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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Jesus RicciCenter
China8
Tues Dec 31
Thank you Jesus for all the graces of 2019. Please forgive the wrongs of 2019.
Please bless everyone we have met in 2019. And thank you for the past decade!
A
New Year wish for Australia: rain, rain and more rain please God ... to put out
the bushfires
In
preparation for my trip to Africa next week, I have spent much time over the
past two days using my camera to scan my 18 prison notebooks .... with records
of more than a thousand prisoners ... so I don't need to take the books with me
... just my Toshiba computer. Need the records because rarely does a day pass,
even when I'm away from HK, when I'm not asked for info by a legal team or by a
welfare officer or by
the family of an inmate ... or by inmates themselves by mail .... for some sort of
help or information
Letter
in Spanish by a young
Colombian man in prison in HK for drug trafficking -
illustrated by the No More Mules team: Navidad
En La Soledad De Una Celda (Christmas
in solitary in prison)
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
23-24: Not long after his wife
Sarah died
Abraham told his number one servant
to go back to Haran and find a wife for his son Isaac.
The servant went to Haran, to the town of Nahor.
When women were getting water from the well in Nahor
the servant prayed to God for help to find a wife for Isaac.
He said to God,
"If I ask a woman for a drink and she answers
'Please take some of my water,
and I'll give some to your camels,
too'
may she be the one you have chosen for Isaac."
He had barely finished his prayer
when Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel came to the well.
She was very beautiful and not married.
The servant asked her for water and she said "Drink, sir...and I'll get water for your camels,
too." Bethuel, a relative of Abraham, gladly agreed for Rebecca to go with the servant to be Isaac's wife.
Rebecca herself was happy with the plan.
Isaac married Rebecca and loved her dearly.
Dear God, please help people to
find "Mr/Mrs Right"
01
02
Psalm
87: On the holy mountain is Jerusalem,
the Lord's cherished city. Of you are told glorious things, O city of
God. All nations are called to serve and love the
Lord.
And Jerusalem shall be called their spiritual mother,
for all shall be her children. In Jerusalem everyone will be welcome and find
a home.
Lord, may Jerusalem be a place
of peace and prayer for all peoples
Listen
1
Thessalonians 5.12-18: Respect your Christian leaders.
Be
at peace among yourselves.
Warn idlers, give courage to people who are
struggling, care for the weak, and be patient with everyone. Never try to
take revenge. Focus on what is best for each other and for
the community. For all things give thanks to
God,
because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.
Jesus, thank you for everything, even for
unhappy things
Listen
John
1.1-14:
From all eternity the Word existed.
The Word was with God the Father.
The Word was God the Son. The Word was the source of life for all
creatures. The Word became a man, and lived among
us.
We saw his glory, full of grace and truth. Many people did not recognize and did not accept the
Word.
But to everyone who did accept him,
he gave power to become children of God
Jesus, please help me understand how you are
the Word-made-flesh
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Yesterday I was at a cemetery for a service ... and could not help thinking of the song which has these words: "and we will live for ever more because of Christmas Day" ... as children of God
------------------------------
I find it hard to believe that this is the final day of
2019. Where did the year go? Is it possible to start a protest about 2019 going
to quickly?!
-------------------------------
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 31st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tianjin
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 31st of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Nepal
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Dec 30
Last night's regular Sunday gathering for poor people was one to remember: more than 300 guests, about 80 volunteers (including an Evangelical Church group and a music group from Peng Chau Island). Hopefully can some photos can be posted later this week.
How
South American drug cartels created a narco-state in West Africa
(.. groan ...)
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
22: Abraham loved God very
dearly.
Once when God put him to the test
Abraham was even willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac
if that was what God wanted.
When God saw Abraham's love and obedience
God renewed his promise
to make Abraham and Isaac's descendants
as many as the stars of heaven
Dear God, please help us love
and obey you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
86: Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call to you. All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord,
you who alone are God. Show me, Lord, your way, and guide my heart
so that I may walk in your truth. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my
heart
for your love to me has been great. O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid's son.
Dear Lord, thank you for
all your
love
Listen
1 Thessalonians
5.1-11: The Lord's coming will not find us unprepared
if we live a good life. You are not children of the night and of
darkness.
You are children of the light and of the day. Put on faith and love for a
breastplate.
Put on the hope of salvation for a helmet.
Encourage one another. Strengthen one
another
Jesus, please help me be a person of
encouragement, not
discouragement
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: In every parish church, every chapel .... there is an elderly "Anna" whose prayers are powerful!
