V2Catholic.com A voice for the
poor Edited
by HK prison chaplain
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I . 胡頌恆神父
jdwomi@gmail.com
Links, Search
& Archives Imitating
Pope
Francis www.familyhk.org
This
website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates'
letters! How campaign began
HK
Indon
Kenya
Malaysia 
Nigeria 
Ph 
SA 
S.Amer
Thai 
Tz 
Ug 
EU
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
AsylumSeekerHK
Name
& shame
JesusTower
GoodNewsForPoor
Dr
Jesus RicciCenter
China8
Tues Dec 10
Fires set at entrances of two courts
... I saw the signs of this as I entered the High Court yesterday morning for
the case of a Bengali man on a drug trafficking charge (who was given 4 month's
discount partly because of his help for my anti-drug campaign).
My
interview with 2 Indonesian women acquitted by High Court
jury ... after they were tricked, on
separate occasions, by a Nigerian man in Cambodia to bring drugs to HK. QQ in
English, AA in English and Indonesian.
Letter
in Portuguese from a
Brazil man
in HK for drug trafficking - illustrated by the No More Mules team:
Vida Interrompida
(Interrupted Life)
My article in today's Ming Pao newspaper has the topic: My Christmas wishes. It's on Ming Pao website - click "Australian in HK". Text without recording
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
12-13: God said to a man in
the land of Haran named Abraham,
"Leave your own country and go to a new land I will give you.
I will make you into a great nation."
So Abraham and his family left the land of Haran
and moved to the land of Canaan.
God said to Abraham,
as the number of dust particles on the ground .... an uncountable
number."
Even though Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and had no children,
Abraham believed God's promise to give them many descendants.
Dear God, please help me to
trust you like Abraham
My
recording of this reading
Psalms 73-77: Sometimes when I see how bad people prosper,
I wonder what's the use in trying to be good? But then I realize that
everyone someday has to pay the bill
for any evil they have bought in the world. Sometimes when I see
our world and religion in ruins,
I wonder why has God abandoned us? Then I remember that
God has promised to break the power
of the wicked. He has promised to give strength to good people. So may all people honor
the Lord our God and judge.
May the Lord give us his loving help.
Lord,
you are goodness itself. Please help us to be good
and to trust you always
Listen
Colossians
4.3-21:
Pray for me, in my
chains,
that I may proclaim the message of Christ as clearly as I should. Be tactful with people who are not Christians.
Use friendly conversation with them. Greetings from the believers here with me.
Greetings to all the believers in your area. Grace be with you all
Jesus, may my conversation with non-Christians
help them know you
Listen
Matthew
17.1-8:
One day Jesus took his disciples Peter, James
and John
up a high mountain.
On the mountain Jesus' whole appearance changed.
His face shone like the sun. His clothes were as white as snow. The prophets Moses and Elijah appeared
and spoke with him. Peter said to Jesus "Lord, how good it is for
us to be here!" Then a bright cloud covered them with its
shadow.
From the cloud came a voice:
"This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to
him." The disciples bowed to the ground.
When they got up, they saw only Jesus in his normal appearance.
Jesus, Beloved Son of God,
how good it is to spend time with you in prayer.
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Pope Francis is a good example of someone who uses "friendly conversation" (Colossians) with people who are not Christians (... rather than using aggressive language or refusing to communicate)
------------------------------
When I entered an MTR carriage at Central station for the
ride back to Jordan yesterday morning (after High Court) two of Mother Teresa's
sisters already in the carriage recognised me and moved apart, inviting me to
sit between them. Not exactly a very common experience in HK. And when I sat
down and looked up there was another sister, from the Precious Blood
congregation, seated opposite us. No sign of the Pope though
-------------------------------
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 10th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hubei
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 10th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Guinea
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Dec
9
Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary by her mother Anne
This feast reminds us that it is possible to defeat evil - e.g. the evil of drugs. Drug taking/trafficking can be stopped. Whenever evil wins a battle, it can still lose the war. From defeats by evil, greater goodness than previously thought possible, can become possible. Beautiful prayer for today by Pope Francis and Beautiful reflection for today by Fr Louis Lougen O.M.I.
