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
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China8
Tues Oct 1
Radicals planning murderous Oct 1
attacks ((in the words of Psalm 146: God,
please thwart the plans of the wicked)) ***
China Armed Police already in
HK *** ?? Is this
wise: Pan-dems say march to go ahead despite ban
((radicals might morph it from a peaceful to a
violent occasion?)) *** CE
obliged to be in Beijing on a day when she should be on the deck in HK
I was at Tai Lam women's prison for 9 hours yesterday - sad to
meet some new arrivals from Africa and Malaysia. Sad also to reflect that most
new international drug mules these days are women ... vulnerable women easier to
recruit/deceive/co-oerce than men. (And see 
below!)
Pope
establishes 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time as "The
Sunday of the Word of God" (2020 = Jan 26)
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Jeremiah
1: Jeremiah lived in a
village not far from Jerusalem.
Jeremiah's father was a priest. God said to Jeremiah:
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.
I have appointed you as prophet to the nations." Jeremiah said to God:
"Lord, I do not know how to speak.
I am so young." God then touched
Jeremiah's mouth and said:
"I now put my words into your mouth.
Go and tell the people everything I ask you to speak. Do not be dismayed by
anyone.
I am making you strong. You must confront
Judah's kings, priests and people.
They will oppose you, but will not overcome you,
for I am with you."
Lord, please give special
courage to people who speak your message for the world
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
134: O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands to heaven
and bless the Lord through the
night. May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.
Lord, please protect my
family tonight and every night
Listen
2
Corinthians 11.24-12.14: Remember how much I have suffered for the sake
of the Good News:
- 5 times I had the 39 lashes from the Jews
- 3 times I was beaten with sticks
- once I was stoned
- 3 times I was shipwrecked
- I have often been starving.
This should prove to you that I am a
genuine apostle, not after money or fame or power. It is you I want, not
your possessions
Jesus, help church workers want souls,
not money/fame/power
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: Paul's words (2 Cor) are an example of the fact that "many other things happened as well as what is written" - since none of his lashings are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
------------------------------
For some reason the every-30 mins mini bus due at 6pm at
Tai Lam women's prison failed to show up yesterday for the trip to Tuen Mun MTR
station ...for trip back to my home in Jordan. But as I began thinking about
walking 20 minutes to the nearest big bus station, a car pulled up and a kind
welfare officer from the prison, with her husband who works in the next-door
men's prison, asked if I would like a ride! Offer was gratefully accepted and
they dropped me at Mei Foo MTR ... to where I was due to make a special trip
later in the week to collect a six month supply of contact lenses for a prisoner
in another prison. I had phoned the shop on Saturday morning after receiving an
email request that morning from welfare in that other prison .... not the first
time for this order for this prisoner. Lenses usually take a few days to be
delivered to shop, then shop phones me and I collect them. Shop had not phoned
me by yesterday afternoon, but I thought Providence which arranged the limousine
service might also have the lenses order in hand. Sure enough, lenses arrived at
shop just before I did! God is Good! All the Time!
-------------------------------
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 1st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners 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 Congo
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Sep 30
Yesterday
afternoon's usual Sunday gathering for 250 poor people was extra special with
the presence of several groups of volunteers ... and I think the record was once
again broken for the short time needed to pack up tables and chairs .... many
hands make light work!
I
hope that protesters using violence can soon enjoy the hospitality of the CSD: Fires, water cannon in Wan Chai protest chaos.
Violence is not the way to go ... *** Beijing's latest, desperate propaganda turn to solve the
"HK problem" *** CE
sought Xi Jinping's approval to withdraw bill
Pope's
letter to young people:
126. See Jesus as happy, overflowing with joy. Rejoice with him as
with a friend who has triumphed. They killed him, the holy one, the just one,
the innocent one, but he triumphed in the end. Evil
did not have the last word. Nor will it have the last word in your life,
for you have a friend who loves you and wants to triumph in you. Your Saviour
lives.
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Isaiah
62-66: The Lord says:
"My eyes are drawn to the humble and contrite person
who lovingly meditates on my word. Towards Jerusalem I will send peace,
flowing like a river. I am going to gather the nations of every language.
All peoples will know and love me
Lord, please give me more love
for the Bible. Please give the world more peace.
Please help all peoples know and love you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm 133:
How good and how pleasant it is
when people live in unity. It is like precious oil upon the head,
running down upon the beard. It is like the dew of Hermon
which falls on the heights of Zion. For there the Lord gives his blessing,
life for ever.
