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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Merry Christmas! I wish all dear readers the peace of Christmas right through 2020!
Tues Dec 24
Christmas Eve - O come let us adore him!
brilliant!
The
Christmas Scale
(820k views)
It's hard to believe that the greatest message the world
will ever hear is contained in one simple scale
Beautiful Indonesian Christmas video: Yesus
Putra Maria
Yesterday I was at Tai Lam women's prison from 9am to 6pm. Sad to
meet one more drug mule from Africa. Hope my trip to Africa next month can
do something to stop drug mules coming to HK. On arriving back in Jordan I met a
homeless ex-prisoner from Central America who is now an asylum seeker in HK and
has many complicated health issues. I gave him something for food and temporary
accommodation for the next few days, and will try to help him find long-term
accommodation after Christmas.
"
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. midnight Mass readings
Isaiah 9: The
people that walked in darkness has seen a great light. On those who live
in a land of deep shadow, a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing on
them, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken and removed. For there is a
child born for us, a son given to us, and dominion is laid on his shoulders. And
he will be called Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,
Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.
Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank you for the peace and hope and joy of your
friendship
Recording
of this reading
Titus 2: God's
grace has made salvation available for the whole human race. We
must give up everything that does not lead to God. We
must delete our worldly ambitions. We must be self-restrained and live good
lives here in this present world, while we wait in hope for the blessings that
will come with the Coming of the glory of our God and savior Christ Jesus. He
sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from wickedness, and to purify
us so that we would have no ambition except to do good.
Jesus, please help me give up everything that does not lead to you
Recording
Luke
2.1-7: Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census
of the whole world to be taken. This census - the first - took place
while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be
registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and
travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of
David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his
betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for
her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first born. She
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn.
Recording
Luke 2.8-14: In
the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took
it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord
appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were
terrified, but the angel said, "Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you
news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today
in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger." And suddenly with the angel there was a great
throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing: "Glory
to God in the highest heaven, and peace to all who enjoy his favour."
Recording
Reflection: No matter where we are, no matter what's happening in our lives, even if we are in a time of sadness (e.g. after a funeral), even if in prison .... Christmas gives us hope and peace .... because Christmas is all about the birth of the Source of hope and peace: Jesus
------------------------------
Elderly man in Phoenix calls his doctor son in New York ...
your mother and I are getting a divorce. Divorce?! After 53 years? What
are you talking about? 53 years is about 50 years too long. We
really don't even like each other any more. Dad! I can't
believe this. Hold on .... I'm gonna call my sister & I'll get back to
you. (calls attorney sister in Chicago) Sis! You're not going to
believe this! Dad just called to tell me that he and mom are getting
a divorce! What?! That's crazy! I'll call them,
then we better get down there just as soon as we can. (sister calls
Dad back in Phoenix) Dad? This is just crazy, and besides
I'm a lawyer. Don't do anything until I get there - until my brother &
I get there. We're coming in on the next possible flights. Elderly
man hangs up the phone and turns to his wife and says, "Well, dear, the
kids are coming home for Christmas ... and they're paying their own way!"
-------------------------------
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
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Dec 23
2
days
to Christmas. O
Immanuel, you are our king and
our judge, the One whom the peoples await and our Saviour. O come and save us,
Lord our God
One
of my favorite videos
Bob
Welsh: My Christmas Eve
(3m views!)
Someone who recently visited Cuba
told me that the economic situation there is very grim ... people struggling to
survive on food coupons .... shops with empty shelves: Cuba gets first prime minister in
40 years
Tesco
suspends supplier after message from Shanghai prisoner found in Christmas card
This
is good! Pope
to Vatican employees: smile!
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Dec 23
Micah 3: The
Lord God says this: Look, I am going
to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. Know that I am
going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes. He shall turn the
hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards
their fathers.
Lord, may we accept the messengers who prepare your way
Recording of this reading
Psalm 24: Lord,
make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make
me walk in your truth, and teach me, for you are God my saviour. The
Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, he guides the
humble in the right path, he teaches his way to the poor.
Lord, help me walk in your truth
Recording
Luke
1.57- 62: The time came for
Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her
neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a
kindness, they shared her joy. Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise
the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his
mother spoke up. "No," she said "he
is to be called John." They said to her, "But no one in your
family has that name", and made signs to his father to find out what he
wanted him called.
Recording
Luke 1.63- 66: The
father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And
they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and
he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the
whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All
those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. "What
will this child turn out to be?" they wondered. And indeed the hand
of the Lord was with him.
