to hear.
A preacher has to contemplate the word, but he also has to contemplate his people.
In this way he learns "of the aspirations, of riches and
limitations, of ways of praying, of loving, of looking at life and the world,
which distinguish this or that human gathering," while paying attention
"to actual people, to using their language, their signs and symbols, to
answering the questions they ask".
-------------------------------------
The little bit of Spanish I've tried to learn over the
past few months is helping me understand some Portuguese....at least
I think it is .....so I've done my best to edit out family names from the
Portuguese letter linked at top of today's menu. If anyone can see something
else that should be omitted, please let me know: jdwomi@gmail.com
"A little learning is a dangerous thing" ?!
--------------------------------------
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 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, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fri Aug 25
The kind reporter who produced the
recent Cable TV video report on my anti-drug campaign (which has had more
than 100,000 views!) has now kindly also posted a
Facebook report on the video report (click
"translation" for English). God bless Cable TV! Hope the reports do
much good ...especially in the area of influencing HK authorities to do more,
make that do something, about arresting the Big Fish.
And ...some kind HK friends have posted the
above video report ...with English subtitles!
- here. God
bless these good folk!
-------------
I never knew that Kissinger prevented a nuclear attack on North
Korea in 1969 when President Nixon was drunk!
Trump's access to nuclear codes is
'scary'
Pope invokes 'magisterial authority' to declare liturgy changes 'irreversible'
Recommended by a
reader in Australia:
Sex
Abuse and the Confessional
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Nehemiah 1-4: Nehemiah was cupbearer for the king of Persia.
He heard how the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem
were facing many difficulties. Nehemiah received permission from the king
to go to Jerusalem and help rebuild the city. Nehemiah then supervised the re-building of
Jerusalem's wall,
even though some foreigners in Jerusalem made fun of him. When the workers were ridiculed by foreigners,
Nehemiah said to the workers:
"Do not be afraid of them. Just keep your mind on the Lord."
Dear God, please help us to do
what is right,
even if we meet ridicule and opposition
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
103: My soul, give thanks to the Lord.
All my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills. It is he who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle's life. The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy. As the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who love him. As far as the East is from the West,
so far does he remove our sins. As a father has compassion on his
children,
the Lord has pity on all who love and honor him. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
who heed the voice of his word. Give thanks to the Lord, everyone and
everything.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for your love
and compassion
Recording
2
Timothy 1.1-5:
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle
of Christ Jesus, to Timothy, dear child of mine in the faith, wishing you
grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
I always remember your sincere faith. It came
first to live in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and now
in yourself.
Jesus, thank you for parents who pass on the
faith to their children
Recording
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 Bible readings:
When people criticise us or make fun of us for saying or doing what is right .....that is a good time to remember the words of Nehemiah (above): "Do not be afraid of them. Just keep your mind on the Lord."
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
156: Recording
An integral ecology is inseparable from the notion
of the common good, a central and unifying principle of social ethics.
The common good is "the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfilment"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
152: Recording
There is one particular way of listening to what the
Lord wishes to tell us in his word and of letting ourselves be transformed by
the Spirit.
It is what we call lectio divina. It consists of reading God's word in a moment of prayer and allowing it to enlighten and renew us.
This prayerful reading of the Bible is not something separate from the study undertaken by the preacher to ascertain the central message of the text; on the contrary, it should begin with that study and then go on to discern how that same message speaks to his own life.
The spiritual reading of a text must start with its literal sense. Otherwise we can easily make the text say what we think is convenient, useful for confirming us in our previous decisions, suited to our own patterns of thought.
Ultimately this would be tantamount to using
something sacred for our own benefit and then passing on this confusion to God's
people. We must never forget that sometimes "even Satan disguises himself
as an angel of light"
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
The
centre for homeless men which Mercy HK is setting up on Cheung Chau Island
now has its first "class" ...a group of four men who used to sleep at
McDonald's (...God bless McDonald's for allowing homeless people to stay
overnight). One of the men spent his first two days just sleeping .....it was
his first time to sleep in a bed for 10 years!
--------------------------------------
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 25th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Ningxia
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 25th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Comoros
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thu Aug 24
A
special welcome to new HK readers who these days are checking this website for
the first time! I hope you have a chance to see some of the hundreds of letters
from people in prison in HK .... at the flag websites linked at the top of this
page. Associated with those letters are about 30 "Big Fish" ...Drug
Lords ....who are connected with drugs coming into Hong Kong.