Dear Lord, please help all the
peoples of the world to live as one family, in unity.
Listen
2
Corinthians 8.9 - 9.7: Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was.
He was rich, but he became poor for our sake, to make us rich. So we also should help people who are
poor. If
we have extra
we should help people who don't have enough. Maybe some day, the same poor people will be
rich,
and we will be poor, and they will help us. And don't forget, God loves a cheerful giver
Jesus, help me do more to help poor
people
Listen
John
19.17-24: Carrying his own crossbeam, Jesus went out of
the city to the place called Golgotha, where they crucified him with two
other men, one on each side of him. Pilate had the charge against Jesus written
out and attached to the top of the cross. It read "Jesus of Nazareth,
King of the Jews". When the soldiers had finished crucifying
Jesus, they divided his clothes among them
Jesus nailed to the Cross, thank you for
suffering for the salvation of the world
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Today is the Feast Day of the great Bible scholar Saint Jerome who loved to meditate on God's word (... Isaiah ..!)
-------------------------
Tomorrow,
Oct 1, is shaping up as a day of violence in HK. But this old man hopes to be in
one of the safest places in HK: Lai Chi Kok men's prison!
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
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 30th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanghai
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 Haiti
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Sep 29
R.I.P.
Fr Peter Daly O.M.I. Peter was some years behind me at Iona College in
Brisbane, and again at St Mary's Seminary in Melbourne. I was at his ordination
in Brisbane in 1979. We taught together at Iona in 1984. He several times
visited HK when Provincial. Thank you
Jesus, for Peter's life. May his prayers on the other side of the veil in Heaven
help us on this side here on earth.
Yesterday
afternoon I had the privilege of saying Mass for the
Walk to Emmaus Community
Taking
down a drug mule syndicate in Malaysia (mentions my anti-drug campaign)
Pope's
letter to young people:
137. Youth, as a phase in the development of the
personality, is marked by dreams which gather momentum, by relationships which
acquire more and more consistency and balance, by trials and experiments, and by
choices which gradually build a life project. At this stage in life, the young
are called to move forward without cutting themselves off from their roots, to
build autonomy but not in solitude
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 26
Amos 1-9: It was God who formed the mountains
and created the wind.
The Lord is his name. He says to the House of Israel: Seek me and you shall live.
Do not go to the places of idol worship. Seek good and not evil, so that you may live.
Hate evil and love good. Injustice and swindling, exploitation of the
poor,
this is the reason for earthquakes and disaster.
Lord,
please help me to do good and avoid evil
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
146: My soul, give
praise to the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my days. Put no trust in
princes,
in mortal men in whom there is no help. Take their breath, they
return to clay
and their plans that day come to nothing. They are happy who are
helped by Jacob's God,
whose hope is in the Lord our God, who alone made heaven
and earth,
the seas and all they contain. It is he who gives
bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free. It is the Lord who
gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down. It is the Lord who
protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan. It is the Lord who
loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for
ever,
Zion's God, from age to age.
Lord, please increase my trust
and faith in you
Listen
1
Timothy 6.11-13:
As a man of God, avoid things like greed and
disputes. You must aim to be a saint, filled with faith
and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith, and win for
yourself eternal life. Be a constant witness to goodness and
truth,
like Jesus who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius
Pilate.
Jesus, help me be a witness to goodness
and truth
Listen
Luke
16.19-31: Jesus told this story to the people: There was a rich man who used to
dress in expensive clothes and feast magnificently every day.
At his gate there was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who longed to eat scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs
even came and licked his sores.
The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried. In his torment in Hell, the
rich man looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus at his
side.
So the rich man cried out "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in
agony in these flames".
"My son", replied Abraham, "remember that during your life, good
things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now
he is being comforted here, while you are in agony"
Jesus, please help me understand how I should do more to help poor people
01 02
Reflection on the above readings: Statement from Australian bishops - Lazarus at our gate
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: Seeing Lazarus (Chinese text below English text)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
Yesterday's
AFL grand final in Melbourne was won by Richmond
whose team included an
ex-prisoner having his first ever AFL game!
