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
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& Archives Imitating
Pope
Francis
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website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates'
letters!
HK
Indon
Kenya 
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Nigeria 
Ph 
SA 
S.Amer
Thai 
Tz 
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How campaign began
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
www.AsylumSeekerHK.com
Tues May 22
A public holiday in HK for Buddha's
birthday. Jesus, please bless all Buddhists!
Many thanks to kind HK friends who have set up this
new FB site targeting Indonesian domestic helpers in HK (there are 150,000
of them) warning them about the danger of collecting parcels from a post office
or courier for Nigerian boyfriends (several new victims in prison this
year)
Nigerians
in Sao Paulo send women to India with 106 cocaine capsules in stomach
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The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Baruch 3-4: Listen, Israel, to commands that bring life and peace.
Remember all that God has taught us. As by your will you strayed away from God,
so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard.
Lord, please help us not to
forget you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
28: To you, O Lord, I call, my rock, hear me.
If you do not heed, I shall become like people in the grave. Lord, you are my strength and my shield.
In you my heart trusts. Thank you, Lord, for so often hearing my
prayer.
I will always thank and praise you. You are the strength of your people Israel.
Save your people. Be our shepherd and carry us for ever.
Lord, please help people who
are in big danger today
Listen
Acts
27.9-20: Navigation at that time of the year was
dangerous, since winter was starting. But the ship's captain set sail
hoping to reach Phoenix, a harbor in Crete. Suddenly a fierce storm began and the ship
could not be turned head-on to the wind. We had to let ourselves be driven
by the wind. The ship was badly damaged by the storm. On
the second day, the cargo was dumped overboard. For several days both sun stars were invisible
as the storm raged. We lost all
hope of surviving.
Jesus, help sailors who are in danger
at sea today
Listen
Luke
18.35-43:
As Jesus entered Jericho, there was a blind
beggar sitting by the road. People in the crowd told him that Jesus of
Nazareth was passing by. So he called out "Jesus, Son of David,
have pity on me". Some people told him to be quiet, but he just
shouted all the louder "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me". Jesus stopped and asked him "What do you
want me to do for you?"
He replied "Sir, let me see again". Jesus said to him "Receive your sight.
Your faith has saved you".
Instantly his sight returned, and he followed Jesus, praising God
Jesus, please heal my blind friend
......(name)...
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Paul and Luke were expecting to die in the storm (Acts) ...but didn't. So often our fears don't come true....
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At one stage yesterday I needed to get a taxi ....and said
to the driver he was lucky working in air-conditioning (in 34 degree heat)....to
which he replied: "Yesterday my air-con was not working.....and I was
working in an oven"!
--------------------------------------
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 22nd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Zhejiang
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 22nd of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Rwandaa
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon May 21
Photo of Yum Cha after two Masses yesterday morning - here
China
lands bombers on disputed islands - groan....
On this day in 1861, in Marseilles, a French bishop died at the age of 78. He
had been born into an aristocratic family which was forced to flee from the
French Revolution. His family went to Italy as refugees. His parents had an
unhappy marriage and eventually divorced. In Italy the young Eugene de Mazenod
had an overpowering experience of the love of Jesus on the Cross. Eugene became
a priest and dedicated himself to serving the poorest parts of French society
such as prisoners and domestic servants. To further his work he joined with
other priests to form a new congregation in the Church. The group came to be
known as the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Today the Oblates have around 4,000
members working for the poor in most countries of the world. Google
"Oblates of Mary Immaculate" and the name of your country to see where
the Oblates are in your country. Saint
Eugene de Mazenod, pray for us!
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
37. Thanks be to God,
throughout the history of the Church it has always been clear that a person's
perfection is measured not by the information or knowledge they possess, but by
the depth of their charity. "Gnostics" do not understand this, because
they judge others based on their ability to understand the complexity of certain
doctrines. They think of the intellect as separate from the flesh, and thus
become incapable of touching Christ's suffering flesh in others, locked up as
they are in an encyclopaedia of abstractions. In the end, by disembodying the
mystery, they prefer "a God without Christ, a Christ without the Church, a
Church without her people".[36]
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church
Genesis
3: A creature hostile to
God took the form of a snake
and tempted the first man and first woman.
The snake tempted them to disobey God.
When God asked them why they disobeyed him,
the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the snake.
God said to the snake:
"You are the enemy of the human race.
Someday a member of the human race will defeat you."
God said to the man and woman:
"From dust you came and to dust you will return."
The first man's name was Adam (meaning "man").
The first woman's name was Eve (meaning "life").
