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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Pope Francis
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website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates' letters!
How
campaign began
HK
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Ph 
SA 
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& shame
JesusTower
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Jesus
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MatteoRicci
Tues Nov 10
On Wednesday November 18 I am hoping
to go on another hike to Big Wave Bay, Sai Kung. Starting at Pak Tam Au and
finishing at Sai Wan Road ....walking about 18km ... as in the
hike on Oct 29. Everyone welcome! More details in the next few days.
Remembering there are 5 Gospels: The Gospel of Matthew, The Gospel of Mark, The
Gospel of Luke, The Gospel of John ... and .. The
Gospel of Nature!
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
35.
All too quickly, however, we forget the lessons of history, "the teacher of
life". Once
this health crisis passes, our worst response would be to plunge even more
deeply into feverish consumerism and new forms of egotistic self-preservation.
God willing, after all this, we will think no longer in terms of "them"
and "those", but only "us". If only this may prove not to be
just another tragedy of history from which we learned nothing. If only we might
keep in mind all those elderly persons who died for lack of respirators, partly
as a result of the dismantling, year after year, of healthcare systems. If only
this immense sorrow may not prove useless, but enable us to take a step forward
towards a new style of life. If
only we might rediscover once for all that we need one another, and that in this
way our human family can experience a rebirth, with all its faces, all its hands
and all its voices, beyond the walls that we have erected.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Maccabees 13-14: After Jonathan's capture, Jonathan's brother
Simon became leader of the Jews. He rallied the people to defend
their land
against an attack by Trypho. Trypho was forced to abandon his attack by a
heavy snowfall.
As he returned to his own land, he killed Jonathan. Trypho killed Antiochus and became king of
Asia. Simon made peace with Demetrius. He also
renewed the treaties with Sparta and the Romans. Israel had peace during the time of
Simon.
Dear God, please give the world
leaders who work for peace
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
127: If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor.
If the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil. Success comes not from earlier rising or from
going later to rest,
but from the Lord's blessing. Success is from the Lord
who blesses the womb of his beloved while she sleeps. Truly, children are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Lord, many people these days
don't want children. Please help such people understand that children are
a blessing
Listen
Galatians
1.11-24:
The Good News I preach is not a human message.
It is something I received from Jesus Christ. I used to persecute the church, but then God
called me to follow Jesus. I am a one-time persecutor who is now
preaching the faith I had previously tried to destroy. When I visited Jerusalem three years after my
conversion, the believers gave glory to God for what he had done for me
Jesus, please turn more persecutors into
preachers!
Listen
Matthew
5.1-12:
Jesus said to the crowds: Blessed are poor and simple of heart people.
They belong to the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are people who are going through great
sorrow.
Their hearts will be filled with peace. Blessed are people who lead just and honest
lives.
They will see the victory of goodness. Blessed are people who show mercy to
others.
God will be merciful to them. Blessed are people who have a clean
heart.
They will see God. Blessed are people who are
peacemakers.
They are God's children.
Blessed are people who are persecuted for the cause of right.
They will receive a great reward in heaven.
Jesus, please help me be
merciful and kind and just
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: The 8 "Beatitudes" challenge us to a far higher standard than the 10 Commandments
------------------------------
Sign in Kowloon Park, near my home, where there are
several of these trees:
-------------------------------
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 Nov 9
MercyHK's
updated November financial report - here.
One growing problem we face is the number of asylum seekers asking for help.
They are not homeless, but in order to try to force them to return to their own
countries, the HK govt deliberately does not give them enough to live on: e.g. govt
will pay for their children's school fees, but won't pay for books, uniforms or
travel or health injections or any other school bills .... and the asylum
seekers are not allowed to work! Many of them sell their govt food
vouchers in order to pay rent bills. My policy is to check each one's situation
with his/her govt social worker ... then if their need is genuine, to help them
with basic costs.