------------------------------
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 29th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Chongqing
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 29th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Mauritania
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Sep 28
Yesterday afternoon at Lai Chi Kok men's prison I was sad to meet
some newly-arrived elderly drug mules .... tricked to carry
"documents" from Sao Paulo, Brazil to HK. As I left the prison I was
thinking maybe a rocket scientist in the HK Department of Justice could
establish a structure whereby such elderly people could quickly be processed and
freed .... without going through the usual 1-2 year ordeal of numerous lower
court appearances before finally making it to a jury at the High Court
It is public knowledge that a number of young people linked to
"HK Independence" are in prison for possession of fire arms. This is
the ultimate extreme group of the protest movement. Worryingly, some unstable
adults who recruited the young people are at large, some of them out of
detention on bail. Why the police don't cancel their bail is a mystery. In any
case, I think the judge in this case made the right decision: High Court rejects teenager's bail application
Pope's
letter to young people:
134. What
does it mean to live the years of our youth in the transforming light of the
Gospel? We need to raise this question, because youth, more than a source
of pride, is a gift of God. It is a gift that we can squander meaninglessly, or
receive with gratitude and live to the full.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Isaiah
61: The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news
to the poor,
to bind up broken hearts, to proclaim liberty to captives,
freedom to those in prison, to comfort people who mourn,
to replace their sadness with praise. I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God, for as the earth makes plants to
grow,
and as a garden makes seeds spring up, so the Lord will make integrity
and praise
spring up in the sight of the nations.
Lord, please give comfort and courage to people
who are sad
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
130: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
If you, O Lord, should
record our guilt,
Lord, who would survive? But with you is found
forgiveness.
For this we revere you. My soul is waiting for the Lord.
I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for the daybreak. With the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption. Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.
Lord, please forgive me for all
the bad things I have done
Listen
2
Corinthians 5.14-19:
The love of Christ is like a
tsunami.
It overwhelms
us and sweeps us away
when we remember how Jesus died for everyone. God, through Christ, has repaired his
friendship with humanity.
We must spread the news of this reconciliation
"And when I think, that God his Son not
sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in"
- from the song "How Great Thou Art"
Listen
John
19.4-16: Pilate now put Jesus on display and again
told the leaders
"I find no case against him". The leaders replied "According to our Law
he must die, since he claims to be the Son of God. If you free him, you
are no friend of the Roman Emperor". Eventually Pilate gave in to them and handed
Jesus over to be crucified
Jesus, please help all judges to stand up for
the truth and not make false judgments
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: He who came to proclaim liberty to prisoners (Isaiah) became a prisoner to obtain our liberty
---------------------------
Students from top schools hold joint protest rally
- may they stay peaceful .... and some day run HK in a better way than it is run
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, 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 28th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Beijing
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 28th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Lesotho
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Sep 27
Last night's regular canteen meal for homeless people was
attended by 40 guests .... after which Lucia, Tony and I (the 3 directors of NGO
"MercyHK") had a meeting to work out a Plan B ...that would be more
economical and easier to arrange. During the meeting we were mindful of this
coming Sunday's Gospel - the story of the poor man Lazarus at the rich man's
gate.
Two flight crew
(from Africa?) arrested in drug bust
On
this feast of St Vincent
de Paul who died on this day in 1660, Jesus please bless everyone in the
Vincentian family - especially members of the St VdP Society!
Pope's
letter to young people:
132. What
you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with
your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what
breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Isaiah 60: Arise, shine out, for your light has come.
The glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though the rest of the world is still in darkness. The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness. People from other lands are
coming to you,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of the Lord. No more will the sun give you
daylight,
nor moonlight shine on you, for the Lord himself will be your
everlasting light.
Then your days of mourning will be ended.
Lord Jesus, you are the light
of the world.
Please give more light to my life.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
128: O blessed are those who love the Lord and
walk in his ways. By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper: your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of
your house;
your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Indeed thus shall be blessed
the people who love and honor the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days
of your life.
May you see your children's children in a happy Jerusalem!
On Israel, peace!
Dear Lord, may all married
people live to see their children's children
Listen
2
Corinthians 4.8-5.1:
We are in difficulties on all sides, but never
cornered.
We see no answer to our problems, but never despair.
Even though our bodies are aging and decaying,
our hearts are renewed day by day. Our troubles seem great now, but they don't
stand comparison with the eternal glory coming soon. When the temporary tent that we live in here on
earth is folded up,
we will move to an everlasting house built by God for us in heaven
Jesus, help me remember Heaven - especially
when life gets tough
Listen
John
19.1-3: Pilate then had Jesus taken away and
scourged. The soldiers used thorns to make a
crown and pushed this into Jesus' head. They dressed him in a purple cloak and mocked
him saying
"Hail, king of the Jews". They slapped him in the face
Jesus, scourged and made fun of, please help
me not to hurt anyone by my words or actions
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Scourging was meant to leave a man half dead, to speed up death on a cross. The fact that Jesus died faster than expected on the cross indicates that his scourging was excessive - as described in the 1978 documentary The Silent Witness
-------------------------
One highlight of last night's canteen meal for 40 homeless
people was the singing of Happy Birthday for our oldest guest, an 87 year old
lady who sleeps under a bridge.