Dear God, please help me understand
how evil in the world
started when Adam and Eve disobeyed you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
87: On the holy mountain is Jerusalem,
the Lord's cherished city. Of you are told glorious things, O city of
God. All nations are called to serve and love the
Lord.
And Jerusalem shall be called their spiritual mother,
for all shall be her children. In Jerusalem everyone will be welcome and find
a home.
Lord, may Jerusalem be a place
of peace and prayer for all peoples
Listen
Acts
1.12-14: After Jesus went up to heaven from the Mount
of Olives, the apostles went back down to Jerusalem, a walk of about half
a kilometer. They gathered in an upstairs room which they used as
a meeting place. The 11 apostles were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip,
Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon and Jude. They spent a long time praying. With them were
several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and also Jesus'
brothers
Jesus, your apostles' group spent
special time in prayer preparing for the coming of the Holy Spirit. I now
ask them in heaven to pray that the Holy Spirit will increase his
influence in my life
Listen
John
19.25-30: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Seeing his mother and John the apostle
standing near her, Jesus said to his mother "He is your son".
Then to John he said "She is your mother". From
that moment, John regarded Mary as his own mother. Jesus said "My work is finished".
Then he bowed his head and died
We adore you Lord Jesus and we
praise you,
because you have redeemed the world
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Mother of the Church
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When I was told that some parts of my second Mass at Yau Ma Tei
yesterday morning would be sung in Latin I at first groaned....but then when the
singing started....and 300 people (mainly young families and young people)
joined in so well ....creating a most prayerful atmosphere....I found myself
happily joining in also!
--------------------------------------
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 21st of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 21st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Benin
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
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May 20
P E N T E C O S T S U N D A Y
Wishing all dear readers a Happy Pentecost!
COME HOLY SPIRIT! FALL AFRESH ON OUR WORLD!
A voice trying to stop greedy developers:
No need to pave
paradise: 1,200 hectares for HK housing available now
Last Thursday I was driven from one meeting to another in an electric car ....my first ever such ride. Beautiful and smooth. And a fellow passenger pointed out how such cars were available decades ago but various lobbies stopped their development....as told in the film Who Killed the Electric Car?
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
36. Gnosticism presumes "a purely
subjective faith whose only interest is a certain experience or a set of ideas
and bits of information which are meant to console and enlighten, but which
ultimately keep one imprisoned in his or her own thoughts and feelings".[35]
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. Readings for Pentecost
Acts 2.1-4: About
ten days after Jesus' ascension to heaven, was the Feast of Pentecost.
Jesus' 12 apostles, his mother, several other women, and his brothers were
together in one room. Suddenly
they heard what sounded like a powerful wind. Tongues of fire appeared and came
to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit,
and began to speak foreign languages
Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me. Fall afresh on our world
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.
Lord, send forth your Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth
Recording
1 Corinthians
12.4-10: The Holy Spirit gives us many
different gifts: Some people have the gift of wise preaching. Some people have
the gift of an extra strong faith. Some people have the gift of healing sick
people. Some people have other gifts like the power of miracles, prophecy,
recognizing spirits, and the ability to speak in tongues.
Holy Spirit, please increase your influence
in my life. Please give me the gift of (..name...)
John
15-16: Jesus said to his
disciples: "When the
Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. When
the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead
you to the complete truth. He
will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything
the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All
he tells you will be taken from
what is mine"
O Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, fall afresh on our world!
Reflection on the above readings:
The
Day of Pentecost (good!)
Hudson Taylor: "Since the days of Pentecost, has the whole church ever put aside every other work and waited upon Him for ten days, that the Spirit's power might be manifested? We give too much attention to method and machinery and resources, and too little to the source of power."
My 2013 article: The forgotten Paraclete
Reflection
on the above readings:
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian with English, Chinese and
Spanish subtitles
Daniel Daring: The Law and the Spirit (in Chinese)
--------------------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Marco Polo Center's newest student- 9 year old blind orphan Ming Ming
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
At
last night's Pentecost Mass at St Paul's Mass Centre, Yau Ma Tei, as I sat at
the back of the chapel before Mass, I thought my eyes were playing tricks: part
of the flowers near the altar at front of chapel looked like doves ....and
they were! I should have taken a photo. Beautiful white doves arranged with red
flowers....lovely for Pentecost
--------------------------------------
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 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 20th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Gambia
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 May 19
Shame, HK government, shame, shame, shame!
Award-winning journalism: The
invisible wall: HK's refugees (and see this
Tweet from Edward Snowden)
This is frightening ....maybe one will someday be set up in HK?!