Joe
Biden will be the 2nd Catholic president of the USA
... after I watched the attached video, I got the feeling that JB will be a
"Francis" president! And
this 11 minute speech by Kamala Harris also impressive
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
34. If everything is connected, it is hard
to imagine that this global disaster is unrelated to our way of approaching
reality, our claim to be absolute masters of our own lives and of all that
exists. I do not want to speak of divine retribution, nor would it be sufficient
to say that the harm we do to nature is itself the punishment for our offences. The
world is itself crying out in rebellion. We are reminded of the
well-known verse of the poet Virgil that evokes the "tears of things",
the misfortunes of life and history
Click
"countries" here
for Covid-19 latest figures
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Maccabees 12: Jonathan sent a delegation to Rome to renew
his treaty with the Romans. He also renewed treaties with other
groups, all the time using politics to secure peace for Israel. But Demetrius once again made war on Jonathan,
this time with
a larger army than before. Jonathan bravely faced and defeated Demetrius'
army before they could enter the land of Israel. Not long after this Jonathan was tricked and
captured by Trypho who wanted to become king of Asia, replacing
Antiochus.
Dear God, please give wisdom
and courage to all leaders
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
126: When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs. What marvels the Lord worked for us.
Indeed we were glad. Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap. They go out, full of tears, carrying seed for
the sowing.
They come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.
Dear God, please bless all
people who are sorrowful as they work
Listen
Galatians
1.1-7: To the church of
Galatia, from Paul, an apostle appointed not by man but by
Jesus Christ. Trouble makers among
you have changed the Good News. I am astonished that
you have begun following their false version
of the Good News
Jesus, don't let people
be deceived by anyone who waters down or changes your Good News
Listen
Matthew
4.12-25: After his time in the desert,
Jesus began preaching the same message as John the Baptist:
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand". Jesus called four fishermen to become
"fishers of men":
Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John.
They left their boats and went with Jesus.
Jesus went all round the area of Galilee,
preaching in local prayer halls
and healing all kinds of sick people. News
spread about the sick being healed,
and soon even people from distant places came to Jesus to be healed.
Jesus, please heal the people I
know who are sick: (...names...)
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Healing is a basic part of Christian life and ministry
-----------------
Democracy
is alive and well in HK .... at St. Paul's Parish in Yau Ma Tei, where voting
took place at the end of Masses over the weekend to select a new Parish
Council!
--------------------
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 the
Central African Republic
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Nov 8
On
November 6, I mentioned how two people last week - one on Tuesday, one on
Thursday - were acquitted 7:0 by High Court juries after being in prison for
drug trafficking charges .... the two of them - one in HK, one in Malaysia -
having been deceived by Nigerian Drug Lords. Well, yesterday I spent time with
the 2 acquitted people ... and in fact, while we were talking on the footpath
outside MercyHK's shop in Jordan, a man came up and greeted the acquitted man
with great joy. The 2nd man also was recently acquitted .... and acquitted 7:0!!
Very, very rare to see two such 7:0 acquitted humans together, but three in one
spot! God is Good! (... and so is the HK jury system!)
MercyHK financial reports for Oct and Nov here
- God bless kind accountant & all donors!
Memo to Joe Biden: Give
your Vice-President Kamala Harris total responsibility for fighting
Covid, and give Barack Obama the job of Secretary of State to restore relations
with the rest of the world!
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
33. The world was relentlessly moving
towards an economy that, thanks to technological progress, sought to reduce
"human costs"; there were those who would have had us believe that
freedom of the market was sufficient to keep everything secure. Yet the
brutal and unforeseen blow of this uncontrolled pandemic forced us to recover
our concern for human beings, for everyone, rather than for the benefit of a few.
Today we can recognize that "we fed ourselves on dreams of splendour and
grandeur, and ended up consuming distraction, insularity and solitude. We gorged
ourselves on networking, and lost the taste of fraternity. We looked for quick
and safe results, only to find ourselves overwhelmed by impatience and anxiety.
