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 pr
ison 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 Nov 14
Yesterday afternoon I took part in two most interesting meetings which had the aim of stopping Big Fish (Drug Lords) from putting Little Fish (drug mules) in prison. My position is to support any group that is trying to reduce the number of people going to prison and the amount of drugs afflicting society
Human
rights off table as Trump visits China.
Despite past rhetoric, president fell into line
with Communist Party rules
Pope - 207, below: the danger of unproductive meetings and empty talk
,
below: 8 reasons to drink Masala tea!
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job 22-24: Eliphaz then said that God was punishing Job
because justice demanded that Job be punished for his sins. Job replied:
"I know that God sees everyone and everything.
God sees every step I take.
But I cannot contact him.
He has filled my life with sadness and fear
and yet he doesn't answer my prayer."
Dear
God, in times of darkness, with Jesus we pray
"My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
24-26: The Lord's is the earth and all its peoples.
It is the Lord who is Creator of the universe. May all hearts open their doors to the Lord.
Let him enter, the king of glory. Lord I hope in you all the day long.
Forgive my sins and help me walk in your truth.
God my savior, teach me your
way of truth
Listen
1
John 1.1-2:
Something which has existed since the
beginning,
that we heard,
that we saw with our own eyes,
that we touched with our hands:
the Word, who is life
- this is our subject. That life was made visible.
We saw it, and we are giving our testimony,
telling you of the eternal life
which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.
Jesus, Word-made-flesh, you are the Way, the
Truth and the Life
Listen
Mark
4.35-41:
Jesus and his disciples got into a boat
to cross the lake. Jesus was so tired that he went to sleep in
the boat.
A sudden storm caused big waves to lash the boat. Jesus' friends woke him up and said
"Save us, Lord, we are sinking". Jesus stood up, and ordered the wind and sea
to be calm.
Straight away the wind and sea were calm. Jesus' friends said to each other
"Who is this? Even the wind and sea obey him."
Jesus, please calm the storms
in my life, my family, our world
Listen
Reflection
on the above readings:
So many
"storms" in today's world ....so with the apostles let us often call
out to Jesus "Lord, save us, we are sinking". Or as the old song says
(with lyrics) Put
your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the waters
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
230: Listen Saint Therese of Lisieux invites us to practise the little way of love, not to miss out on a kind word, a smile or any small gesture which sows peace and friendship.
An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness.
In the end, a world of exacerbated consumption is at the same time a world which mistreats life in all its forms.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
207: Listen
Any
Church community, if it thinks it can comfortably go its own way without
creative concern and effective cooperation in helping the poor to live with
dignity, and reaching out to everyone, will also
risk breaking down, however much it may talk about social issues or criticize
governments.
It
will easily drift into a spiritual worldliness camouflaged by religious
practices, unproductive meetings and empty talk
-------------------------------------
Interactive
Bible Quiz - Nehemiah
Based on the actual
words of the Bible.
How many times can you get 3/3 ?!
----------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Volunteers from Zhaoqing Guandong Jin Rong College - with children at Marco Polo Center
------------------------------------------
One of the meetings I attended yesterday afternoon was at
an Indian canteen in Chung King Mansion where Masala tea was enjoyed by all. In
fact I had two cups. My first time at that canteen. See: 8
reasons that will make you grab that cup of masala chai right now!
--------------------------------------
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 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 Ethiopia
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon Nov 13
Foster
parents needed for 200 HK children
The
Chinese govt's hijacking of religions is nearly complete
Is religion still religion if under Communist Party's total control?
HK
women who have had out of the body experiences
Police bust drugs factory in upmarket flat
Women on the
inside - How trafficking victims and new mothers cope in HK prisons
Please God my next anti-drug campaign trip will be after
Christmas, to South America. I've been able to find a really cheap ticket for
HK-Los Angeles:
/2017-11-12-CX-HK-LA.jpg)
New Zealand Bishops Committed to Exploring Alternative Missal Translation
Pope - 229, below: We have had enough of immorality and the mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job
20-21: Zophar then said it was unreasonable for Job
to think that his situation was an exception as regards God's justice. Job replied:
"I can't help asking why do wicked people prosper while good people
suffer?"
Dear God, please help us to
understand the mystery of good and evil
Psalm
23: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I
shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit. He guides me along the right path. He is true
to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me
comfort. You have prepared a banquet for me in the
sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil. My cup is overflowing. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life. In the Lord's own house shall I dwell for ever
and ever.