Lord, may I treasure your message in my heart
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: Today's readings are all about the Christmas Baby's cousin, John the Baptist, born 6 months before the first Christmas. His job was to prepare the way for Jesus. Which is also the job of every Christian - to prepare a way for Jesus, to help other people know and love the Baby born at Christmas.
-------------------------
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 23rd of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 23rd
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Djibouti
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Dec 22
Happy
Winter Festival! (my
2017 article)
3 days to Christmas. Jesus born at Christmas, please give hope and peace to our troubled world!
Cardinal
John Tong's Christmas Letter - another appeal to govt to listen to the
people .... and to protesters to shun violence
With
a real baby! 
Christmas
Flash Mob
I spent almost all of yesterday at the desk, catching up on
mail/email/W-App. Many moving messages in Christmas cards/letters from
prisoners. Christmas is the birth of the world's most famous ... prisoner.
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Advent 4
Isaiah
7: A foreign king and his army attacked
Jerusalem. The king of Judah and his people were full
of fear. God told Isaiah to say to the king of Judah: "Keep calm, have no
fear. You will not be defeated. The Lord himself gives you a sign of his
protection: a
maiden is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call God-with-us."
Lord, please help me understand how you are God-with-me every day
My recording of this reading
Psalms
24-26: The Lord's is the
earth and all its peoples. It is the Lord who is Creator of the universe. May
all hearts open their doors to the Lord. Let
him enter, the king of glory. Lord I hope in you all the day long.
Forgive my sins and help me walk in your truth.
God my savior, teach me your way of truth
Recording
Romans
1.1-7: From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, who has
been called to be an apostle,
and specially chosen to preach the Good News. This news is about the Son of God who,
according to the human nature he took, was a descendant of David. This news is about Jesus Christ our Lord who,
by his resurrection from the dead, proved he was the Son of God. From him I received my mission to preach the
obedience of faith to non-Jewish nations. You are one of these nations. You belong to
Jesus Christ. To you who are God's beloved friends in Rome,
may
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give grace and peace
Jesus, Son of God, may all nations know
and love you
Recording
Matthew
1.18-24 (a): This
is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to
Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child
through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting
to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his
mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth
to a son and you must name him Jesus,
because he is the one who is to save his
people from their sins."
Recording
Matthew 1.18-24 (b): Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means "God-is-with-us." When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.
Reflection on the readings: Matthew's Gospel is the "Bye Bye Gospel" since it begins and ends with the theme of "God is with us" .... which in English is the origin of the term "Bye" ("God-B-with-Ye")
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: A Sign: the Virgin with Child (with Chinese text below English text)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
Bye
bye joke to go with today's Gospel:
In
class the teacher said: "the first person to answer my question will go
home early". When
the teacher turned her back, little Johnny threw his bag out to the front
of the classroom. Teacher
asked: "Whose bag is that???" Johnny answered: "It's mine.... bye
bye!"
------------------------------
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 22nd
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Zhejiang
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 22nd of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Rwanda
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Dec 21
Macau
people seem happy with President Xi after his visit, but I don't think they are
as savvy as HK people about the show across the border: summary execution after
kangaroo courts, a university told this week to remove "freedom of
thought" from its charter, more and more places not allowing Christmas to
be celebrated ( ... not even Christmas decorations), only people over 18 allowed
to attend church, a totalitarian state with surveillance cameras everywhere
etc.
'Eighty teachers arrested over protests since June'
I was at Lai Chi Kok men's prison from 11am to 6.30pm yesterday.
When I left I saw a group of people preparing some sort of singing (Christmas?)
protest near the main entrance. One of the group claimed there are 70 protesters
in detention in Lai Chi Kok.
Peru
man who taught others how to "cook" cocaine jailed for 23 years
(three of his letters in Spanish here
- Oct 13)
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Dec 21
Song of
Songs 1-2: The
bride says: Kiss me.
Your love is better than wine. How right it is to love you, you whom my heart
loves. The
bridegroom says: How
beautiful you are, my love, how beautiful you are. The
bride: He has taken me to
his banquet hall and his banner over me is love. The
groom: Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come. Show me your face and let me hear your voice, for your
voice is sweet and your face is beautiful. The
bride: My beloved is mine
and I am his.
Dear God, please give me a lover's love for you
Listen
Psalm 33: Ring
out your joy to the Lord, all good people, for praise is fitting for loyal
hearts. For the Lord loves justice and right; he
fills the earth with his love. By his word the heavens were made, he
spoke and the universe came into being. They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
he is the source of all true joy. May your love be upon us, O Lord, since we
place all our trust in you.