Prisoners of a virtual reality, we lost the taste and flavour of the truly
real". The pain, uncertainty and fear, and the realization of our own
limitations, brought on by the pandemic have only made it all the more urgent
that we rethink our styles of life, our relationships, the organization of our
societies and, above all, the meaning of our existence.
Bible Study: Matthew 11
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f.
readings for Sun 32
Wisdom 10-19: Wisdom
has been present in the world since the beginning of time. Wisdom has always
been a close friend of good people. Wise
people see God in the beauty of creation. Foolish people are blind to
God's presence in creation. Wise people ponder God's goodness and kindness. Wise
people try to be good and kind to other people.
Lord, please help me see and imitate your goodness and kindness
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
61-65: O
God, hear my cry, you who are my refuge and help. In you alone is my soul at
rest. My help comes from you. Take refuge in God, everyone in trouble.
Trust him at all times. O God, you are my God, for you I long. My
body and soul thirst for you like a dry, weary land without water. Your
love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. On my bed I remember
you. On you I muse through the night. You are the Creator of the world. You care
for the earth, you give it water. To you our praise is due, wherever we are on
earth.
Lord, my soul clings to you. Your right hand holds
me fast
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
Matthew 25.1-13: Jesus told this parable to his disciples: The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, "The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him." At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, "Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out." But they replied, "There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves." They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. "Lord, Lord," they said "open the door for us." But he replied, "I tell you solemnly, I do not know you." So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.
Reflection on the above readings:
Let us often pray for wisdom...especially asking the Holy Spirit that we may live wisely, and not foolishly
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
Daniel Daring: Let us go out to meet Him (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 readings about wisdom:
Why
are they called "Wisdom"
Teeth?!
------------------------------
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 Heilongjiang
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 Nov 7
Yesterday morning I was at the High Court for two drug
trafficking cases involving African women
Yesterday afternoon I was sad to receive a letter from a Bengali man indicating
he was the latest victim of Rubel
This is the 3rd time this sort of thing has happened this year:
Department
of (Justice?) forces another charge to be dropped
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
PANDEMICS AND OTHER
CALAMITIES IN HISTORY
32.
True, a worldwide tragedy like the
Covid-19 pandemic momentarily revived the sense that we are a global community,
all in the same boat, where one person's problems are the problems of all.
Once more we realized that no one is saved alone; we can only be saved together.
As I said in those days, "the storm has exposed our vulnerability and
uncovered those false and superfluous certainties around which we constructed
our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities. Amid this storm,
the facade of those stereotypes with which we camouflaged our egos, always
worrying about appearances, has fallen away, revealing once more the ineluctable
and blessed awareness that we are part of one another, that we are brothers and
sisters of one another"
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Maccabees 11: King Ptolemy of Egypt pretended to be friends
with Alexander.
But then he went to war with Alexander. Ptolemy's army won the battle,
but not long after both Ptolemy and Alexander died. Demetrius then became king.
He had an unstable relationship with Jonathan even though Jonathan on one
occasion rescued him from former supporters of Alexander. Demetrius was replaced as king by
a young Antiochus.
Antiochus confirmed Jonathan's position as leader of Israel.
Dear God, please stop countries
from fighting each other
My
recording of this reading
Ptolemy
Psalm
125: Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, that cannot be
shaken. Jerusalem, the mountains surround her,
so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forever.
Lord, please help us be
more aware of your protecting presence
Listen
2
Corinthians 13.1-13:
Soon I will be with you for a third time.
What I ask is that you live the way God wants you to live. So, grow in your Christian life. Help one
another. Be united.
Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love
of God the Father,
and the friendship of the Holy Spirit be with you all
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, help me live the
way you want me to live
Listen
Matthew
4.1-11:
After he was baptized, Jesus spent about 40 days praying and fasting in the
desert.
During this time, he was tempted by Satan. "If you are the Son of God,
change some stones into bread" said Satan. Jesus replied "Human life needs more than
bread.