-------------------------
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 27th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tibet
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 27th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Uganda
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Sep 26
Yesterday
morning I was at the High Court in support of two men charged with drug
trafficking inside HK .... followed by a visit to the Catholic Centre
Chapel in Central to pray for HK .... followed by a lunch time meeting for the No
More Mules team ....whose FB boosts have greatly slowed the flow of drug
mules from South America to HK
Oct 1 march to mark a day of mourning for
China
It will have 8 runways!
Xi Jinping opens new Beijing airport
*** But
HK airlines in big trouble (many stories these days of mostly-empty planes
... and flights cancelled for lack of passengers)
Pope's
letter to young people:
131. Do you need love? You will not find it in
dissipation, using other people, or trying to be possessive or domineering. You
will find it in a way that will make you genuinely happy. Are you seeking
powerful emotions? You will not experience them by accumulating material
objects, spending money, chasing desperately after the things of this world.
They will come, and in a much more beautiful and meaningful way, if
you let yourself be prompted by the Holy Spirit.
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Isaiah 57-58: Tell my people their faults,
tell the House of Jacob its sins. Tell them that their fasting is a
sham.
Fasting and injustice cannot go together. This is the sort of fast that
pleases the Lord:
breaking unjust fetters,
sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering and clothing the homeless
poor. Do this and you will find healing
and peace.
Do this and the Lord will give strength to your bones.
Lord, please help me do more to
help poor people
Recording
Psalm 126: When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs. What marvels the Lord worked for us.
Indeed we were glad. Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap. They go out, full of tears, carrying seed for
the sowing.
They come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves. Dear God, please bless all
people who are sorrowful as they work
Recording
2 Corinthians 1.19-20:
The Son of God, Christ Jesus, was not
sometimes "Yes" and sometimes "No" in his words and
actions. He was always crystal clear "Yes" - you knew exactly
where he stood on every issue. That is why it is "through him" that
we pray and then answer "Amen" (= "yes").
Jesus, help me be a committed "Yes"
person - not someone
who "sits on the fence" about the important issues of life
Listen
John
18.28-40: The religious leaders took Jesus to the Roman
governor, Pilate. Pilate asked Jesus "Are you the King of the
Jews?" Jesus replied "My kingdom is not a
kingdom of this world. But I am a king. I came into this world to bear
witness to the truth". After further questioning, Pilate said to the
leaders "I find no case against him, so how about I release him
according to the custom of releasing one prisoner at Passover? At this the leaders shouted "Not this
man, but Barabbas".
Barabbas was a bandit
Jesus, help me be a better witness to
good values
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: A Google search for "post-truth era" brings up articles which speak about our time being one of "post-truth" .... how we need Him who witnessed to the truth ... he who himself is The Truth
---------------
Yesterday I met someone who is praying for hail and storms for
Oct 1 .... in Beijing!
--------------------
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 prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 26th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 26th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Togo
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Sep 25
HK airport is now "secure" ..... protesters cannot
easily enter it. I hope all MTR stations can also soon be secured .... at least
the ones which have been targeted ... at least on weekends. Surely a police
force of 30,000 can secure a dozen MTR stations on the weekend. Extra security
staff can be hired ....as at the airport. That the airport had not been secured
until after it had been occupied and that the MTR stations are not being secured
makes one wonder how serious the HK govt is about security .... and why a
lack of seriousness?
Beijing ready for
ugly scenes on October 1
Pope's
letter to young people:
131. Ask the Holy Spirit each day to help
you experience anew the great message (of God's love). He can change your life,
fill it with light and lead it along a better path. He takes nothing away from
you, but instead helps you to find all that you need, and in the best possible
way.
------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
One who passes by
We are unaware of the long term consequences of what we do or say, so our
care must be that, in both words and actions, we are sensitive to others
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Isaiah 56:
Foreigners who love and serve the Lord
- these I will bring to my holy mountain, says the Lord. I will make them joyful in my
house of prayer,
for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.