Mug shots of the 30 Big Fish are here.
This little website seeks to name and shame the Big
Fish ....and to warn others not to be tricked by them ....and to encourage
authorities to take action against them (...many of them are
"informers").
High waves lash HK as typhoon drenches city and
a
YMT tree felled yesterday
Beautiful songs with lyrics - great for English students: Relaxation
Hymns No. 7
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Ezra
8-10: Before the Jews left Babylon,
Ezra had organized them to pray and fast for a safe journey.
When the Jews reached Jerusalem,
Ezra dissolved any marriages that had been arranged with foreign
women while the Jews were in Babylon.
Dear God, please help us to
remember to pray for safety each time we set out on a journey.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
102: O Lord, listen to my
prayer in my distress.
Do not hide your face from me. For my days are
vanishing like smoke,
my bones burn away like a fire. I forget to eat my
bread.
My skin clings to my bones. All day long my foes
revile me.
Those who hate me use my name as a curse. But you, O Lord, will
endure for ever.
You will arise and have mercy on Sion. You will hear the
groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die. I pray to you: "Do
not take me away before my time has come,
you whose days last from age to age.
Lord, please help people who
are in great distress
Recording
1
Timothy 6.17-19:
Warn people who are rich in this world's goods
that they are not to look down on others. Tell them not to set their hopes
on money, but on God who, out of his riches, gives us all we need for
happiness. Tell rich people to do good, to be rich in
good works, to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will
have a healthy account in the Bank of Heaven.
Jesus, please help rich people do more to help
poor people
Recording
John
1.35-51 (for Feast of St
Bartholomew): John the Baptist told his disciples Andrew
and John that Jesus was the Chosen One of God. Andrew and John then
followed Jesus. Andrew took his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus
changed Simon's name to Peter, and Peter followed Jesus. Jesus met Philip and said to him
"Follow me". Philip called one more man, Nathanael
(Bartholomew) and said to him "we have found the one Moses and the
prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth".
Jesus, please help me introduce more people to
know and love you
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
Jesus praised Bartholomew for being a person "without guile". On the other hand Jesus told his followers to be "as cunning as serpents". How can we be as cunning as serpents ... without a gallon of guile?! Maybe the answer is: cunning can be good or bad ... good as in the case of the 3 wise men who displayed cunning by not going back to King Herod after they found the baby Jesus. But guile is always bad...it implies dishonesty etc.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
155b: Recording Learning
to accept our body, to care for it and to respect its fullest meaning, is an
essential element of any genuine human ecology.
Also, valuing one's own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognize myself in an encounter with someone who is different.
In this way we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the Creator, and find mutual enrichment.
It is not a healthy attitude which would seek "to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it".
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
151b: Recording
The Lord wants to make use of us as living,
free and creative beings who let his word enter our
own hearts before then passing it on to others.
Christ's message must truly enter and possess the preacher, not just intellectually but in his entire being.
The Holy Spirit, who inspired the word,
"today, just as at the beginning of the Church, acts in every evangelizer
who allows himself to be possessed and led by him. The
Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not find by himself".
-------------------------------------
10 years ago today:
Visit to Marco Polo Center by very friendly soldiers from nearby Army base
------------------------------------------
Confession: when I go once a month to each of the two
women's prisons in HK, I have to make the most of my time. I don't stop for
lunch (which means going back out through security, then to a canteen, then back
in ...can get caught in queues). So I usually buy 3 bread rolls when I leave
Jordan. I have one roll just before entering the prison. I put the two others in
two small plastic bags, then put one bag in my left trouser pocket and one in
the right ....both hidden by my hanging-out shirt. I then have one roll around
midday and one mid-afternoon as I walk from one section of the prison to the
other. But food is not supposed to be taken into a prison ...so I'm always a bit
anxious if my dough will be discovered. Last Tuesday at Tai Lam I was extra
anxious because the rolls were so hot that they were nearly burning a hole in my
pockets. And more seriously: their beautiful fresh smell was so strong I was
afraid they'd be detected! But the security guards did not detect them. Or maybe
they kindly decided to let the old fellow have his lunch inside. Thank you God
for daily bread, especially when it's in trouser pockets! (...and please always
let the sniffer dog be somewhere else on my bread days!)