-------------------------
The
music and dancing (by a visiting group) at last night's gathering for the poor
at Yau Ma Tei was so good that even the most passive guests were clapping and
waving their hands as if at at a youth rock concert!
--------------------
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 Dec 29
I spent all of yesterday at the desk. One particular support
letter for a young Malaysian man took around 3 hours, another support letter for
a South American man took one hour. I went to the post office for a break before
a salad lunch at home ..... and came home with 11 new letters. At one stage when
I started thinking about the protests in HK I came up with a new slogan: PROTEST
IS A RIGHT. VANDALISM IS A WRONG
Queens'
Christmas Message ... theme of reconciliation
... and she practices what she preaches: she has many times met with former
"enemies" (...in Germany, in Ireland etc...). Like Mandela, she
has reached out to "enemies" ... something the HK leadership is
unwilling/unable to do (thereby prolonging and intensifying the conflict here)
Photos
of Christmas party for homeless people two nights ago in Jordan
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of Holy Family
Sirach 1-3: All
wisdom comes from God. Love for God is the source of wisdom. If you desire
wisdom, keep the Lord's commandments, in private as well as in public. Keep
the commandment to honor your parents. Respect for your father will atone
for your sins. Honor for your mother will gain you blessings. Support your
father in his old age. Even if his mind should fail, show him kindness. Do not
despise him in your health and strength. Be gentle in the way you live your
life. The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave.
Dear God, please help me always respect and honor my parents
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
Colossians
3-4: 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
2.13-23: After the wise men left Bethlehem,
an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said
"Go quickly to Egypt,
because Herod wants to kill the child". That same night, Joseph got up
and set out for Egypt with Mary and Jesus.
Herod was angry after being tricked by the wise men.
He got his soldiers to kill all baby boys two years old or younger in
Bethlehem. After Herod died some months later,
an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream
and told him to return to Israel. Joseph, Mary and Jesus moved to the town of
Nazareth,
thus fulfilling the prophecy about the Saviour:
"He will be called a Nazarene".
Jesus, you were once a refugee. Please bless all refugees in the world today
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Today's Gospel reminds us that some/many asylum seekers are genuine refugees .... fleeing danger .... and according to Catholic Church teaching .... we have a responsibility to help them
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: Honor your father and your mother (with Chinese text below English text)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
For
Feast of Holy Family: 14 year old boy, reading at a special Mass for families,
made everyone smile when he read from St Paul "wives, give away your
husbands" instead of "wives, give way to your husbands"!
------------------------------
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 Dec 28
Last night about 20 kind volunteers - including the music group FreeUpMusic - served and fed and entertained about 40 homeless people at a Christmas Party in Jordan. God bless everyone involved! (I'll try to put some photos on tomorrow's menu)
Speaking
of music, I
think this is from Kenya - sent by a friend in HK - to put a smile on our faces:
Tumaini la kakika
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
20-21: Abraham and his wife
Sarah were old people
but God blessed them with a son.
They named their son Isaac.
Sarah again made life difficult for Hagar and Hagar's son.
Hagar and her son had to leave Abraham's home
but God protected them and found them a new home.
Dear God, please don't let me
make life difficult for anyone else
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
1
Thessalonians 4.13-18:
You asked us about the situation of people who
have died.
Do not mourn in an unhealthy way for them,
like people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and
that it will be the same for everyone who dies in God's friendship: God
will give them life with Jesus. They will live in God's House for ever.
With thoughts such as these you should comfort one another in times of
mourning
Jesus, please increase my faith in the life to
come
Listen
For today's Feast
of the Holy Innocents:
Matthew 2.13-23: After the wise men
left Bethlehem, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said "Go quickly
to Egypt, because Herod wants to kill the child". That same night, Joseph
got up and set out for Egypt with Mary and Jesus. Herod was angry after being
tricked by the wise men. He got his
soldiers to kill all baby boys two years old or younger in Bethlehem.
After Herod died some months later, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and
told him to return to Israel. Joseph, Mary and Jesus moved to the town of
Nazareth, thus fulfilling the prophecy about the Saviour: "He will be
called a Nazarene".
Jesus, you were once a refugee. Please bless all refugees in the world today
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings: Today,
the Feast of the Holy Innocents, is a day of prayer for the Unborn, for the
protection of life in the womb ... c.f. Pope Francis: Say
"Yes" to life
---------------------------
------------------------------
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 Dec 27
You must watch this!