Lord, we trust in your precious love
Recording
Zephaniah 3.14-18: Shout
for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with all your
heart, daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has repealed your sentence; he has
driven your enemies away. The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst; you
have no more evil to fear. When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:
Zion, have no fear, do not let your hands fall limp. The Lord your God is in
your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult with joy over you, he will
renew you by his love; he
will dance with shouts of joy for you as on a day of festival.
My
recording of this reading
And
the Father Will Dance - Song
Luke 1.39-45: As
soon as she could and as quickly as she could, Mary went to Elizabeth's home in
the hills near Jerusalem. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the
baby in Elizabeth's womb jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit. Elizabeth said to Mary
"Of all women, you are the most blessed, and blessed is the baby in your
womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Blessed are you for believing God's promise"
Mary, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus
Recording
Reflection on today's readings: Not with a royal family, not with religious rulers, but with simple and lowly people did God arrange the first Christmas
---------------------------
It was Christmas and the judge was in a
merry mood as he asked the prisoner, "What are you charged with?"
"Doing my Christmas shopping early", replied the defendant.
"That's no offence", said the judge.
"It is if you do it before the shop opened", said the prosecution
lawyer!
------------------------------
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 21st
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 21st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Benin
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Dec 20
5 days
to Christmas. Key
of David, who open the gates of the eternal kingdom, come to liberate
from prison the captives who live in darkness!
Has
had 7 mil views!
Say
Merry Christmas (4 mins)
On yesterday's menu I forgot to say that on Dec 17 I came away
grateful from the High Court after a kind judge gave two young Malaysians very
generous discounts because they and their families greatly assisted Malaysian
and HK media in warning people about the danger of drug trafficking ... such
info being also of considerable use to Malaysian authorities
This is the sort of thing that puts HK feet on the streets: Beijing cuts 'freedom of thought' from
university charters
I am due to visit this
Chinese Aged Home in Johannesburg next month please God
I had a long meeting at this airport in January 2018, at which a top police
officer told me there are sometimes up to 10 women drug mules on one flight: Criminals
or victims? Female drug mules at Brazil airport ***
Meanwhile in next door Argentina: Delivery
Apps turning couriers into drug mules
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
c.f. readings for Dec 20
Isaiah
7: A foreign king and his army attacked
Jerusalem. The king of Judah and his people were full
of fear. God told Isaiah to say to the king of Judah: "Keep calm, have no
fear. You will not be defeated. The Lord himself gives you a sign of his
protection: a
maiden is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call God-with-us."
Lord, please help me understand how you are God-with-me every day
My recording of this reading
Psalms
24-26: The Lord's is the
earth and all its peoples. It is the Lord who is Creator of the universe. May
all hearts open their doors to the Lord. Let
him enter, the king of glory. Lord I hope in you all the day long.
Forgive my sins and help me walk in your truth.
God my savior, teach me your way of truth
Recording
Alleluia, alleluia! Key
of David, who open the gates of the eternal kingdom, come to liberate
from prison the captive who lives in darkness. Alleluia!
Recording
Luke
1.26-38: 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
(Dec 19, 2018):
Christmas
means helping the needy, just as Jesus came
down to help us in our neediness; trusting in God, as Mary did,
even if we don't understand his plans; rising up, as Joseph did,
to accomplish God's will, even if it means changing our own plans. It will
really be Christmas if, like Joseph,
we make room for silence; if, like Mary,
we say "Here I am" to God; if, like Jesus,
we are close to those who are alone; if, like the
shepherds,
we go out of our enclosures to be with Jesus.
-------------------------
Christmas smile
Little
boy in "Outback" Australia had never seen rain.
There had been a drought for more than 5 years.
Then just before Christmas the clouds began to form.
On Christmas Eve water fell from the sky.
The little boy ran to the window to see what was happening.
He called out to his mother "Mum, what's that?"
His mother replied "That's rain, dear" (.. reindeer ..)
-------------------------
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 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 20th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Gambia
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Dec 19
6 days
to Christmas. Come
Jesus, Flower of Jesse's stem, sign of God's love for all his people: save us
without delay
Both of these are good!
THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY
(13m views!) and
A
Facebook Christmas Story
I
spent yesterday in Macau, one hour by ferry from HK. Didn't need my passport ...
HK ID card can be used just as in HK .... immigration a one minute task as
machine checks card and finger print. At Macau prison ....which is easier to
break out of than to get into! .... I visited two African women whose
families I'm due to meet next month in Africa. Macau justice system is much harsher
than HK ... the two women were obliged to plead guilty for drug trafficking
since no one (including their govt lawyers) was interested in a not-guilty plea.
From the prison I took a bus to the centre of town where I attended three
meetings to do with my anti-drug campaign .... the first meeting upgraded me to
a second meeting which upgraded me to a third meeting (... let the reader
understand ..). The President arrived in Macau yesterday afternoon but I
didn't Xi him.