Indoctrination camps evoke Cultural Revolution
Notice in
this article how a young Malawi drug mule died in Brazil on drug mission
after a Nigerian in Malawi bought him an air ticket to Brazil
A fascinating history of early Australia:
Peter
Wilkinson: The
Australian Synod of 1844 (first published in The
Swag)
David Timbs: The
Catholic Church in Australia. Who has the Moral Authority?
------------------------------------
Tomorrow
is Pentecost
Sunday:
Come Holy Spirit!
A simple little song to the Holy Spirit - to the
tune of "The Stabat Mater" -
listen to it here:
Flowing
from the heart of Jesus,
Living River, Holy Spirit,
Fill our hearts and flow through us
-based on today's Gospel, below!
---------------------
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
35. Here I would like to mention two false
forms of holiness that can lead us astray: gnosticism
and pelagianism. They are two heresies from
early Christian times, yet they continue to plague us. In our times too, many
Christians, perhaps without realizing it, can be seduced by these deceptive
ideas, which reflect an anthropocentric immanentism disguised as Catholic truth.[33]
Let us take a look at these two forms of doctrinal or disciplinary security that
give rise "to a narcissistic and authoritarian
elitism, whereby instead of
evangelizing, one analyses and classifies others, and instead of opening the
door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying. In
neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others".[34]
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Vigil of Pentecost
Joel 1-4: My
country has been invaded. Joy has disappeared from the land. Priests, put on
sackcloth, and lament. Proclaim a fast to pray for our nation. Turn to the Lord
your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion. Call out to the Lord
for help. "Spare your people, Lord!" The Lord replies: "I will
save and rescue you. I
will pour out my spirit on all peoples. Everyone will prophesy and see visions. You
will learn that I am the Lord your God. Jerusalem will be a holy place."
Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit on all nations
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!
Recording
Romans
8.14-21: Everyone
moved by the Spirit is a child of God. The Spirit lets us use children's
language to speak to God tenderly as "Abba, Father". Since
we are God's children, we are also his heirs, coheirs with Jesus, sharing his
suffering so as to share his glory. What we suffer in this life can never be
compared with the glorious life we will have in heaven. The whole of creation
looks forward to sharing the same glory, to sharing immortality.
Holy Spirit, please help us pray!
Recording
John
7.37-39: During the Feast of
Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Jesus called out loudly in the Temple "If
anyone is thirsty, come to me. Anyone who believes in me, come and drink!"
As Scripture says "From his heart will flow fountains of living
water". Jesus
was speaking of the Holy Spirit, which people who believed in him were to
receive. The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been
glorified.
Holy Spirit, flowing from the heart of Jesus, please increase your influence
in my life
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
One of my favorite
songs:
Everyone
moved by the Spirit - Carey Landry
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today: Thank you May Dyer in Australia for lovely shawls given to handicapped children
today ; new water tank at Marco Polo
------------------------------------------
Two Australian football teams will be playing in Shanghai
this afternoon....but...like last year I think Port Adelaide will easily defeat
Gold Coast ....which is embarrassing for a Queenslander! I would love to be
wrong!
--------------------------------------
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 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Sudan
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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Fri May
IQ question: how many FB readers aged
18-55 in Kenya?
Answer: 6,400,000.
How do I know?
Because yesterday a kind friend set up a
new No More Mules FB page for Africa, and then paid US$20 for 14 days
of targeted boosting aimed at 18-55 year olds in Kenya (from which two mules
have been arrested at HK airport this year) ...and FB showed the potential
audience was ...6,400,000!
Yesterday morning the same above friend and I joined another guest speaker at the Chinese International School which is an International Baccalaureate school, after which all 3 speakers and two other friends had a most worthwhile lunch meeting to discuss ways of helping people in prison in HK.
No verdict yet in
rioting trial as jury seeks explanation over meaning of "intent"
(see my comment)
----
The
dove:
At the end of the flood, whose symbolism refers to Baptism, a dove
released by Noah returns with a fresh olive-tree branch in its beak as a sign
that the earth was again habitable. When
Jesus comes up from the water of his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove,
comes down upon him and remains with him. The Spirit comes down and remains in
the purified hearts of the baptized. In
some churches, the Eucharist is reserved in a metal receptacle in the form of a dove
(columbarium) suspended above the altar. Christian
iconography traditionally uses a dove
to suggest the Spirit.
- CCC 701
In this week before Pentecost, let's often pray each day: Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on our world!
-------
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
34. Do not be afraid to set your sights
higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God. Do not be afraid to
let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Holiness does not make you less
human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God's
grace. For in the words of Leon Bloy, when all is said and done, "the only
great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint".[32]
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Baruch 1-2: The message of Baruch, written in Babylon for the exiles living
there,
and sent to Jerusalem for the people still there: Let us pray that our genuine service for the king of Babylon
will win his favor and protection.