Gentri - Little Drummer
Boy ... and this one: Andre
Rieu and Kimmy Scota - Ave Maria (both sent by a HK friend in South Africa -
thank you!)
Don't
watch this if you are easily upset by the vandalism in HK
Letter in English (with original Chinese attached) by a
young Malaysian man in prison in HK on drug trafficking charge -
illustrated by skilful No More Mules team: Are
Ten Years Worth Ten Thousand Dollars?
Chris McDonnell
Scar
of Bethlehem (c.f.
"Scar
of Bethlehem Nativity" which was
on menu of Dec 24 )
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
c.f. readings for St John the Apostle
John
13.34-35: Jesus said to his disciples at the
meal "I give you a new
commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must
love one another. By this love you
have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples". Jesus,
please help all Christians to love one another as you have loved us
Recording of this reading
John 20.1-10: Before
dawn the next morning, Sunday, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. She saw
the stone had been moved from the tomb's entrance. She
ran to Peter and John and said "Someone has taken the Lord out of the
tomb". They ran back to the tomb. Peter went in first. He saw that the
linen cloths were on the ground. But the cloth that had been around Jesus' head
was not on the ground. It was neatly folded and in a place by itself. Then John
went into the tomb. He saw,
and he believed
Jesus, I believe you rose from the dead. Please increase my faith
Recording
1 John 1.1-2: Something
which has existed since the beginning - that we heard, that we saw with our own
eyes, that we touched with our hands: the
Word, who is life - this is our subject. That
life was made visible. We saw it,
and we are giving our testimony, telling you of the eternal life which was with
the Father and has been made visible to us.
Jesus, Word-made-flesh, you are the Way, the
Truth and the Life
Recording
Revelation 1.9-17: I,
John, share your sufferings. I
was on the island of Patmos, imprisoned for having preached about Jesus. One
Sunday the Spirit possessed me. I heard a voice shouting "Write down all
you see, and send it to the seven churches of
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea". I
turned to see who had spoken to me, and I saw Jesus, full of glory. His face was
like the sun shining with all its force. He said to me "Do not be afraid.
It is I, the First and the Last. I am the Living One"
Jesus, Living One, we praise and adore you, Lord
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings: John's words about the Word are ideal food for thought in these days after the birth of the Word-made-flesh
-------------------------
Video
to attract UK tourists to Australia (... but check the
comments about bushfires ...)
-------------------------
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
----------------------------
----------------------------
Merry Christmas! I wish all dear
readers the peace of Christmas right through 2020!
Thurs Dec 26
Good King Wenceslas with lyrics - a famous Dec 26 story about helping the poor ... which is what I tried to do yesterday: my lunch at a canteen was with two poor people; and evening meal at same canteen with two more. Three of the four are homeless. The older I get, the less does Christmas Dinner without the poor hold any interest.... for which I remember the example of the late Archbishop Frank Rush of Brisbane who literally put on an apron and served the poor at the grotty St Vincent's Hostel each Christmas Day.
Last month a 68 year old wheelchair man died after a traffic accident .... at an
intersection where the traffic lights had been vandalised .... so ... I was very
sad to learn that some people spent Christmas Eve vandalising traffic lights
.... and sad that Chief Executive Carrie Lam continues to refuse to dialogue
with the people .... causing about 1/5 of ordinary people to support
....vandalism .... groan
Pope Francis related the legend of how, at the
birth of Jesus, the shepherds hurried to the stable with different gifts, but
there was one who was very poor and had nothing to give. Seeing that shepherd,
embarrassed and with empty hands, Mary put the baby Jesus in his arms (in
this report)
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Feast of St Stephen - THE STORY OF STEPHEN:
Acts 6.8-15: One
of the seven deacons, Stephen,
was filled with grace and power. He began to do many miracles. A group of Jews
tried to beat Stephen in a debate. But they could not win, because the Holy
Spirit was guiding Stephen in his speech. The group then got some men to falsely
accuse Stephen of being disloyal to Moses and to God. The group had Stephen
arrested and brought before a meeting of the religious leaders. At the meeting,
false witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and the Law.
Jesus, please protect people who are accused by false witnesses
Recording of this reading
Acts 7.1-54: The
meeting of religious leaders had falsely accused Stephen
of being disloyal to Moses. So
Stephen gave a long speech, full of loyalty to Moses. Then he made a stinging
attack on the leaders: "You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and
pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors
did. Your ancestors killed the prophets who foretold the coming of the Just One.