Thank you, Lord, for being my
good shepherd
Listen
2
Peter 1.20 - 3.18: We must be careful to understand Scripture
according to God's mind.
We are not free to make up our own interpretations as we like. In the past there were false prophets. So
there will always be false prophets and teachers who twist the truth to
suit their own tastes and corrupt behavior. They will have much to
answer for when the Day of the Lord comes. Our brother Paul has written to you about this
issue. Sometimes his writing is not easy to understand, and is distorted by false teachers.
Avoid false teaching. Stand firm in the truth.
Go on growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To him be glory, in time and in eternity. Amen.
Jesus, protect me from people who
distort the Bible message
Listen
Mark
4.1-20: 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. Jesus explained the story:
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 are listening 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!
Listen: 01
02
Reflection
on the above readings:
"The call of greed and pleasure"
(Gospel) causes many people to become deaf to Jesus' message.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
229: Listen
We must regain the conviction that we need one
another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that
being good and decent are worth it.
We have had enough of immorality and the mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty.
It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done us no good.
When the foundations of social life are corroded, what ensues are battles over conflicting interests, new forms of violence and brutality, and obstacles to the growth of a genuine culture of care for the environment.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
206: Listen
Economy,
as the very word indicates, should be the art of achieving a fitting management
of our common home, which is the world as a whole.
Each meaningful economic decision made in one part of the world has repercussions everywhere else; consequently, no government can act without regard for shared responsibility.
Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find local solutions for enormous global problems which overwhelm local politics with difficulties to resolve.
If we
really want to achieve a healthy world economy, what is needed at this juncture
of history is a more efficient way of interacting which, with due regard for the
sovereignty of each nation, ensures the economic well-being of all countries,
not just of a few.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Four HK China8 supporters - Jennie, Michael, Ling & Peter - visit to Simone and A-Lin
------------------------------------------
Not far from my home there's a shop which has a pet turtle... a
big guy ....very tame ....you can even pat his head ...he sometimes can be seen
going oh so slowly along the footpath ...one of God's slowest creatures. His
name: GOOGLE!
--------------------------------------
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 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, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
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Sun Nov 12
On so many fronts - media, business, education, justice, wealth
gap - HK seems to be, make that IS, going down the drain. Optimists are a dying
species in HK. What can ordinary people do to stop the slide? As the Bible puts
it "Foundations once destroyed, what can good people do?" ....with an
answer in the next verse: "The Lord our Creator is in Heaven...it's his
world" ...and at times like this we humbly turn to him for help ...trying
to do whatever we can to put up a fight for the Culture of Life
An
ill-informed plenary council for the Catholic Church
Pope - 205, below: I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor!
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sun 32
Wisdom 10-19: Wisdom has been present in the world since
the beginning of time.
Wisdom has always been a close friend of good people. Wise people see God in the beauty of creation.
Foolish people are blind to God's presence in creation. Wise people ponder God's goodness and
kindness.
Wise people try to be good and kind to other people.
Lord, please help me see and
imitate your goodness and kindness
My
recording of this reading
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
Listen
1
Thessalonians
4.13-18: You asked us about the situation of people who
have died.
Do not mourn in an unhealthy way for them,
like people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and
that it will be the same for everyone who dies in God's friendship: God
will give them life with Jesus. They will live in God's House for ever.
With thoughts such as these you should comfort one another in times of
mourning.
Jesus, please increase my faith in the life to
come
Listen
Matthew
25.1-13: Jesus told
this parable to his disciples: The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten
bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were
foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they
brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their
lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at
midnight there was a cry, "The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet
him." At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and
the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, "Give us some of your oil: our
lamps are going out." But they replied, "There may not be enough for
us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for
yourselves." They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those
who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The
other bridesmaids arrived later. "Lord, Lord," they said "open
the door for us." But he replied, "I tell you solemnly, I do not know
you." So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.
Reflection on the above readings:
Let us often pray for wisdom...especially asking the Holy Spirit that we may live wisely, and not foolishly
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
228: Listen
Care for nature is part of a lifestyle which
includes the capacity for living together and communion.
Jesus reminded us that we have God as our common Father and that this makes us brothers and sisters.
Fraternal love can only be gratuitous; it can never be a means of repaying others for what they have done or will do for us.
That is why it is possible to love our enemies.