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
c.f. readings for Dec 19
Judges 12-13: Jephthah
was judge in Israel for 6 years. For the following 25 years, Ibzan (7 years),
Elon (10 years) and Abdon (8 years) were judges. After
these judges, the Israelites again were unfaithful to the Lord and so they were
oppressed by the Philistines for 40 years. It was then that the angel of the
Lord appeared to Manoah's wife and said to her: "You are barren and have
had no child. But you will soon conceive and bear a
son. No razor is to touch
his head, for he shall be dedicated to the Lord from his mother's womb. It is he
who will rescue Israel from the Philistines". The woman gave birth to a son
and called him Samson. The child grew and the Lord blessed him.
Dear Lord, please bless all barren women
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
Recording
Alleluia, alleluia! Root of Jesse,
set up as a sign to the peoples, come to save us, and delay no more. Alleluia!
Recording
Luke
1. 5-25: When
Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah and his wife
Elizabeth who were really good people, but they were childless. Once when they
went to the Temple in Jerusalem, Zechariah entered the inner sanctuary to burn
incense, while all the people prayed outside. An angel appeared and said
"Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. Your wife will have a son and you
must name him John. He will prepare the way of the Lord". Not long after
this, Elizabeth conceived, and for 5 months she kept to herself, thanking God
for taking away her humiliation at not being able to have a baby.
Jesus, please help childless couples to have a baby
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: The conceptions of Sampson and John the Baptist remind us that He who designed the womb can program pregnancies for special occasions .... preparing us for the conception of Jesus
---------------
Yesterday
in Macau I had to fill in 6 different sets of forms that required the full name
of my father and mother (God bless them!). Three forms at the prison I visited,
and three at three meetings I attended concerning my anti-drug campaign. Macau
red tape good for filial piety!
--------------------
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 19th 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 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Sudan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Dec 18
6 days to Christmas. O Come, Divine Messiah, our troubled world urgently needs your peace
(4
mins) Where's
the line to see Jesus? (5m
views!)
Today I'm due to go to Macau ... a one-day trip ... to visit some
Africans in Macau prison ... whose families I'm due to meet in Africa next month
please God. But .... also going today to Macau is President Xi Jinping (... his
trip was announced after mine was confirmed with Macau prison authorities ...)
... which means transport and security could be interesting. Bible says to pray
for leaders: May the Lord bless the President with good health, courage and
wisdom (... he didn't look so healthy in latest video from Beijing of his
meeting three days ago with HK CE Carrie Lam). ***
SCMP
reporter denied entry to Macau!
Ice
usually comes from China (... not North Pole ...): Customs find HK$77 million worth of
Ice at airport
Arrest
of "mules"in Dubai sheds light on dangerous drug trade
Pakistan
turns blind eye to trafficking of women to China
------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
In a time of preparation: The Great Antiphons of Advent
"A poetry that fills the liturgy with splendour"
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The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. Readings for Dec 18
Jeremiah 23: See,
the days are coming, it is the Lord who speaks, when I will raise a
virtuous Branch for David, who will reign as true king and be wise,
practising honesty and integrity in the land. In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel dwell in confidence. And this is the name he will be called:
The-Lord-our-integrity.
Jesus, Branch of David, may the coming Christmas
celebration of your birth give more integrity to our world
Recording
of this reading
Psalm
72: O God, give your judgement to the king, to a
king's son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice, and your
poor in right judgement. For he shall
save the poor when they cry, and the needy who are helpless. He will
have pity on the weak, and save the lives of the poor. Blessed be the Lord,
God of Israel, who alone works wonders. Ever blessed his glorious name. Let
his glory fill the earth. Amen! Amen!
Jesus, save the lives of the poor!
Recording
Matthew
1.18-24 (a): This
is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to
Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child
through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting
to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his
mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth
to a son and you must name him Jesus,
because he is the one who is to save his
people from their sins."
Recording
Matthew 1.18-24 (b): Now
all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the
prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and they will call him Emmanuel, a
name which means "God-is-with-us." When Joseph woke up he did
what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.
Jesus, Saviour, Emmanuel, we praise you Lord
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: The Gospel says how Jesus will be Emmanuel, "God with us". From "God be with you" came "Godbwye" which became "Godbye" which became "Goodbye". Each time we say "bye bye" or "bye" or "goodbye" to someone, let's remember the meaning "God be with you".
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Buying a boat ticket to Macau on the same day President Xi
is due is a bit of a gamble?!
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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 18th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Ivory
Coast
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
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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
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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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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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