Life needs God's message". Satan then took Jesus to a high place
and said
"Throw yourself down, since the angels will protect you". Jesus replied
"Presumption is a sin".
Then Satan took Jesus to a high mountain
and showed him all the nations of the world. "Worship me and I will give you all these
nations" said Satan. Jesus replied
"Go away, Satan! Only God is to be worshipped".
The devil then went away.
Jesus, please protect us from
Satan and from evil
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: During his life on earth, Jesus was probably tempted far more often and in a far greater way than we can even imagine
---------------------------
Who
will win the Presidential Cup?
------------------------------
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 Henan
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 Nov 6
Yesterday
morning my social work assistant Simon and I attended a meeting at the local
Salvation Army centre (which is responsible to the government for helping
homeless people in our area). We were greatly encouraged by and learnt much from
the centre's main social worker, Ling (who had recommended Simon for the job!). MercyHK
and the SA will continue to work together to help the rapidly growing number of
homeless people in the Yau Ma Tei area.
Then with Voice
for Prisoners volunteer Melissa I attended a lunch meeting with 2 staff from
the Consulate of Colombia and 2 from the Peru Consulate. Most worthwhile .... re
our anti-drug campaign.
After
which I went to the office of a legal team for a meeting, and while there got
the good news that Cynthia from Malaysia, for whom I was a witness three days
ago, was acquitted 7:0 around 3pm by a High Court jury. GOD IS GOOD! Cynthia had
spent 2 years in prison after being tricked by a Nigerian man in Kuala Lumpur to
bring a parcel of drugs to HK. That's the 2nd 7:0 acquittal this week ... to go
with that of an African man on Tuesday. A good week indeed!
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
31. In this world that races ahead, yet
lacks a shared roadmap, we increasingly sense that "the gap between concern
for one's personal well-being and the prosperity of the larger human family
seems to be stretching to the point of complete division between individuals and
human community. It is one thing to feel forced to live together, but something
entirely different to value the richness and beauty of those seeds of common
life that need to be sought out and cultivated. Technology is constantly
advancing, yet "how wonderful it would be if the growth of scientific and
technological innovation could come with more equality and social inclusion. How
wonderful would it be, even as we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the
needs of the brothers and sisters who orbit around us"
Chris McDonnell
Back end days
We
have lived through a deeply troubled six months
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1 Maccabees 10: When King Demetrius was challenged for the
throne by Alexander, Demetrius tried to get Jonathan's support for a
possible war with Alexander. Alexander then also sought Jonathan's support,
and appointed him as high priest of Israel. Demetrius again tried to win Jonathan's
support, but Jonathan
and the Jews did not trust Demetrius. Alexander and Demetrius went to war.
Demetrius died in the battle. Alexander then became king. He married
Cleopatra, daughter of Egypt's Ptolemy, thus securing a treaty with Egypt.
Jonathan met Alexander and Ptolemy and was
given great honor in their presence. About 147 B.C. Demetrius son of Demetrius
challenged Alexander for the throne.
This younger Demetrius also challenged Jonathan to fight.
Jonathan defeated the army of Demetrius.
Alexander then gave Jonathan new honors.
Dear God, please help all
countries live at peace with each other
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
124:
"If the Lord had not been on our
side",
this is Israel's song. If the Lord had not been on our side
when people rose against us, then would they have swallowed us alive
when they were angry with us. Blessed be the Lord who did not let us become
a prey for their teeth. Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the hunter. Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Thank you, Lord,
for all the times you have rescued me from trouble
Listen
2
Corinthians 11.24 - 2.14:
Remember how much I have suffered for the sake
of the Good News: 5 times I had the 39 lashes from the Jews, 3 times I was beaten with sticks,
once I was stoned, 3 times I was shipwrecked, I have often been starving. This should prove to you that I am a
genuine apostle, not after money or fame or power. It is you I want, not
your possessions
Jesus, help church workers want souls,
not money/fame/power
Listen
Matthew
3.1-17: About 30 years after
Jesus was born,
a man began preaching repentance,
and baptizing people in the river Jordan. This man was John the
Baptist.