You have gone further: you have killed the Just One himself". When the
leaders heard these words, they were very angry and wanted to kill Stephen.
Jesus, Just One from heaven, please don't let me resist the Holy Spirit. Holy
Spirit of God, please increase your influence in my life
Recording
Acts
7.55-58: Stephen,
filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up and saw the glory of God, and Jesus
standing at God's right hand. "I can see heaven thrown open", he said,
"and Jesus standing at the right hand of God". At this, the religious
leaders at the meeting covered their ears with their hands. They sent Stephen
out of the city and stoned him. The false witnesses (who were required to throw
the first stones) put down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Paul.
Recording
Acts
7.59- 8.3: As they were stoning him, Stephen
prayed "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit". Then he knelt down and prayed
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them". Then he died. Paul entirely
approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against the
church in Jerusalem and everyone except the apostles fled to the countryside.
Paul began working for the destruction of the church. He went from house to
house arresting men and women and sending them to prison
Jesus, thank you for the example of Stephen who, like yourself, forgave those
who were killing him
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
Stephen's extraordinary forgiveness of Saul surely had something to do with the
deradicalization of Saul. A powerful lesson for today's radicalized world
-------------------------
For
the day after Christmas! Tangmalangmaloo
( Recited
by Ken Short)
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South America
Sat: Cent, N. America
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless the people of South
East Asia
And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On
this 26th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Xinjiang
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 26th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Togo
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify
Al-Qaeda
-----------------------
----------------------
Merry Christmas! I wish all dear readers the peace of Christmas right through 2020!
Wed Dec 25
Christmas
Day - O come let us adore him!
Yesterday morning I was at West Kowloon Court for the
unsuccessful application for bail by an 85 (!) year old man from Europe charged
with trafficking after drugs were found in a sealed part of his luggage which he
claims he did not know about ( ... have been many cases of elderly people being
so duped ...). Man will try again for bail ... next time at High Court.
Photos here of many happy Christmas
gatherings in Zhaoqing in years gone by - like
this one in 2007
Migration
and the Christmas Story
------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
Beads of
prayer
Handling
prayer beads helps us be aware of the presence of God
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Dec 25
Isaiah 62.11-12: This
the Lord proclaims to the ends of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion,
"Look, your saviour
comes, the prize of his victory with him, his trophies before
him." They shall be called "The Holy People", "the Lord's
Redeemed." And you shall be called "The-sought-after",
"City-not-forsaken."
Recording of this reading
Psalm 97: The
Lord is king, let earth rejoice, the many coastlands be glad. Cloud and darkness
are his robes. His throne is justice and goodness. The
skies proclaim his goodness. All peoples see his glory. Let those who serve
idols be ashamed. Let all
creation worship the Creator. Light shines forth for good people and joy
for the upright of heart. Rejoice in the Lord, all good people. Give glory to
his holy name.
Lord, you indeed are God of the
universe
Recording
Titus
3:1-7: Remind everyone to be obedient
to government officials; to be ready to do good at every opportunity; not to go
slandering other people or picking quarrels; to be courteous and polite to
everyone. There was a time when we too were ignorant; when we lived in
wickedness and ill-will, hating each other and hateful ourselves. But then the
kindness and love of God our Saviour were revealed, and God saved us
because of his compassion. God saved us by the cleansing water of rebirth, and
by renewing us with the Holy Spirit whom he has poured over us through Jesus
Christ our Saviour. So we are justified by his grace, and look forward to
eternal life.
Jesus, Saviour of the world, you are our Saviour
Recording
Luke 2.15-20:
After the angels went away,
the shepherds said to one another "Let's
go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about". So
they quickly went and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
People who heard the shepherds talk about the angels were amazed. As for Mary,
she treasured every moment of what had happened and pondered the whole event in
her heart. The shepherds went back
to their fields glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen
Jesus we adore you, Jesus we adore you, Jesus we
adore you, Christ the Lord
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
There's something in our DNA that draws us to the Baby Jesus, like metal to a magnet. That Baby makes us fall to our knees in loving adoration.
Daniel Daring: The Word became Flesh (and Chinese text)
---------------------------
Hare Krishna group outside Jordan MTR yesterday afternoon
.... some of them wearing Santa hats .... chanting "Hare Krishna"
which I mentally changed into Happy 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, 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
--------------------------------
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Merry Christmas! I wish all dear readers the peace of Christmas right through 2020!
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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the King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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