This
is one reason I'm due, after Christmas, to make my 4th trip to Africa: Two
25 year old men on flight from Johannesburg, arrested HKA, with 24kg (!) of
cocaine
Was there any mention of this by RTHK or HKFP etc?: 68
year old man in wheelchair fatally injured at crossing where traffic lights had
been vandalised by protesters - in this
report ... which outlines the suffering caused to blind and handicapped
people by vandalism. Arrested protesters
should be made to write out this article before they may apply for bail
Police seize pistol "intended for use at march"
*** Yesterday's
march
HK
protesters, fleeing flames and the law, escape to Taiwan
Cold
weather now in HK .... terrible for homeless people .... please HK govt: Follow
the example of Finland to drastically reduce homelessness!
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Immaculate Conception
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 98: Sing
a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand has
brought salvation. The Lord has
made known his salvation. He has shown his justice to the nations. He has
remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the
earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring
out your joy. Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp, with the sound of music.
Let the sea, the world and all peoples acclaim the King, the Lord. Let the
rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the
Lord, for he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.
Lord, may all peoples in all countries know your love and goodness
Recording
Ephesians
1: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in
Christ. Before the world was
made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to
live through love in his presence, determining that we should become his
adopted children, the people who would put their hope in Christ before he
came.
God our Father, before Mary was born, you chose her to be Jesus' mother.
Before I was born, you chose me to be a brother/sister of Jesus
Recording
Luke 1:
In the sixth
month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of
Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed to a man named
Joseph. The angel said to her "Mary, Rejoice! You
have been greatly blessed by God. You are to conceive and have a
son whom you must name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of
God". Mary said to the angel, "How can this happen since I am a
virgin?" The angel replied
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will
specially bless you. Know this too: your cousin Elizabeth has, in her old age,
conceived a son, and is now in her sixth month". "I am the
handmaid of the Lord", said Mary, "let what you have said, be done for
me". And the angel left her.
God the Son, thank you for becoming a baby in Mary's womb
Recording
Reflection on readings:
Mary got involved, from start to finish - Mary a model re Pope Francis' words "get out", "get involved", "look outwards"
-------------------------
A
man sent his friend a Christmas card. It said: A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z. The recipient puzzled over it for weeks, finally gave up
and wrote asking for an explanation. He received the explanation on a postcard:
"No L." (The
1st Noel)
--------------------
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 9th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Henan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 9th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Central
African Republic
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Dec 8
Two
thousand years ago, a young husband and his soon-to-deliver wife were on a long
journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem ... not by train/plane/bus or car ... but by
donkey ... Mary riding, Joseph walking. A journey of around 150 km .... longer
than from HK to Guangzhou (119km) or from Brisbane to Toowoomba (127km) ...
about same as from Melbourne to Morwell (152km). A trip that would have taken
around 10 days. See Hiking
the Nativity Trail from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
In our prayers over the next two weeks before Christmas, let's often remember
Joseph and Mary and Jesus travelling to Bethlehem.
HK's
crisis: let numbers do the talking
I
read every word of this ... with great sadness: Disbelief and dread
- Smoky Sydney's dismal new routine
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Advent 2
Isaiah
40: "Console
my people, console them" says the Lord. A voice cries out "Prepare
in the wilderness a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway for our God
across every desert. Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be
laid low. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all people will see
the Lord's glory." Go up on a high mountain, joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice, joyful messenger to Jerusalem. Shout to the towns of
Judah "Here is your God".