This same gratuitousness inspires us to love and accept the wind, the sun and the clouds, even though we cannot control them. In this sense, we can speak of a "universal fraternity".
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
205b: Listen
I beg the Lord to grant us more
politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the
lives of the poor!
It is vital that government leaders and financial leaders take heed and broaden their horizons, working to ensure that all citizens have dignified work, education and healthcare.
Why not turn to God and ask him to
inspire their plans? I am firmly convinced that
openness to the transcendent can bring about a new political and economic
mindset which would help to break down the wall of separation between the
economy and the common good of society.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
There's
a typhoon in the neighborhood, but it's not serious enough for HK to have a
Typhoon Signal. Maybe there might be one on Nov 18 when a certain parade is due
to take place?
--------------------------------------
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 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, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat Nov 11
Today is Remembrance Day ... we remember the First World War "when a few dozen aristocrats sent eight million men to die in the name of nationhood" (George Monbiot)
Good News - Thank you Jesus! More
than 8,000 people have seen a special Spanish Facebook page set up by a kind HK
friend to warn people in Latin America about the danger of drug trafficking to
HK:
/general%20report%20Nov%208.JPG)
If
the national anthem is played on TV while you are cooking at home, you can just
continue with your cooking; and there is also no need to stand if you hear the
national anthem while waiting for the Star Ferry - in
this report
Pope: give thanks to God before and after meals - 227, below
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job
18-19: Bildad then said that Job's suffering was
caused by his sins. Job repeated that he was innocent of any
wrong-doing.
He added:
"I am sure of three things:
my God lives,
my God will rescue me,
and I will see my God's face."
Dear God, I believe you live
and that someday I will see your face
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
22: (Many
things in this psalm happened to Jesus when he was put to death. This psalm prophesizes Jesus' death)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
I call to you for help, but day and night you give no reply. I am a worm and not a man.
Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They taunt me: "He trusted in the
Lord, why doesn't the Lord help him?" Like water I am poured out, my bones no longer
connected.
My throat is parched, my tongue sticks to my jaws. Many evil people attack me.
They make holes in my hands and my feet.
They await my death. They divide my clothing among them,
they throw a dice for my robe. Yet I know Lord, that you are good and
holy.
I know how you heard the cries of our ancestors and you helped them. It was you who took me from the womb
and entrusted me to my mother's breast.
To you I was committed from my birth,
from my mother's womb you have been my God. Lord, I trust in you even now.
I trust you will not scorn my prayer. Even now I praise you as my Creator.
May all the nations know and worship you.
Lord, please help people who
are in big trouble right now,
especially people whose lives are in danger
Listen
2
Peter 1.12-18:
As long as I am in this passing world, my duty
is to keep on reminding you of the truths we hold dear. Writing this letter is one way of making sure
that after my departure you will still have a way of recalling the truths
we hold dear. These truths are not cleverly invented myths.
I myself saw the majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was honored and glorified by God the
Father, when the Sublime Glory himself spoke to him and said
"This is my Son, the Beloved. He enjoys my favor". I heard this myself, spoken from heaven,
when I was with Jesus on the holy mountain.
Jesus, Beloved Son, may more and more people
accept the truth of your Good News
Listen
Mark
3: Jesus went back to Capernaum. Such a crowd gathered that he could not even have a meal.
When his family heard about such things,
they set out to take care of him, thinking that he was crazy. His mother and brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent in a message asking for him. Jesus was told "Your mother and brothers
and sisters are outside asking for you". Jesus replied
"Who are my mother and brothers?".
Then looking round at the people sitting in a circle about him, he said
"Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God,
that person is my brother and sister and mother".
Jesus, please help me to do
your will,
even if people sometimes think I'm crazy
Listen
Reflection on the above readings:
As we read the story of Job these days, let's say a prayer for people we know who are painfully afflicted by cancer etc. Jesus, please give them courage, faith, hope ....and healing!
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
227: Listen One
expression of this attitude is when we stop and give thanks to God before and
after meals.
I ask all believers to return to this beautiful and meaningful custom.
That moment of blessing, however brief, reminds us of our dependence on God for life; it strengthens our feeling of gratitude for the gifts of creation; it acknowledges those who by their labours provide us with these goods; and it reaffirms our solidarity with those in greatest need.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
205a: Listen
I ask God to give us
more politicians capable of sincere and effective dialogue aimed at healing the
deepest roots - and not simply the appearances - of the evils in our
world!
Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good.
We need to be
convinced that charity "is the principle not only of micro-relationships
(with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of
macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones)"
-------------------------------------
Yesterday after a case at the High Court I saw something
I'd never before seen in my life: a barrister friend putting on his bow tie ...
doing it up. I'd never seen that before. So complicated!
--------------------------------------
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 11th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hunan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 11th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Eritrea
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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Fri Nov 10
In the mail yesterday was a letter from an African lady who was sentenced on November 1 in the High Court for drug trafficking. She kindly offered her sincere thanks that she was given a discount of 8 months for taking part in my anti-drug campaign. She is the last woman from Tanzania to be arrested at HK airport...her arrest being in 2016. Her story in Swahili is here. She was lucky in court - she had a kind judge. Jesus please give all judges such a kind heart!
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Job 15-17: Eliphaz then said that Job's own words
condemned him
since he was in fact challenging God. Job replied that he was sick and tired of
listening to his friends' speeches. He also said he felt death was
not far away: "My breath grows weak, I am ridiculed by
everyone, every fiber of my heart is broken. I have no hope."
Lord, help of the helpless,
please help people who feel their situation is hopeless
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
20-21: May the Lord protect and help you,
may he give you your heart's desire
and fulfil every one of your plans. Some trust in chariots or horses,
but we trust in the Lord.
Lord, may our plans and hopes
be acceptable to you.
Please bless our plans
Listen
2 Peter
1.1-11:
From Simon Peter, servant and
apostle of Jesus Christ,
to all who have faith through our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
May you have more and more grace and peace
as you come to know our Lord more and more. By his divine power, he has given
us all we need for life and faith.
He has called us to share his divine nature in his eternal kingdom. So we must do our best to live
lives of goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, a love for
prayer, kindness and love.
Dear Jesus, may I see you more
clearly, love you more dearly,
follow you more nearly, day by day
Listen
Mark
3.13-19: Jesus went up a hill and called his
disciples.
He chose 12 of them to be his special companions.
He commissioned them for preaching.
He gave them power to cast out devils. The names of the 12:
Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter;
James and John the sons of Zebedee. Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,
James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
and Judas Iscariot the one who would betray him.
Jesus, please bless and protect
all Gospel workers
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
2 Peter speaks about sharing the divine nature: We are like caterpillars.....there's a higher form of life around the corner......we are on the way to becoming....butterflies:
When the universe began....when life began.....there were molecules and atoms......then there were animals.....then there were human beings. Only human beings can be aware of their thinking, can "know that they know", can "reflect as they think". This consciousness is a process that has been developing since the start of the universe ....and has not yet finished. Evolution, according to Teilhard de Chardin, demands a Super-Consciousness, a Super-Life, somewhere in the future.
In the Bible and especially in Greek/Eastern Christianity, there is the theme of human beings sharing in the life of God, sharing the divine life, partially now, fully in Heaven. This is a process of "becoming like God, sharing God's divinity, "divinisation".
Super-Consciousness + divinisation = thinking more and more like Jesus, like God, with an ever greater kind of consciousness, until we become what we think = becoming more and more aware/conscious of Jesus/God in our daily lives (every conversation, every activity) until it is no longer we who are thinking but Jesus/God thinking in us = we are transformed/transfigured/divinised. Not that we lose our own identity, but that our identity, our consciousness has been raised to a new/Super level......just as "thinking"/consciousness has been raised to newer levels (plant/animal/human) since the universe began.
We are meant to become....Divine butterflies.....
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
226: Listen
We are speaking of an attitude of the heart,
one which approaches life with serene attentiveness, which is capable of being
fully present to someone without thinking of what comes next, which accepts each
moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full.
Jesus taught us this attitude when he invited us to contemplate the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, or when seeing the rich young man and knowing his restlessness, "he looked at him with love" (Mk 10:21).
He was completely present to everyone and to everything, and in this way he showed us the way to overcome that unhealthy anxiety which makes us superficial, aggressive and compulsive consumers.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
204: Listen
We can no longer trust in the
unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market.
Growth in justice requires more than economic growth, while presupposing such growth: it requires decisions, programs, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality.
I am far from proposing an irresponsible
populism, but the economy can no longer turn to remedies that are a new poison,
such as attempting to increase profits by reducing the work force and thereby
adding to the ranks of the excluded
-------------------------------------
Father (world's no. 1 horse trainer) to son (aged 24, trainer of 2017
Melbourne Cup winner) many years ago: "Don't let school get in the way of
your education"!
--------------------------------------
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 10th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hubei
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 10th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Guinea
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thur Nov 9
"What I feared, did not happen" says one of the Psalms. Well, I was really worried a few days ago that a woman from China would receive a long sentence at the High Court for drug trafficking ...having pleaded not guilty but lacking enough evidence to strongly prove her innocence. But yesterday I got the news that her jury on Tuesday split 4-3 and the judge has ordered a re-trial since there has to be a 5-2 result ......before a new jury...which means the woman's legal team have extra time to prepare a stronger case. Thank you Jesus! Woman's story in Chinese and English is here (July 13)
Murdered
nun beatified in India
An
"incredible" visit to North Korean
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Job
11-14: Zophar then said that Job must still have some
secret sins of which he had not repented. Job sarcastically replied:
"No doubt you are the voice of the people
and when you die, wisdom will die with you. I am only too aware that God knows everything.
How could I hide anything from him? God, why do you hide your face?
Why do you look on me as an enemy?"
Dear God, please give us
trust and courage in time of trial
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
19: The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
the starry skies are the work of his hands. The stars can't speak, but they are
God's handwriting.
The sun is God's love shining on the whole world. The universe is a masterpiece, and so is God's
law
which shines in our hearts. The precepts of the Lord enlighten our lives
each day.
The law of the Lord gives joy and wisdom to our hearts. The decrees of the Lord are to be desired more
than gold,
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. But often we are unaware of our
errors.
Lord, please protect us from making mistakes.
Lord, may the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you
Recording
1 Peter
5.5-14:
To everyone else I say: do what the elders
tell you.
Wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other.
God refuses the proud and favors the humble. Bow down before the power of God, and he will
raise you up. Unload all your worries on to him, since he is
looking after you. Be calm, but careful, because your enemy the
Devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat.
Stand up to him, strong in faith. Peace to all who are in Christ.
Jesus, please protect me from Satan
Recording
Mark
3.7-12: Jesus went again to the Sea of Galilee.
Great crowds of people from all over the country went to him.
They had heard what he was doing and wanted to see him. Large crowds of sick people pushed forward, trying to touch
Jesus.
They had heard how he had healed so many sick people.
Jesus, please heal my friend
(.. name ..) who is sick
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
Beautiful words from Saint Augustine: we touch Jesus by our prayers, just as people in the Gospel touched him with their hands
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
225: Recording On
the other hand, no one can cultivate a sober and satisfying life without being
at peace with him or herself.
An adequate understanding of spirituality consists in filling out what we mean by peace, which is much more than the absence of war.
Inner peace is closely related to care for ecology and for the common good because, lived out authentically, it is reflected in a balanced lifestyle together with a capacity for wonder which takes us to a deeper understanding of life.
Nature is filled with words of love, but how can we listen to them amid constant noise, interminable and nerve-wracking distractions, or the cult of appearances?
Many people today sense a profound imbalance which drives them to frenetic activity and makes them feel busy, in a constant hurry which in turn leads them to ride rough-shod over everything around them.
This too affects how they treat the environment.
An integral ecology includes taking time to recover a serene harmony with creation, reflecting on our lifestyle and our ideals, and contemplating the Creator who lives among us and surrounds us, whose presence "must not be contrived but found, uncovered"
------------------------------------
(Just as I cut and paste the above words about appreciating the beauty of nature....thinking how nice it is these days to be at a rural meeting place for the annual O.M.I. in-service days....a gardener started up a very noisy mower right below my window!)
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
203: Recording
The
dignity of each human person and the pursuit of the
common good are concerns which ought to shape all
economic policies.
At times, however, they seem to be a mere addendum imported from without in order to fill out a political discourse lacking in perspectives or plans for true and integral development.
How many words prove irksome to this system!
It is irksome when the question of ethics is raised, when global solidarity is invoked, when the distribution of goods is mentioned, when reference is made to protecting labour and defending the dignity of the powerless, when allusion is made to a God who demands a commitment to justice.
At other times these issues are exploited by a rhetoric which cheapens them.
Casual indifference in the face of such questions empties our lives and our words of all meaning.
Business
is a vocation, and a noble vocation, provided that those engaged in it see
themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life; this
will enable them truly to serve the common good by striving to increase the
goods of this world and to make them more accessible to all.
-------------------------------------
10 years ago today:
Visit to all centers in poor areas by member of International Ladies Club of Macau
------------------------------------------
Everything I need to know, can be learned from Noah's
Ark.
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 80 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, there's always a rainbow waiting.
--------------------------------------
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 9th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Henan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 9th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Central African Republic
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed Nov 8
These days (Nov 6-9) I am attending the annual OMI in-service
days in HK. So far we have had some most interesting talks on the theme of
social communication - from Stephen Barry, the founder of Stepworks
(the company which put the smiles on HK's trams!) and a dedicated team from the Diocesan
Audio-Visual Centre (which has a huge range of programs ....see link)
Warning: graphic photos in this report about drugs in Brazil:
Life
in Favela, Rio De Janeiro (not unlike
Philippines under Duterte). c.f. Why
do Brazilian police kill?
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
It happened many years ago
Our memory of the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth must not be clouded by legalism
that over-rides the message of love and compassion that he left us.
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job 8-10: Bildad then spoke of God's justice and the
fate of people who forget God. Job agreed and said how God was sole creator
and judge of the world:
"He and no other stretched out the skies.
The Bear, Orion, the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South - all were
made by him. "Challenging God is unthinkable.
Yet I know I am innocent and I'm being punished unjustly. I also know that God knows I'm innocent.
So why am I being punished? This is my question."
Dear God, please save us in
time of trial
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
17-18: Lord, when trouble breaks out on every
side,
please protect and help me. For you are my strength, my rock, my fortress,
my savior.
I love you, Lord who save me because you love me. Lord, you are my lamp who lightens my life.
I will praise you among the nations.
Lord, you are worthy of
all praise
Recording
1
Peter 5.1-4: To those of you who are elders I say: I am an
elder myself,
a witness to the sufferings of Christ. Be good shepherds of the flock that God has
entrusted to you.
Watch over it, not simply as a duty, or for sordid money,
but gladly, because that's what God wants you to do. Never be a dictator over any group that is in your charge,
but be an example that the whole flock can follow. When the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will be given the crown of unfading glory.
Jesus, help pastors and elders be good
shepherds
Recording
Mark
3.1-6: Jesus again went to a prayer hall on the
Sabbath.
In the hall was a man with a withered hand. The religious leaders were watching Jesus to
see if he would heal on the Sabbath, hoping for something to use against
him. Jesus said to the man with the withered hand
"Stand in the middle of the hall". Then he said to the
religious leaders "Is it against the law on the Sabbath to do
good?"
They remained silent. Grieved that they were so obstinate, Jesus looked
angrily round at them, and said to the man "Stretch out your
hand". He stretched it out and it was healed.
The leaders left and began to plot how to get rid of Jesus.
Jesus, don't let my
heart become obstinate
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
The
language in Mark's Gospel is noted for being simple, straight-forward, human
....so today's reading says quite bluntly: Jesus was angry with the religious
leaders. He was also angry in the Temple when he drove out the sellers. Which
means there is such a thing as "justified anger"....to be carefully
distinguished from "getting angry over every little thing"
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
224: Recording Sobriety
and humility were not favourably regarded in the last century.
And yet, when there is a general breakdown in the exercise of a certain virtue in personal and social life, it ends up causing a number of imbalances, including environmental ones.
That is why it is no longer enough to speak only of the integrity of ecosystems.
We have to dare to speak of the integrity of human life, of the need to promote and unify all the great values.
Once we lose our humility, and become enthralled with the possibility of limitless mastery over everything, we inevitably end up harming society and the environment.
It is not easy to promote this kind of healthy humility or happy sobriety when we consider ourselves autonomous, when we exclude God from our lives or replace him with our own ego, and think that our subjective feelings can define what is right and what is wrong.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
202: Recording
The
need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not
only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good order of society,
but also because society needs to be cured of a sickness
which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises.
Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be considered merely temporary responses.
As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world's problems or, for that matter, to any problems.
Inequality
is the root of social ills
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Happy get-together for former CAS staff Ling & Peter from HK with Paul from Adelaide
------------------------------------------
77 minus your age plus 40 equals the year you were born!
--------------------------------------
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 8th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Heilongjiang
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 8th of the month, Jesus please
bless the people of Sierra Leone
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, 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.
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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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