His message was
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand". John fulfilled the
prophecy:
"A voice cries in the wilderness: prepare a way for the Lord". John said "I
baptize you with water,
but one is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit".
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
After Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened,
and Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven
said
"This is my Son, the Beloved.
My favor rests on him".
Jesus,
please help me to prepare your way, like John the Baptist
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Cynthia from Malaysia (see top of today's menu) upon release from detention yesterday afternoon could well pray in the words of Psalm 124: "My life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the hunter"
-------------------------
How
to work from home - when your pet won't let you
-------------------------
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 Nov 5
My
social worker assistant, Simon and I were nearly run off our feet yesterday
doing jobs associated with the 70+ homeless people now using 43 rooms at the
Alhambra Centre in Yau Ma Tei. A large group of the 70 are former prison inmates
... including one man acquitted 7-0 by a jury 2 days ago .... but nowhere to
stay and no government assistance until his application for help can be
processed (... can take 1-2 months).
This is like fiction! Please God it will not be necessary!
Canada makes plan to evacuate its 300,000 citizens from HK
Pope
Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
30.
In today's world, the sense of belonging to a single human family is fading, and
the dream of working together for justice and peace seems an outdated utopia.
What reigns instead is a
cool, comfortable and globalized indifference,
born of deep disillusionment concealed behind a deceptive illusion: thinking
that we are all-powerful, while failing to realize that we are all in the same
boat. This illusion, unmindful of the great fraternal values, leads to "a
sort of cynicism. For that is the temptation we face if we go down the road of
disenchantment and disappointment. Isolation and withdrawal into one's own
interests are never the way to restore hope and bring about renewal. Rather (the
way to restore hope & bring about renewal) is closeness; it is the culture
of encounter. Isolation, no; closeness, yes. Culture clash, no; culture of
encounter, yes".
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1 Maccabees 9: King Demetrius sent another army against
Israel.
The size of this army was so large that many of Judas'
soldiers deserted him. Judas had only a small force to fight the
king's army.
Judas could have saved his life by running away from the battle,
but he courageously chose to stay and fight. Judas died in the battle and his troops fled.
Judas' brother Jonathan succeeded him as
leader of the Jews. Jonathan gradually reclaimed control of most
of the country
and again there was peace for a time.
Dear God, please give me some
of the courage of Judas
Recording
Psalm 123:
To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens. My eyes, like the eyes of slaves
on the hand of their lords. Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of her
mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God till he show us mercy. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt. Indeed all too full is our soul with the scorn
of the rich,
with the proud man's disdain.
Lord, please protect poor
people from being exploited by rich people
Recording
2 Corinthians 8.9 - 9.7: Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was.
He was rich, but he became poor for our sake, to make us rich. So we also should help people who are
poor. If
we have extra
we should help people who don't have enough. Maybe some day, the same poor people will be
rich,
and we will be poor, and they will help us. And don't forget, God loves a cheerful giver
Jesus, help me do more to help poor
people
Listen
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
---------------
(sent
by a friend in Australia):
Text of a letter from a kid from Eromanga to Mum and Dad. (For those of you not in the know, Eromanga is a small town, west of Quilpie, in the far south west of Queensland )
Dear Mum & Dad,
I am well. Hope youse are too. Tell me big brothers Doug and Phil that the Army is better than workin' on the station - tell them to get in bloody quick smart before the jobs are all gone! I wuz a bit slow in settling down at first, because ya don't hafta get outta bed until 6am. But I like sleeping in now, cuz all ya gotta do before brekky is make ya bed and shine ya boots and clean ya uniform. No bloody horses to get in, no calves to feed, no troughs to clean - nothin'!! Ya haz gotta shower though, but its not so bad, coz there's lotsa hot water and even a light to see what ya doing!