--------------------------------------
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 24th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Inner
Mongolia
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 24th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Zambia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed Aug 23
Yesterday I was at Tai Lam Women's Prison from 9.30 to 5.30
....grateful to know that there have been no new drug mules from Africa or South
America arrested at HK airport over the past month (in fact no new African women
for the whole of this year)....but sad to see so many mothers behind bars.
Prison is the last place a mother should be
Disabled
youth find a home and visibility with Chinese sisters
Pope: Prioritise migrants' dignity over national security
Same-sex
marriage ballot:
Why
freedom won't be free under same-sex marriage
e.g.
Censorship
of "No" material
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
I make no apology for returning to a topic that has been addressed one way or another in this column over recent months
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Ezra 7: Ezra was a scholar who loved to study the Law
of the Lord.
He was a descendant of Aaron. The Lord moved the heart of the king of Persia
to grant any request that Ezra made to help the Jews. Ezra prayed: "Blessed be the Lord our
God, for moving the
king's heart to look favorably on the rebuilding of our temple."
Dear God, please move the
hearts of all government leaders to look favorably on citizens who want to do good things
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
101: My song is of mercy and justice.
I sing to you, O Lord. I will try to walk with blameless
heart.
I will try to give my attention to what is good, not what is bad. People who slander others, people of proud
looks,
these will not be my friends. People who are good and do good,
these will be my friends.
Dear Lord, please help me to
avoid bad company
Recording
1
Timothy 6.11-13: As a man of God, avoid things like greed and
disputes. You must aim to be a saint, filled with faith
and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith, and win for
yourself eternal life. Be a constant witness to goodness and truth,
like Jesus who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius
Pilate.
Jesus, help me be a witness to goodness
and truth
Recording
Matthew
12.46-50:
One day when Jesus was speaking to a crowd of
people inside a house,
his mother and brothers arrived at the house. From outside the house they sent a message to
say
they would like to speak with him. When Jesus heard they were there, he said
"Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then holding out his hand towards his
disciples he said
"Here are my mother and brothers.
Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven,
that person is my brother and sister and mother."
Brother Jesus, please
help me do the will of your Father in heaven
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
"Speak
up for the truth" says Jesus in today's Gospel. But in some places the only
place you may speak Christian truth is inside a church - see article at top of
this menu: "Why freedom won't be free...."
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
155a: Recording Human
ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human
life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for
the creation of a more dignified environment.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke of an "ecology of man", based on the fact that "man too has a nature that he must respect and that he cannot manipulate at will".
It is enough to recognize that our body itself
establishes us in a direct relationship with the environment and with other
living beings.
The acceptance of our bodies as God's gift is vital for welcoming and accepting
the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home, whereas thinking
that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into
thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
151a: Recording
We are not asked to be flawless, but to keep growing
and wanting to grow as we advance along the path of the Gospel; our arms must
never grow slack. What is essential is that the preacher
be certain that God loves him, that Jesus Christ has saved him and that Jesus'
love always has the last word.
Encountering such beauty, he will often feel that his life does not glorify God as it should, and he will sincerely desire to respond more fully to so great a love.
Yet if he does not take time to hear God's word with an open heart, if he does not allow it to touch his life, to challenge him, to impel him, and if he does not devote time to pray with that word, then he will indeed be a false prophet, a fraud, a shallow impostor.
But by acknowledging his poverty and desiring to grow in his commitment, he will always be able to abandon himself to Christ, saying in the words of Peter: "I have no silver and gold, but what I have I give you".
-------------------------------------
I've been around for 7 decades, but only yesterday did I
meet my first human: A very friendly taxi driver ...who took me to Tai Lam
Women's Prison ...his name was ...Human!
--------------------------------------
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 23rd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangxi
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 23rd of the month, Jesus please
bless the people of Djibouti
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 (
The
Last Run)
--------------------
Australian Chinese for
Families Association
Gay marriage: an elephant in the room (by John W)
Video:
What "gay
marriage" did to Massachusetts
同志婚姻自2004年立法後，美國麻省的改變
（ 廣東話附字幕版）
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
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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
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This site's 2017
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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- 67095674
China
mobile +86-13828421861 - (only
when in China)
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