To us belongs a look of shame, because we have not listened
to the message of the Lord our God. Lord, please listen to our prayer.
Rescue us from exile and humiliation.
Dear God, please help all
exiles return to their homeland
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
27: The Lord is my light and my help, whom shall
I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life, before whom shall I shrink? Though
an army encamp against me, even then would I trust. There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this
I long:
to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek. Hide not
your face.
I am sure I will see your goodness in the land of the living. Hope in the Lord, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
Lord, you are my light and my
help.
I will always praise you.
Listen
Acts
27.1-8:
For the journey to Rome, Paul and
some other prisoners were put in the custody of a soldier named Julius. After sailing for one day, we arrived
at the city of Sidon, where Julius kindly allowed Paul to meet with some
friends. Then we sailed past Cyprus and reached
the city of Myra in Lycia, where we changed to a ship bound for Italy. The wind was against us near Crete.
We struggled along the coast to a place called Fair Havens.
Jesus, help prison guards to
be kind like Julius
Listen
Luke
18.31-34: Once again Jesus explained to the 12 apostles
what would happen to him:
"Now we are going to Jerusalem. Everything written about me by the prophets will happen:
I will be handed over to the
pagans. I will be mocked and spat on. I will be scourged and put to
death. On the third day I will rise from the dead". But the apostles had no idea what his words meant
Jesus, especially each Friday, please help me
to remember you on the Cross
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Concerning the child sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church, the words of Baruch (above) have relevance: "To us belongs a look of shame"
----------------------------------------------
At Ccntral HK MTR (Metro) terminus, MTR drivers have a
habit of entering the driver's cabin at the last minute....so it's not uncommon
to see them walking along the platform with uncanny timing...and a walking style
which seems to say "it's not going to go without me"!
--------------------------------------
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 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 18th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Ivory Coast
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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Thur May
17
Ramadan
began last night
I spent 7 hours at Lai Chi Kok men's prison yesterday ...meeting many inmates
individually and in groups. A number of new arrivals are in the folder called
"I was tricked to receive a parcel of drugs in the post" or "I
was tricked to receive a parcel of drugs from a courier". Two days ago at
Tai Lam women's prison the same story. How I wish the media would - often and
loudly - proclaim: "Do not, never, ever, ever,
collect a parcel for someone else from a post office or a courier"!
See updated photo of homeless group near Jockey Club in Jordan Road - here
The
finger is
another symbol of the Holy Spirit. It was by the
finger of God that Jesus cast out demons. If God's law was written
on tablets of stone "by the
finger of God," then the "letter from Christ"
entrusted to the care of the apostles, is written "with the Spirit of the
living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." The
hymn Veni Creator Spiritus invokes the Holy
Spirit as " the
finger
of the Father's right hand." - c.f. CCC
700
In this week before Pentecost, let's often pray each day: Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on our world!
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
33. To the extent that each
Christian grows in holiness, he or she will bear greater fruit for our world.
The bishops of West Africa have observed that "we
are being called in the spirit of the New Evangelization to be evangelized and
to evangelize through the empowering of all you, the baptized, to take up your
roles as salt of the earth and light of the world wherever you find yourselves".[31]
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Lamentations
1-5:
The roads to Zion are in mourning.
No one comes to her festivals now. Jerusalem is a captured city,
a city of ruins. All you who pass this way, look and see.
Is there any sorrow like mine? My eyes are wasted away from crying
as I see children dying of starvation. Yet deep in my heart there is hope
that the Lord will rescue us
from this calamity which our sins have caused. The favors of the Lord are not just something of the past.
His kindness is for the present, even in times of despair. Every morning there are signs of his kindness,
and so I will continue to hope in him for help. Lord, forgive us
for abandoning you.
Do not abandon us.
Lord, especially when I'm in
trouble,
please help me to keep trusting in you for help
Recording
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
Recording
Acts 24-25: After two years, Felix was succeeded
by Festus.
Festus arranged a new trial for Paul. The religious leaders repeated their
accusations. Paul repeated his innocence. Festus wanted to gain favor with the
leaders so he said to Paul
"Are you willing to go to Jerusalem for a trial with the full council
of religious leaders, at which I would preside?" Paul knew his rights, and stood his
ground, not wanting to go to a kangaroo court in Jerusalem. So he invoked
his right as a Roman citizen: "I appeal to Caesar". Festus replied "You have
appealed to Caesar;
to Caesar (Rome) you shall go"
Jesus, please give us courage
to stand up for our rights
Listen
Luke
18.18-23: A young man from a prominent family asked
Jesus "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied "You know the commandments:
you must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you
must honor your father and mother". The man answered "I have kept all these
commandments all my life". Jesus then said "There is still one
higher goal: sell all you own,
give the money to the poor, then come follow me". But when the man heard this he was very sad, because he was very
rich.
