V2Catholic.com
A voice for the poor
by HK prison chaplain 胡頌恆神父
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I.
jdwomi@gmail.com
+852 67095674
Imitating
Pope Francis 78
Wed July 1
Yesterday
I was at Tai Lam women's prison from 9am to 5pm .... happy to see and hear water
pouring over the wall of next door Tai
Lam Chung Reservoir .... a most spectacular waterfall
July: month of the Precious Blood of Jesus
An
amazing story: The
singing of a London tramp, made into a moving recording: 
Jesus'
Blood Never Failed Me Yet (need
to turn volume up ...and wait for sound to begin at about 28 seconds...then
music at 4 mins). Words: Jesus'
blood never failed me yet, Never failed me yet, Jesus' blood never failed me
yet, There's one thing I know, For he loves me so (and
see comments!
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Video
of Israeli attack on Gaza
32. In the tragic context of the Second World War, and the years of reconstruction that followed, the teachings of Pius XII made a significant contribution to the development of Social Doctrine. This is particularly true of his Christmas radio messages, in which he outlined the framework of an international order based on justice, peace and the recognition of human dignity. In these messages, the Pope proposed a dialogue with society based on an appeal to natural law understood as a set of objective principles that precede the interests of individuals and States, and which must regulate both the internal life of nations and their mutual relations. Pius XII also attributed a decisive role to professional associations, labor unions and the various intermediary organizations in the economic and social order. He recognized these organized forms of society as an essential safeguard for civil equilibrium and for protecting the common good. He affirmed the need for a sound rule of law for guarding against the abuse of power, and he recognized democracy as a means for ensuring the proper exercise of authority. At the same time, he warned against any attempt to base law on utility or force, recalling that an international order governed by the advantage of the strongest exposes weaker peoples to oppression and fundamentally undermines trust between nations. Finally, Pius XII identified profound economic imbalances between countries as one of the factors fueling conflicts. [26] Three guidelines remain particularly significant for our own times, currently marked by new forms of global power and growing inequalities: the need for law to take precedence over interests; the awareness that economic disparities are a breeding ground for tension and violence; and the necessity of a network of associations capable of mediating between the individual and the State. These guidelines continue to provide important criteria that enable Social Doctrine to interpret the dynamics of globalization and promote a more just and peaceful international order.
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus 37-38:
The skilled workers next made
the ark,
then the table for the bread
offerings,
then the lamp-stand and the altar of
incense.
Next they made the altar of
sacrifice,
the bronze basin
and the courtyard with its special
curtains.
Dear
God, please bless all skilled workers
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
9.20-31: After a few days,
Paul began preaching in the
prayer halls that Jesus is the Son of God. People were amazed at Paul's
conversion. As time
passed, the Jews planned to kill
Paul. Paul heard of this and decided to leave the city. The Jews kept watch at
the city gates to stop him leaving. Then one night he was able to escape: some
disciples lowered him in a basket from the city wall. He went to Jerusalem and began preaching
boldly in the name of the Lord.
Soon another plot was made to kill him. Therefore the disciples sent him
to Tarsus. After this the churches throughout Judea,
Galilee and Samaria were left in peace. They steadily grew, strengthened
by the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit, please strengthen me, as you
strengthened Paul and the first believers
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 readings: The closer Jesus got to Jerusalem, the more difficult it must have been for him to sleep at night ...as he thought about the suffering awaiting him
---------------------------
Super-optimistic wish: Australia to defeat England in World
Cup Final
-------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 1st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Anhui
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 1st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Niger
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues June 30
Every 4 or 5 months the 2 pot plants inside the Dr Jesus Centre chapel in Temple Street need to be replaced. Yesterday was a replacement day and I bought 2 new pot plants, and since it was the Feast of Peter and Paul I named the pot plants Peter and Paul! (And see Bible readings Reflection, below!)