At brekky ya get cereal, fruit and eggs but there's no kangaroo steaks or goanna stew like wot Mum makes. You don't get fed again until noon and by that time all the city boys are buggered because we've been on a 'route march' - geez its only just like walking to the windmill in the bullock paddock!!
This one will kill me brothers Doug and Phil with laughter. I keep getting medals for shootin' - dunno why. The bullseye is as big as a bloody dingo's arse and it don't move and it's not firing back at ya like the Johnsons did when our big scrubber bull got into their prize cows before the Ekka last year! All ya gotta do is make yourself comfortable and hit the target - it's a piece of p...!! You don't even load your own cartridges, they comes in little boxes, and ya don't have to steady yourself against the rollbar of the roo shooting truck when you reload!
Sometimes ya gotta wrestle with the city boys and I gotta be real careful coz they break easy - it's not like fighting with Doug and Phil and Jack and Boori and Steve and Muzza all at once like we do at home after the muster.
Turns out I'm not a bad boxer either and it looks like I'm the best the platoon's got, and I've only been beaten by this one bloke from the Engineers - he's 6 foot 5 and 15 stone and three pick handles across the shoulders and as ya know I'm only 5 foot 7 and eight stone wringin' wet, but I fought him till the other blokes carried me off to the boozer.
I can't complain about the Army - tell the boys to get in quick before word gets around how bloody good it is.
Your loving daughter,
Susan
--------------------
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 Nov 4
Yesterday morning was spent with Simon, my new assistant for
social work, meeting with some of the 71 homeless people for whom MercyHK is
renting rooms at the Alhambra Building in Yau Ma Tei. In fact, at 7pm last
night, the 71 became 73 with the addition of two men, one in his fifties and the
other 80 years old!
Yesterday afternoon I was at the High Court as a witness for a Malaysian woman
on a drug trafficking charge ... after being deceived by a Nigerian "friend
of the family" in Kuala Lumpur.
Police
arrest media producer (...on a technicality...)
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
GLOBALIZATION AND PROGRESS WITHOUT A SHARED ROADMAP
29.
With the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, we do not ignore the positive advances made
in the areas of science, technology, medicine, industry and welfare, above all
in developed countries. Nonetheless, "we wish to emphasize that, together
with these historical advances, great and valued as they are, there
exists a moral deterioration that influences international action and a
weakening of spiritual values and responsibility. This contributes to a
general feeling of frustration, isolation and desperation". We see
"outbreaks of tension and a buildup of arms and ammunition in a global
context dominated by uncertainty, disillusionment, fear of the future, and
controlled by narrow economic interests". We can also point to "major
political crises, situations of injustice and the lack of an equitable
distribution of natural resources. In the face of such crises that result in the
deaths of millions of children - emaciated from poverty and hunger - there is an
unacceptable silence on the international level". This panorama, for
all its undeniable advances, does not appear to lead to a more humane future.
---------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Maccabees 8: Judas had heard about the Romans: how they
had conquered many lands and yet acted in a friendly way to other nations.
Judas therefore sent representatives to
Rome and an alliance was agreed to with the Romans. Judas' aim was to obtain protection and peace
for Israel.
Dear
God, may peace and justice be the aim of all leaders
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
122: I rejoiced when I heard them say
"Let us go to God's house." And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray
"Peace be to your homes." For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.
Lord, may your peace be in our
hearts and homes
Listen
2
Corinthians 5.14-19: The love of Christ is like a tsunami.
It overwhelms
us and sweeps us away
when we remember how Jesus died for everyone. God, through Christ, has repaired his
friendship with humanity.
We must spread the news of this reconciliation
"And when I think, that God his Son not
sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in"
- from the song "How Great Thou Art"
Listen
Matthew
2.1-12: Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem,
during the reign of King Herod. Some months after Jesus' birth,
several wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. They said "Where is the infant king
of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and we have come to offer him honor."