Lord, please help all peoples
of the world
know that you are their loving Creator
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
125: Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, that cannot be
shaken. Jerusalem, the mountains surround her,
so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forever.
Lord, please help us be
more aware of your protecting presence
Listen
2
Corinthians 1.1-10: From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle
of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, one of the brothers, to the church of
God at Corinth. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
a gentle Father and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our
sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows. The recent persecutions I experienced made me
think I would not survive. This has taught me to rely not on myself but
only on God for help. God saved me from being killed. My hope is he
will continue to save me
Jesus, please help people who are in danger of
being killed today
Listen
John
18.19-27: The main religious leader interrogated
Jesus about his teaching. Jesus told him "I have spoken openly in
prayer halls and in the Temple. I have said nothing in secret. The people
can tell you what I said". At these words, one of the guards slapped
Jesus in the face, saying "Don't speak to the leader like that".
Jesus replied "If I said something wrong, point it
out. But if there was nothing wrong with my words, why did you hit
me?" Meanwhile Peter was outside in the courtyard,
keeping warm by a fire. Three times he was asked by different people if he
was a disciple of Jesus. Three times he replied "I am not".
After his third denial, a rooster crowed
Jesus, on trial before the leaders, please
bless everyone on trial today, in every country
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: For the rest of his life Peter was not a little uncomfortable when he heard a rooster crow!
---------------------------
True story: I was recently at a birthday gathering (of
someone else) where a concerned person said I should change the color of my
(blue) shirt(s) to become less conspicuous. At the very moment as the kind
person said "change color of shirt" someone opposite them at table
accidentally knocked over a glass of wine which changed the color of ..... their
white shirt! "Brought the house down"!
-------------------------
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 25th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Ningxia
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 25th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Comoros
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues Sep 24
Several times in the past few days I have heard people say
"I can't watch the news about the violent protests any more .... it's too upsetting". I
had the same feeling yesterday when I saw MTR stations being vandalised. It's
like watching a video of your house burning. And the video of people
desecrating the flag of China was particularly offensive and disturbing. This will cause an
enormous reaction in China, not least in the Beijing leadership. The protesters'
aims are supported by many if not most HK people, but the violence used by
radical protesters is causing great distress to many ordinary HK people.
My article in today's Ming Pao newspaper has the topic: 1967 riots & 2019 protests. It's on Ming Pao website - click "Australian in HK". Text without recording
Don't
accept food from strangers at airport - drugs can be in beef!
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Isaiah
54-55: Though the mountains may fall and the hills
turn to dust,
the love of the Lord will never cease. O come to the water, all you are
thirsty,
though you have no money, come. Why spend your money on what is
useless,
your wages on what fails to satisfy? Seek the Lord while he is to be
found.
Call to him while he is near.
Lord, please help us give
more time to things that are important .... and less time to things that are not so important.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
124: "If the Lord had not been on our
side",
this is Israel's song. If the Lord had not been on our side
when people rose against us, then would they have swallowed us alive
when they were angry with us. Blessed be the Lord who did not let us become
a prey for their teeth. Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the hunter. Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Thank you, Lord,
for all the times you have rescued me from trouble
Listen
1
Corinthians 16.5-24: I hope to visit you after I have been to
Macedonia.
I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,
because an important door
has opened for my work, despite
opposition. Be brave and strong. Let everything be done in
love. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you
Jesus, help me be brave and strong, like Paul
Listen
John
18.1-11: After their Last Supper, Jesus and his
disciples went to a garden near the Kedron valley. Judas knew they would be there, since they had
often gathered there.
Judas led the police and soldiers there to arrest Jesus. Jesus said to Judas' group "Who are you
looking for?" They replied "Jesus the Nazarene".
Jesus said "I am the one you are looking for. Let these other men go
free". The group then arrested Jesus and bound
him.
They took him to the religious leaders
Jesus, please bless everyone who is arrested
today, in every country
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: It's not a very pleasant thing to be arrested and lose your freedom. The reception section of any prison with recently-arrested people is a place where people are in shock/sadness at being a criminal. Yet he who is the C.E.O. of the Universe subjected himself to this humiliation ... for our sake.
------------------------------
To go with reading from I Corinthians:
-------------------------------
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 24th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Inner
Mongolia
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 24th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Zambia
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2018:
My trip to Latin America
2018: My trip to Thailand and Cambodia
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
Dec 2018 - Jan 2019 trip to Malaysia
June 2019: my anti-drug campaign featured in The Malaysia Drug Trade
--------------------
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
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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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