Today I'm hoping to visit Tai Lam women's prison
31. Pius XI’s Encyclical Quadragesima Anno was published in 1931 on the fortieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum at the height of a major global economic crisis, marking a further step in the Church’s social teaching. Rather than limiting itself to addressing the “workforce question,” it broadened its focus to encompass the overall structure of the economic and political order. The Encyclical denounces the concentration of economic power in the hands of a few; criticizes both unlimited competition and collectivist projects that undermine the freedom and responsibility of the individual; strongly affirms the workers’ right to association; and reiterates the requirement that wages be proportionate not only to performance, but also to the needs of workers and their families. Within this framework, Pius XI systematically formulated the principle of subsidiarity, which was to become one of the cornerstones of Social Doctrine. According to this principle, whatever can be carried out by individuals, families, intermediary organizations and local communities should not be carried out by higher-level authorities. Alongside these contributions, in various interventions of his Magisterium — from the Encyclicals Non Abbiamo Bisogno and Mit Brennender Sorge to Divini Redemptoris — Pius XI clearly recalled the societal role of private property and denounced forms of totalitarianism that demean the dignity of the person, stifle life in society, exalt the State above its just value and discriminate according to race. At least three insights of his social teaching remain particularly relevant today: the awareness that injustice concerns not only individual behavior but also economic and institutional structures; the importance of the principle of subsidiarity, which calls for the strengthening of the fabric of associations and communities while avoiding further centralization of power; and the link between the dignity of work, fair remuneration and the genuine possibility for families to lead a dignified life.
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon: How
children in West Bank are being killed by Israel without accountability
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
36: The Israelites were so generous towards
building the Tent
that Moses was told by the craftsmen:
"The people are bringing more than is needed for the Lord's
Tent."
The skilled workers made the tabernacle, the framework
and the veil for
the Tent of Meeting.
Dear
God, please give me a generous heart
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
90: O Lord you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
Before the earth or the world
existed,
you are God, without beginning or end. For you, a thousand years are
like yesterday, come and gone so quickly. We humans have a short life,
our life is over like a sigh. Our span is 70 years,
or 80 for those who are strong. Make us know the shortness of our
life,
that we may gain wisdom of heart. In the morning, fill us with your
love.
Give success to the work of our hands.
Lord,
help us realize the shortness of our life, that we may live our lives more wisely
Listen
Acts
9.1-19:
Paul kept up his campaign against the Lord's
disciples.
He got the ok to arrest followers of the Way in Damascus. But on his way to Damascus, a light from
heaven surrounded him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying "Paul, Paul, why are
you persecuting me?" He said "Who are you, Lord?"
The voice replied "I am Jesus, and you are persecuting
me.
Go into Damascus and you will be told what to do". Paul's eyes were open, but for more than a day
he was without his sight, and he ate and drank nothing. The Lord got
Ananias, a disciple in Damascus,
to visit Paul and pray for him. The Lord said to Ananias "Paul
is my chosen instrument to bring my name to non-Jews and Jews. He will
suffer much for me". Ananias went to
Paul and prayed for him with the laying on of hands.
Straight away, Paul could see again. Then Ananias baptized him
Jesus, please help me understand
how unkindness to others is unkindness to you
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 readings: 
For
yesterday's Feast of Peter and Paul I watched this excellent video The
World of Paul Explained
------------------------------
To go with reading from Acts:
-------------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 30th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Shanghai
& Tianjin
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 30th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Rwanda & Uganda
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon June 29Feast of St Peter & St Paul
This is so good: Why
a doctor wrote the Bible's longest book
Dragon Boat Festival holiday
hike to Lamma Island
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Gaza
children bear cost of ongoing Israeli attacks
30. Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum constitutes a milestone in the development of the Church’s social teaching. The document places the dignity of work and of workers at the forefront of its reflection; affirms the right to a fair wage for oneself and one’s family; recognizes that persons have a fundamental value that takes precedence over capital and profit; defends private property along with its indispensable societal role; esteems workers’ associations; and proposes forms of cooperation between the different components of society as an alternative to the mentality of class struggle. It is not surprising, then, that Pius XI defined it as the “ Magna Carta” [25] of Christian social action. In Rerum Novarum, the Church’s ancient wisdom regarding the human person and life in society took on a new form capable of responding to the industrial age and offering the first major systematic framework for the Social Doctrine that would be further developed in the following decades. While many of the historical conditions described by Leo XIII have changed, at least two insights remain highly relevant today: the primacy of human labor over any mindset focused solely on finance or productivity — with the consequent attention to the people and families most susceptible to exploitation — and the inseparable link between proclaiming the Gospel and pursuing a more just social order. Rerum Novarum thereby continues to remind us that there is no authentic evangelization that does not also affect the structures of human society.
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of Peter &
Paul
Acts
12.1-17: About this time,
King Herod began persecuting the church. He beheaded the apostle James, brother
of John. He arrested Peter during Passover time. He put Peter in prison and
planned to have him put on trial and killed after Passover. Each day Peter was
in prison, the believers stormed heaven praying for him. On the night before he
was to be put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with
chains, with more soldiers at the prison entrance. Suddenly Peter's cell was
filled with light, and an
angel told him to get up. The
chains fell from his hands. The angel led Peter out of the prison,
without the guards knowing what was happening. Peter then left for another
place. Herod was unable to find him.
Jesus, please help Christians who are in prison for their faith
My recording of this reading
Psalm
34: I will bless the Lord at
all times, his praise always on my lips. In the Lord my soul shall make its
boast, the humble shall hear and be glad. Glorify the Lord with me, together let
us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me. From all my terrors he
set me free. The
angel of the Lord is
encamped around those who revere the Lord, to rescue them. Taste and see that
the Lord is good. They are happy who seek refuge in him. The Lord is close to
the broken-hearted. Those whose spirits are crushed he will save.
Lord, by our Bible reading and prayer, may we taste and see your goodness
each day
Recording
2 Timothy 4.6-8: As for me,
my life of service to the Lord is nearly over. I have fought the good fight to
the end. I have run the
race to the finish. I have kept the faith. The Lord will soon give me the
best of all prizes: eternal life in heaven. He will give it not only to me,
but to everyone who has loved him sincerely in this life.
Jesus, help me keep running to the finish line
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 Bible readings: Jesus recruits imperfect people ... and his recruits sometimes go to prison
---------
It's
in the Bible.....Peter says that Paul's letters are sometimes difficult to
understand!
-------------------------
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 the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On
this 29th of
the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Nigeria
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun June 28
Yesterday morning MercyHK's Lucia Leung took 15 (mainly single)
mothers and 16 children to see "Toy Story 5". For many of the mothers
and children it was their very first time to go to a picture theatre. And after
Lucia put this
clip on FB, a kind reader immediately donated HK$10,000 to help other such
mothers and children have the same experience!
Breakfast
at McDonald's with homeless group after Mass last Sunday
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Jesus, please give peace to the Middle East!
29. What we now call the “Social Doctrine of the Church” is not a spontaneous product of the modern age. Instead, it is the fruit of receiving and structuring a long tradition of ecclesial reflection on life in society, rooted in Sacred Scripture, the Church Fathers and the theological and legal developments of the Middle Ages and modern era. Although the expression “Social Doctrine of the Church” was coined by Pius XII in 1950, [23] its content began to take shape as an organic corpus of social teaching with Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum. Confronted with the “new things” of his time — the conflict between capital and labor, the question of the workforce, and economic and social transformations — Leo XIII did not limit himself merely to acknowledging the unrest, but saw these situations as an area for the Church’s pastoral mission. He exposed them to rigorous discernment, illuminating their causes and possible solutions in the light of the Gospel and an integral vision of the human person created in the image of God. Saint John Paul II regarded this approach as a “lasting paradigm” [24] of Social Doctrine: an exemplary practice through which the Church, when faced with historical changes, exercises her right and duty to examine social realities, make pronouncements about them and indicate paths for finding just solutions. In this way, the perennial contents of the faith and ancient ecclesial wisdom find expression in a living doctrine that remains faithful to the Gospel while growing in response to the “new things” of every era.
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 13
2
Kings 4: A poor widow
whose husband had been a prophet asked Elisha for help when a creditor demanded
her two sons as slaves. All she had was a small pot of oil, not enough to pay
her debts. Elisha told her to get many jars, and start pouring oil from the pot
into the jars. As she and her sons did this, the
oil did not run out. Elisha told her to sell the oil to pay off her
debts. At another time Elisha brought back to life a dead child. He also
once brought about a miraculous multiplication of bread.
Dear God, you
once worked miracles by the prayers of Elisha. Please let miracles be done
in our day.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
89: I will sing for ever of your love, O
Lord. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever. The heavens proclaim
your wonders, O Lord. The heavens are yours, the world is yours. Blessed
the people who find joy in you, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your
face.
Thank you, Lord, for our beautiful world
Recording
Romans
6.3-11: When we were
baptized, two things happened - 1:
We went into Jesus' tomb and joined him in death. We died. - 2:
We rose from the dead with Jesus. We came back to life. This dying and rising
means we have died to sin, and risen to a new life. We died to an old life, and
we came back to a new life. We have been re-born, born again.
Jesus, please help me leave my old life behind. Help me live a new life with you
Recording
Matthew
10.17-42: Jesus said to his apostles
"Because you follow me and speak my message, therefore you will be arrested
and put in prison. But don't worry about what to say for your defense. What to
say will be given you by the Holy Spirit. Boldly proclaim my message and do not
be afraid of persecution. Take
up your cross and follow me. Anyone who does not take up his cross and
follow me is not worthy of me."
Jesus, please give me more courage
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: Dying and rising is a part of daily life .... dying to selfishness, rising to unselfishness .... cross-carrying each day
-------------------------------
Seen
on tee-shirt:
Sorry
I'm late. I didn't want to come
------------------------------
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 the
people in one part
of China each day of the month:
On this 28th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Ivory Coast
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat June 27
Yesterday
I was at Lai Chi Kok men's prison for about 7 hours. I noticed something that is
a really good policy of the Correctional Services Department: an elderly man
from a country which has very, very few prisoners in HK, was put in a section
which has another man from the same country ....since the elderly man can speak
only his country's language, whereas the other man can also speak English and
can help the elderly man communicate with staff and other prisoners.
Beautiful
sharing at my 21/6 YMT Mass by MercyHK's Shirley Lee - her own story
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Who
has profited from war on Iran?
28. Having outlined the way in which the Church is present in history and engages in dialogue with the world, I would now like to consider the development of Social Doctrine in the Magisterium, which has responded to the major social transformations from the nineteenth century to the present day. Naturally, I cannot do justice to the full richness of this teaching, whose fundamental principles are presented in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church and have been further examined by recent Magisterial teaching. Nor can I systematically explore everything that has been developed in the Encyclicals of my late venerable predecessors, especially in Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti. Nevertheless, I will emphasize some essential points in order to show how the present text stands in continuity with that tradition. I would also like to stress how, within this tradition, the unchanging core of revealed truths regarding the human person and society is constantly intertwined with a renewed capacity for listening to historical situations and for responding to contemporary issues. I will now review some of the significant stages of this development, beginning with the period inaugurated by the Encyclical Rerum Novarum.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
35:
Moses encouraged the Israelites to give
willingly and generously
in building the Tent of Meeting.
Everyone whose heart was moved to help
brought their gifts for the Lord.
Dear
God, move our hearts to help other people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
86: Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call to you. All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord,
you who alone are God. Show me, Lord, your way, and guide my heart
so that I may walk in your truth. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my
heart
for your love to me has been great. O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid's son.
Dear Lord, thank you for
all your
love
Listen
Acts 8.14-17: The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people
in Samaria had accepted the word of God. Peter and John went to Samaria
to pray for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit. So far the Samaritans had only been baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit had not come down on them. When Peter and John prayed over them with the
laying on of hands, the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit. Come down on me. Please help me
understand the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation
Listen
Matthew
19.1-9: One day some religious leaders put Jesus to
the test by asking him
"Is it against the Law of Moses for a man to divorce his wife?" Jesus replied "God created male and
female, for the two to become united as one body. What God has
united, no one should separate." The leaders then asked
"But why did Moses allow divorce?" Jesus replied "Moses allowed divorce
because people were so hard of heart. But divorce was not God's
plan. So I say to you, anyone who walks out on their
partner and marries someone else, is guilty of adultery".
Jesus, please help married
people stay together
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Pauline Privilege & Petrine Privilege
---------------------------
Being a Queenslander, I don't like wearing shoes ....and
for the prison yesterday I was looking forward to wearing sandals ...especially
after I walked in lovely sunshine to and from St Paul's Parish for the 7.10am
Mass. But I reluctantly put my trust in the weather forecast for afternoon
storms ...and wore my shoes ....for which I thanked the Weather Bureau as I
walked around Lai Chi Kok prison in the afternoon in puddles of water, wearing
my protective shoes!
------------------------------
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 the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 27th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Tanzania
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri June 26
The last couple of days have been a busy time at the Dr Jesus Centre in Temple Street: Wednesday night saw 15 men of Petros having their monthly meeting; yesterday morning a group of 18 people from the Mainland came for a sharing, followed by the usual Thursday lunchtime gathering for homeless people.
Today I'm hoping to spend the day at Lai Chi Kok men's prison
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Video - Israelis
kill Palestinian man in his home
27. In light of what has been said so far, the Church’s Social Doctrine can be seen more authentically. It is not a handbook of principles and norms to be applied, but a process of shared discernment. It is born from the encounter between the eternal truth of the Gospel and the questions of history. It allows itself to be challenged by the signs of the times, and draws nourishment from the contributions of science, culture and human experience. Therefore, when the dignity of our brothers and sisters is violated, when politics fails to address the tragedies of humanity, when the economy turns against the person or science oversteps the limits of its competence, [22] the Church — together with other Christian denominations and believers of other religions — must make her voice heard, not in order to dominate, but to promote communion. Understood in this way, Social Doctrine becomes a theology of communion in history, a history in which the Word made flesh continues to be present through dialogue, memory and prophecy.