Lord, please help me prepare your way into my heart, into my family, into
my world
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
Matthew
1.1-8: This
is the story of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Long ago God
said through the prophet Isaiah "I am going to send my messenger before
you. He will prepare your way. A
voice cries out in the wilderness: prepare a way for the Lord". And so it
was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism for
the forgiveness of sins. As the people were baptized by John in the river
Jordan, they confessed their sins. John wore a garment of camel skin. Locusts
and wild honey were his food. He said to the people "Someone is coming who
is more important than I am. I am not worthy to kneel down and undo his sandal
straps. I baptize you with water. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit".
Jesus, please help us prepare a way for you
like John the Baptist
Listen
Reflection on the above readings:
Prepare
ye the way of the Lord (from
"Godspell")
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: The Shoot of Jesse (with Chinese text below English text)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
To
go with today's Gospel:
------------------------------
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 8th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Heilongjian
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 8th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Sierra Leone
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Dec 7
Yesterday morning I was at the High Court building for a Court of
Appeal case of a man from Kenya, followed by meetings with some special people.
One meeting was with two kind men who both have full face/head white beards ....
very appropriate on the Feast of St Nicholas (Santa Claus)! (And see 
below!).
Tomorrow there is due to be a huge peaceful march, with police
permission .... but as usual, there's a high risk it will end in violence if
radicals use it as a Trojan Horse. How to stop radicals from spoiling the party
is the question
As
Australia burns, more of us need to heed the message of reports like this: Saving
the planet and ourselves
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
9-11: Noah's descendants
spread to many lands.
They started speaking new languages.
They discovered how to make bricks.
In one place, Babel, they tried to build a very high tower.
But God was not pleased with them.
God scattered the people of Babel to many places.
Dear God, the human family uses
so many different languages.
Please help us to live peacefully together on this earthMy
recording of this reading
Psalm
72: O Lord, please bless the king,
that he might serve your people with justice. May the mountains bring forth peace for the
people
and the hills, justice. The kings of Sheba and Seba bring him gifts.
All nations will serve him. He will save the poor when they cry for help
and the needy who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor. May every tribe be blessed in him.
May every nation bless his name.
May all the nations know and
love you, Lord
Listen
Colossians
3.18 - 4.1:
Wives and
husbands, understand and support
each other. Children, be obedient to your parents.
Parents, treat your children fairly or else they will rebel. Slaves, be obedient and respectful to your
owners.
Offer up your work to the Lord, our Heavenly Owner. Owners, be just and fair to your slaves.
Remember your Heavenly Owner
Jesus, help
families to live
together in harmony
Listen
Matthew
16.21-28: Jesus now began explaining to his disciples
how he must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise from the dead. He also said
"If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself,
take up your own cross, and follow me. Selfishness will ruin your life.
Self-sacrificing will bless your
life. What use is it to have everything in this
world
yet miss out on Heaven?" Jesus, please help me find my
life by losing it in service of others
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Today's Gospel reminds me of the words of former Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies who said on his 84th birthday: "What our world needs is not some economist's theory, but a great mood of unselfishness"
---------------------------
Security at the High Court is tight ... like getting on a
plane ... screening, no liquids etc. So I usually take an empty bottle and fill
it with water from a machine outside the court I'm attending. But yesterday as I
approached the main entrance of the High Court I suddenly realised I had liquid
in my faithful trolley: some Holy Water for a very special house blessing later
in the day. So I discreetly placed the HW at the bottom of the trolley .... and
it was not detected by security staff who know me well and maybe very kindly
don't check my trolley as thoroughly as they should.
------------------------------
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 7th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hebei
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 7th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Burkina
Faso
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Dec 6
Today is the Feast of Saint
Nicholas,
from whose name we get the name "Santa
Claus". He was a bishop who cared about poor
people. The
St. Nicholas Tradition.
Today is a public holiday in some countries. And
see 
,
below!