Jesus, please help me follow you the way you
want me to follow you
Listen
Reflection
on the above Bible readings:
The
steadfast love of the Lord
-----------------------------
10 years ago today: Visit to Mazenod, Bahkita and Marco Polo by HK St Teresa's Hospital
group - with HK Lantau Island China8 friends Ayau and Anna
------------------------------------------
For Ramadan:
--------------------------------------
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 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Malawi
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed May 16
Yesterday I spent 8 hours at Tai Lam
women's prison. On the one hand I was glad to know that this year not one woman
drug mule from the whole of South America has been arrested at HK airport. But
on the other hand I was sad to meet one more from Africa, a woman from Kenya.
That makes 4 Africans this year (two men and two women). Please God no
more! (and see
below!)
The
Guardian view on Gaza shootings: stop killing unarmed civilians
(...the world needs to brace itself for retaliation
against this great injustice perpetrated by Israel in the wake of the
provocative relocation of the US embassy....and I notice how The Australian,
belonging to Rupert Murdoch, says the violence was the fault of Hamas...and that
Australia should follow the lead of the US and move it's embassy to
Jerusalem....groan...)
The hand is another symbol of the Holy Spirit. Jesus heals the sick and blesses little children by laying hands on them. In his name the apostles will do the same. It is by the Apostles' imposition of hands that the Holy Spirit is given. The Church has kept this sign of the all-powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit by having the priest at Mass extend his hands over the bread and wine as he says "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy" - c.f. CCC 699
In this week before Pentecost, let's often pray each day: Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on our world!
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
32.
Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none
of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the
Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest
self. To depend on God sets us free from every form of enslavement and leads us
to recognize our great dignity. We see this in Saint Josephine Bakhita: "Abducted
and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven, she suffered much at the hands
of cruel masters. But she came to understand the profound truth that God, and
not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life. This
experience became a source of great wisdom for this humble daughter of
Africa".[30]
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
Give us a job!
A Christian can't just sit around, that's not in the job description
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Jeremiah 46-52:
Jeremiah predicted that the powerful nations involved in
Israel's capture would all fall:
the Egyptians, the Philistines, the Moabites, the Ammonites,
the Babylonians and others. Jeremiah also reminded Israel to rely on the help of the Lord
more than the help of other nations: "Our redeemer is strong. The Lord is his name.
He will bring peace to the world".
Lord, help us to rely on you
more than on human help
My
recording of this reading
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
Acts
24.1-26: When the religious leaders arrived,
they put their case to Felix.
They summed up their accusations by saying "The plain truth is that
we find this man to be a perfect pest.
He stirs up trouble among Jews everywhere, and is a ringleader of the
Nazarene sect". Paul replied "In regard to the
Way, which they malign as a sect,
I serve and worship the very same God worshipped by our ancestors. I live
in hope that God will raise the dead. If that's my crime, my accusers are
just as guilty as I am". Felix postponed a decision. He met
with Paul many times, hoping Paul would offer him a
bribe
Jesus, please help judges to avoid
bribery
Listen
Luke
18.15-17: People brought little children to Jesus, for
him to bless them. The disciples told the people to go away and not bother
Jesus. But Jesus called the children to him and said
"Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such
as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the
kingdom of God like a little child, will never enter it".
Jesus, please give all children the chance to
know and love you
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Jesus likes to be bothered
-------------------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Thank you Macau Hope Group for running yet another clinic for poor people at
Marco Polo Center ...seeing some 200 patients
------------------------------------------
Five weeks ago a welfare officer at Tai Lam women's prison
asked me to get the frame changed of an inmate's glasses. Frame had a bit of
metal ...metal not allowed. This I did but when I took glasses to Tai Lam I
found that inmate had been transferred to Lo Wu prison. So I then took glasses
to Lo Wu...only to get a phone call a few days later saying that new frame did
not fit regulations. Regulations say frame can only be one color, not mixed
colors, and new black frame had a few traces of brown! And ...inmate had been
transferred back to Tai Lam. So I again got glasses fixed and took them
yesterday to Tai Lam...only to find that inmate is out on bail!!!
--------------------------------------
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 16th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Qinghai
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2018:
My trip to Latin America
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
--------------------
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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頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
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