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Exodus 34: Again Moses went up the mountain and
stood before God.
God described himself: "I am the Lord,
a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger,
rich in kindness and faithfulness."
When Moses came down from the mountain
the skin on his face was radiant
after speaking with God.
Dear
God, we praise your tenderness and compassion
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
85: I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
Peace for his people and his friends
and those who turn to him in their hearts. His help is near for those who love him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met.
Justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice shall look down from heaven. The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps
Lord, please give more peace to
our world
Listen
Acts
8.4-8: The believers who escaped from Jerusalem went
from place to place spreading the Good News. One of these believers was Philip. He preached about Jesus in a
Samaritan town. The Samaritans welcomed Philip's message
because of the miracles he worked.
Unclean spirits came out of many possessed
people,
and a number of handicapped people were cured. Such miracles caused great
rejoicing in that town
Jesus, let there be more miracles in our day,
especially the healing of handicapped people
Listen
Luke
18.9-14: Some people prided themselves on being
virtuous, and despised others. Jesus told them this story: Two men went to the Temple to pray, one a
religious leader, the other a social outcast. The leader stood there and said "I thank
you, God, that I am not greedy, unjust and adulterous like other people
such as this outcast here". The outcast did not even raise his eyes, but
beat his breast and said "God, be merciful to me, a sinner".
The outcast, I tell you, went home a friend of
God. The leader did not. People who exalt themselves will be humbled.
People who humble themselves will be exalted
Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner
Listen
Reflection
on the above Bible readings:
-------------------------
-------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 26th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Madagascar
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu June 25
This
is the real spirit of the USA ... a USA to be proud of: How
the town of Lawrence welcomed the Algerian football team (Search
"Lawrence, Algerian football team" for video reports)
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Video - Israeli
soldiers "celebrate" inside home of displaced Lebanese family
26. This attitude of openness to truth, which is at the same time both one and diverse, profoundly expresses the catholicity of the Church, for she embraces the entire human family yet is also immersed in the concrete situations of peoples and cultures. The Second Vatican Council reminds us that, in virtue of this very catholicity, “each part contributes its own gifts to other parts and to the entire Church.” [20] In this way, the Church grows as a whole and as individual communities thanks to a mutual exchange and to shared efforts toward an ever fuller communion. It follows, then, that the People of God are not only gathered together from many peoples, but are also intertwined through different functions, vocations, cultures and traditions, each being called to support and enrich one another. From this perspective, Saint Paul VI acknowledged that, given the great variety of historical situations, it is unrealistic to think that the Church’s Social Doctrine can propose a single response that is valid in all contexts. [21] For this reason, he invited each Christian community to interpret the reality in its own country with clarity and responsibility. The fruitful tension between the universality of the Church’s mission and her local roots is an intrinsic aspect of her life, for she encompasses the whole world, while addressing the specific issues of each context as the real setting in which the Gospel takes shape.
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Exodus 33:
The Israelites continued their journey
through the desert.
Wherever the people camped,
Moses would put the Sacred Tent outside,
some distance from the camp.
Whenever Moses went out to the Tent,
the pillar of cloud came down on the Tent
and God spoke with Moses face to face,
just like friends speak to each other.
The Israelites would go out to the Tent
for Moses to consult God for them.
Dear
God, thank you for your friendship
Recording
Psalm 84: How lovely is your sacred temple, Lord.
My heart is longing to spend time in your holy dwelling. Even sparrows and swallows are your
temple guests.
They build homes for their young near your altar. Blessed are the people who live and work in
your temple.
And blessed, too, are people who keep the memory of your temple in
their hearts. As they go through the troubles of life,
you give them strength to face the trials of each day. Lord, one day within your temple
is better than a thousand anywhere else.
Dear God, thank you for special
places of prayer
Recording
Acts 7.55 - 8.3:
Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked
up and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand. "I can see heaven thrown open", he
said, "and Jesus standing at the right hand of God". At this, the religious leaders at the meeting
covered their ears with their hands. They sent Stephen out of the city and
stoned him. The false witnesses (who were required to throw the first
stones) put down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Paul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit". Then he knelt down and prayed
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them". Then he died. Paul
entirely approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against
the church in Jerusalem
and everyone except the apostles fled to the countryside. Paul began working for the destruction of the church. He went from house to house arresting men and
women and sending them to prison
Jesus, thank you for the example of Stephen
who, like yourself, forgave those who were killing him
Listen
Luke 18.1-7: Jesus told his disciples a story about
the
need to pray continually and never lose heart:
There was a judge who had neither fear of God nor respect for people. In
the same town there was a widow who kept asking the judge for justice
against someone who had wronged her. For a long time the judge refused to help her,
but at last he said to himself "I must give this widow her rights or
she will pester me to death". Even more so God will see that justice
is done for those who cry out to him for help day and night, even if he
delays to help them
Jesus, please give me the perseverance to pray
each day
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Sometimes God delays to answer our prayers ... for reasons we can't understand ... maybe like parents whose 3 year old child asks for 2-wheel bicycle, and parents wait till child much older, when properly able to ride 2 wheel bike
---------------
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid:
Sat:
Cent,
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless
the people of
And praying for the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 25th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of
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 Lesotho
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
---------------------------
Anti-drug
campaign trips: 2020:
My trip to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar es
Salaam, Johannesburg Jan
1, 2020: How cocaine trafficking is impacting West Africa 2017:
My trip to Southern Africa, Dubai ( 2016:
My trip to Kenya, Uganda
---------------- 2019-05-10:
No More Mules
Peru FB boost 199,000 views! 2019-01-20: Article
in El Pais, Uruguay
- 01 02 2018-09-18:
No
More Mules Facebook campaign
- more than 300,000 people reached in Venezuela
2018:
My trip to Latin America ---------------- South East Asia: Aug 16, 2020: CNN
- Indonesian women recruited to take drugs to Hong Kong Oct
23, 2019: FM988
Breakfast program in Kuala Lumpur at which I was a guest June
2019: My
campaign featured in The
Malaysia Drug Trade (6 written reports & documentary
video) 2019-03-25: Eleven
HK01 video and photo reports about Malaysian drug mules arrested in HK- here (one
of the reports is about my anti-drug campaign). Dec
2018 - My Jan 2019 trip to Malaysia 2018:
My trip to Thailand and Cambodia -------------------- Hong
Kong: July
2019: My warning to HK domestic helpers - published
here in HK Filipino media 2018-07-29:
SCMP- Beware
drug lords luring domestic helpers, refugees into narcotics trade 2018-04-08:
The
Pearl
Report on
TVB
- concerning HK's Long Term Sentencing Review Board and my anti-drug campaign March
18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work 2017-09-27: SCMP
Spirit of HK Awards (video starts
after 20 secs) 2017-08-24:
Cable
TV video report on my anti-drug campaign and a
Facebook report on the video report (click
"translation" for English) 2017-05-17:
SCMP - The prison chaplain who has stopped 150 drug mules reaching HK 2017-03-25: Oriental
Daily
report of case of South African woman given discount for help to my campaign
*** May
14 updates: Oriental
Daily, Sing
Tao Dec
1, 2016 - HK News: More women being recruited as drug mules 2016-10-13: HK01
report about campaign and about work for the poor 2016-09-11: Oriental
Daily
report about my campaign - and same day
Editorial 2016-08-27: Oriental
Daily
article about court case and campaign My
anti-drug campaign sites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nomasmulas/ Facebook: Chinese
no more mules page http://hkdrugblog.org/name-and-shame/index.htm ---------------------- --------------------- --------------------- Left
click this table of flags for details of hits on this main page This website
was launched in construction mode in Hong Kong on November
20, 2011 - the Feast of Christ the King. The
official launching was held on
the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20, 2012. Map and Flag Counter
began Feb 11, 2012. Previous visits 4,932. Note: counter on this
page + Map & Flag Counter record visits only to this main/index
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This site's 2017 statistics.
Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and
bloggers! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .
Europe:
Many reports of 2026 trip here
(Jan 6 - Feb 7)
Africa: 
The
Last Run)
2015: My trip to Tanzania, Malawi
Latin America:
2018-09-22:
My
60 min video interview with Radio99,
in Cantonese, is here: 01 02
to help stop people going to prison
(skillfully
managed by kind HK friends):
Photos
from my time in China 2001-20008
Table shows location of readers:
HK 33%; Australia 19%; UK 11%; US
12%; Canada 4% ; Tanzania 4%
Fr
John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com HK
mobile +852- 67095674