Yesterday morning I came away happy from the High Court building
after 3 Court of Appeal judges granted a re-trial to an Indonesian woman who had
been given very rough treatment by a judge at the High Court .... after being
tricked by a Nigerian man to collect a parcel of drugs
I am no fan of Starry Lee, but this
article says things I have not see mentioned before, especially her words
about "the mastermind" (... for my theory about "the
mastermind" see the very bottom of this page, comments from Oct 8)
AUD$1
billion (!) ICE haul in Melbourne
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Genesis 7-8:
Noah's family and many animals went into the big
boat, the "ark".
Then for about 40 days there was heavy rain which caused a great flood.
The ark floated on the water.
The people and animals inside the ark were safe
but people and animals outside the ark died.
When the rain and flood stopped
Noah and his family and the animals went out of the ark.
God made a special agreement (covenant) with Noah
to bless Noah and his
family.
God told Noah that the rainbow would be a sign of their agreement.
Dear God, thank you
for making the rainbow so beautiful
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
71:
In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Please hear me and help me. Be a rock where I can take refuge.
Rescue me from people who want to hurt me. It is you, O Lord, who are my hope.
In you I have trusted since I was young. From my mother's womb you have been my help.
My hope has always been in you. Now that I am old, please do not forget
me.
Now that my strength fails, do not abandon me. Now that I am old and grey-headed,
may I continue to trust in you and proclaim your help. To you I will sing with the harp.
All day long my tongue will tell of your goodness to me.
Lord, may all elderly people
put their trust and hope in you
Listen
Colossians
3.15-16:
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts.
Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its
richness, find a home in you.
Help each other grow in wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts, sing songs to
God
Jesus, live in my heart. Please live in
my heart
Listen
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
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Pope Francis has the keys
-------------------------
For St Nicholas' Day! Tradition says he really did spend
time in 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: 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 6th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hainan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 6th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Liberia
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Dec 5
Nelson Mandela died 6 years ago today. HK leaders urgently need
to follow his example of being willing to dialogue with enemies ... by which he
saved his nation from civil war. The govt's unwillingness to dialogue is
producing an ever more toxic atmosphere in HK society
Paradox
at heart of HK protests
Faith, a Kenyan woman on death row in Malaysia ( ... although death penalty no longer in
force ....) phoned me yesterday morning: Court will decide her case tomorrow.
She is asking for prayers. Jesus, please help Faith (... her story...)
---------------------
Chris McDonnell
The Bishop of Rome visits Hiroshima
The
possession of atomic
weapons is immoral
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Genesis 5-6:
Among Adam and Eve's
descendants were Seth, Enosh, Kenan and Enoch.
Enoch was a special friend of God.
Enoch walked with God.
Another good man who walked with God was Noah.
In Noah's time, most people had forgotten God.
Most people did bad things.
So God decided to cleanse the earth by a great flood.
To save Noah and his family from the flood,
God got Noah to build a huge boat for his family
and for two animals of every kind.
Even though most people forgot God,
Noah believed in God and trusted God.
Dear God, please
help me to remember you, to walk with you
Recording
Psalms 69-70: Save me, O God, for the waters have risen to
my neck.
I am sinking fast and can't keep afloat much longer. So many people hate me without cause.
I have no more strength to resist them. May my situation not cause anyone to lose
faith in you.
May people realize that it is for your sake that I am taunted. Taunts have broken my heart.
No one shows me any compassion. For food they give me poison.
In my thirst they give me vinegar to drink. Lord, do not hide your face from your servant.
Answer quickly for I am in distress. You are my rescuer, my help, O God.
O Lord, do not delay to help me.
O God come to our
assistance. Lord make haste to help us
Recording
Colossians 3.12-14:
You are God's special friends. He loves you.
You should be clothed in sincere compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Allow for other's
weaknesses. Forgive each
other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you. You must
forgive others. Over all these clothes, to keep them together
and to complete them, put on love.
Jesus, help me be a better and kinder
person
Listen
Matthew
15.29-31: Jesus went up into the hills near the Lake of
Galilee.
Large crowds came to him bringing
the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others. These they put down at Jesus' feet.
Jesus healed them all. The crowds praised the God of Israel
when they saw the dumb speaking, cripples whole again,
the lame walking and the blind able to see.
Jesus,
please give sick people more faith in your healing love
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: A song to go with Genesis reading - Just A Closer Walk With Thee
---------------
Yesterday I made my first visit this year to the inmates at Hei
Ling Chau drug treatment centre ... which I used to visit every week. There used
to be more than 400 inmates ... but now less than 150 ... because .... not so
many drug users are being arrested .... because ... the police are
"busy"
--------------------
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 5th 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 5th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Chad
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Dec 4
Yesterday morning I had my most
expensive ever bagle at McDonald's in Jordan. While I was having it, with
a green tea, a homeless guy caught my eye and I gave him my Octopus card to buy
something for himself. At which a man two tables from me gestured a "good
on you" sign. At which I asked him where he was from. He said Malaysia and
I found out he was stranded and penniless in HK. Conventional wisdom would have
said "Ask for help at Malaysian Consulate", but experience has taught
me that is a complete waste of time. So I bit the bullet, as well as my bagle,
and went online and bought him a ticket to Malaysia. He spent last night at the
airport .... ready for flight this afternoon. That's one bagle I will never
forget!
Lesson here for all groups - Church included - that must
not lose touch with the ordinary people: For
failing to learn from history, govt and DAB deserve each other
Above, Hiroshima victim.
On his recent visit to Japan, Pope Francis changed church teaching to declare
that the possession of nuclear weapons
is immoral. An excellent summary of the Pope's reasoning is here
in this report by ICAN, which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis 4: Two of Adam and Eve's
sons were Cain and Abel.
Cain was a farmer. Abel was a shepherd.
Cain was jealous of his brother Abel.
God said to Cain: "Get control of yourself."
But Cain let his anger take over, and he killed Abel.
God asked Cain, "Where is Abel?"
Cain answered, "How should I know? I'm not his security
guard."
God replied, "I can hear your brother's blood crying out to me from
the ground. That same ground will no longer give you any crops."
Dear God, please
help me not to get angry with other people
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
66-68: O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shine its light upon us. Let all the peoples praise you, O
God.
Let all the peoples praise you. O sing to the Lord, make music to his name.
Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
God provides a shelter for the homeless. God gives his people strength.
May all the peoples of the
earth know you and praise you, O God
Listen
Colossians
3.5-11: Kill all the bad things that trouble earthly
life:
fornication, impurity, evil desires, greed, anger, bad
temper, spitefulness, abusive language, dirty talk and lying. You have deleted your old self, and have
downloaded a fresh copy of the divine image. That image is Christ. He must
be installed in every part of your life.
Jesus, take over my life. Install yourself in
every part of my life
Listen
Matthew
15.21-28: Jesus went to the coastal district near Tyre
and Sidon.
A foreign woman followed him and shouted
"Sir, Son of David, have pity on me.
My daughter is tormented by an evil spirit." At first Jesus did not answer her, so his
disciples said to him
"Help her, because she keeps shouting after us." Jesus replied "I was sent only to the
people of Israel".
The foreign woman by now was kneeling at Jesus' feet.
"Lord, help me" she pleaded. Jesus said to her "Woman, you have great
faith. Your wish is granted". At that very moment, her daughter
was healed.
Jesus, please give sick people
great faith in you
Listen
Reflection on the above readings (Colossians): Better than Windows 10 is Jesus Won !
---------------------------
Today I'm hoping to do something which I used to do every
week but haven't done even once this year: visit the inmates at Hei
Ling Chau Island drug treatment centre. "Better late than never"!
-------------------------
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 4th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangdong
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 4th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Mozambique
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Usually I remove each day's menu after one week. It can still be accessed on "Archives" (top of this page). But because the menu of Oct 8 has special relevance to HK at the moment, I will not delete the following part of Oct 8 menu for the time being
-------------------------------
Tues Oct 8
The collapse of HK is continuing at exponential speed: Vandals
bring HK to standstill.
Yesterday before midday as I crossed the intersection of Nathan Road and Jordan
Road to join two very special friends for a Yum Cha, I noticed the traffic and
pedestrian lights were not working ... with pedestrians running the gauntlet
between buses, trucks and cars to cross the road .... and vehicles blasting
horns trying to force their way through the intersection .... with not a few
near-misses. I actually made a video of a police car going through the
intersection, but not stopping to help the situation.
More than an hour later when I returned to the same place, after the Yum Cha,
the situation was just as chaotic. So, I went home, got my trusty bush hat, and
went back to the intersection as a volunteer traffic guide .... for which, as
the afternoon went on, many dozens of bus drivers and other drivers waved a
thank you sign to me as they went past. Many pedestrians gave me bottles of
water ... from a few of which I took a few mouthfuls before putting the bottles
at an crossing island.
After about 30 minutes a police car stopped and several policeman told me to stop. I said I'd be happy to stop if they would do the job. They asked me to get in their car. I declined and walked to a footpath. Then I went home for a drink and toilet break. Then went back. Police still not helping. So I went back to work. Having a bus licence (in Australia and formerly in HK) I understand traffic and felt in no danger. Just got tired after another 90 minute stint. With a cramp in my left foot. So I went again to the footpath. Providential timing. Within a minute another police car came and two polite officers and I had the same conversation as above. They told me to go. I said I would go if they would do their job. My left foot and tiredness decided on a trip home, where I had a shower (very hot weather) and rest.
About 6.30pm I went back to the intersection ....as part of a prayer walk ...and was pleased to see 4 (!) traffic policeman on the job. But when I returned around 7pm they were just leaving ....walking away from a dangerous situation. So I ask myself, as on last night's menu: why are police not on the job? Why are they letting vandals have hours of freedom to wreck MTR stations and smash shops? Some people say the authorities want to see HK in chaos so that the PLA can come in and restore order and rule will be from Beijing. To this end, some people even say that some of the destruction is being done by undercover policemen .... maybe from the Mainland since some don't speak HK Cantonese.
Some people say that while the vast majority of protesters are peaceful, there's a small minority of radical vandals whose aim is anarchy. No mainstream media will talk much about this, but in private many people feel that former legislator "Long Hair" Leung Kwok Hung is one of the masterminds of the destruction that "spontaneously" breaks out at the same time at so many locations. Wikipedia's main article (with it's many links) shows he was/is a Trotskyist, anarchist and revolutionary Marxist.
So, the vandalising is maybe coming from more than one source, but it is turning one of the safest and most beautiful cities in the world into a place of destruction and despondency. I felt absolutely gutted last night as I walked down Nathan Road from Jordan Road to Waterloo Road, seeing the trail of destruction ...especially my beloved Kowloon Central Post Office whose doors and windows have been smashed and the front of the building covered in "campaign signs". And I noticed many groups of mainly young people in black carrying umbrellas (on a fine night) heading towards Mong Kok ....trouble brewing there.
Violence just makes things worse. And this is a lesson that the HK government is just not getting. It caused the original peaceful protests (by its crazy extradition amendment) and then by ignoring the peaceful protesters, the govt bred violence, bred radical vandals ..some of whom didn't need much breeding .... they were waiting for a chance to destroy HK. The govt has handed HK to them on a petrol bomb.
Is this all a bad dream? If only. But today is another day .... and how will people get to work and school with the MTR badly damaged and under threat after four nights of destruction (Frid, Sat, Sun, public holiday yesterday for Chung Yeung Festival)? God, please help HK get out of this mess! Please thwart the plans of the wicked!
================
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
Oct 23, 2019: FM988 Breakfast program in Kuala Lumpur at which I was a guest
--------------------
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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the King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
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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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