King Herod felt threatened by this news.
He knew from the Scriptures that the promised Saviour would be born
in Bethlehem. So Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem,
pretending that he too would like to offer honor to the child. The wise men headed for Bethlehem, guided by
the star.
The star filled them with joy.
The star stopped over the place where the child was. The wise men fell to their knees and honored
the child.
They offered him gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. Then they returned to their own country by a
different way,
having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod.
Jesus,
help me to honor
you like the wise men
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Going to God's house (Psalm 122) ... going to Jesus (Gospel) .... produces joy
---------------------------
Our gathering for the poor on Sunday afternoons used to be called
"The Pizza Party"!
-------------------------
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
--------------------------------
----------------------
============
On-going project to help homeless people in YMT-Jordan area
========
Africa:
2020: My trip to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg
2017:
My trip to Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2016:
My trip to Kenya, Uganda
2015: My trip to Tanzania, Malawi
----------------
Latin America:
2019-05-10: No More Mules Peru FB boost 199,000 views!
2019-01-20: Article in El Pais, Uruguay - 01 02
2018-09-18: No More Mules Facebook campaign - more than 300,000 people reached in Venezuela
2018: My trip to Latin America
----------------
South East Asia:
Aug 16, 2020: CNN - Indonesian women recruited to take drugs to Hong Kong
Oct 23, 2019: FM988 Breakfast program in Kuala Lumpur at which I was a guest
June 2019: My campaign featured in The Malaysia Drug Trade (6 written reports & documentary video)
2019-03-25: Eleven HK01 video and photo reports about Malaysian drug mules arrested in HK- here (one of the reports is about my anti-drug campaign).
Dec 2018 - My Jan 2019 trip to Malaysia
2018: My trip to Thailand and Cambodia
--------------------
Hong Kong:
July 2019: My warning to HK domestic helpers - published here in HK Filipino media
2018-09-22:
My
60 min video interview with Radio99,
in Cantonese, is here: 01 02
to help stop people going to prison
2018-07-29: SCMP- Beware drug lords luring domestic helpers, refugees into narcotics trade
2018-04-08: The Pearl Report on TVB - concerning HK's Long Term Sentencing Review Board and my anti-drug campaign
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
2017-12-01: Report in Chinese in Ming Pao Magazine
2017-09-27: SCMP Spirit of HK Awards (video starts after 20 secs)
2017-08-24: Cable TV video report on my anti-drug campaign and a Facebook report on the video report (click "translation" for English)
2027-05-18: SCMP - The prison chaplain who has stopped 150 drug mules reaching HK
2017-03-25: Oriental
Daily
report of case of South African woman given discount for help to my campaign
*** May
14 updates:
Oriental
Daily, Apple
Daily, Sing
Tao
Dec 1, 2016 - HK News: More women being recruited as drug mules
2016-10-13: HK01 report about campaign and about work for the poor
2016-09-11: Oriental Daily report about my campaign - and same day Editorial
2016-08-27: Oriental Daily article about court case and campaign
My
anti-drug campaign sites
(skillfully
managed by kind HK friends):
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nomasmulas/
Facebook: Chinese no more mules page
Facebook: AddisAbabaDrugTrade; KenyaDrugTrade; TanzaniaDrugTrade; JohannesburgDrugTrade; SaoPauloDrugTrade; MalaysiaDrugTrade; ThailandDrugTrade; HongKongDrugTrade; CambodiaDrugTrade; IndonesiaDrugTrade
http://hkdrugblog.org/name-and-shame/index.htm
----------------------
Photos
from my time in China 2001-20008
---------------------
---------------------
Australian Chinese for
Families Association
Gay marriage: Elephant in the room (by John W)
--------------------------------------------
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
mode in Hong Kong on November 20, 2011 - the Feast of Christ
the King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
Map and Flag Counter began Feb 11, 2012. Previous visits 4,932.
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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
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .