V2Catholic.com A
voice for the poor Edited
by HK prison chaplain
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I . 胡頌恆神父
jdwomi@gmail.com
Links,
Search & Archives Imitating
Pope Francis
MercyHK
This
website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates' letters!
How
campaign began
HK
Indon
Kenya
Malaysia
Nigeria 
Ph 
SA 
S.Amer
Thai
Tz
Ug
EU
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
.AsylumSeekerHK
Name
& shame
JesusTower
GoodNewsForPoor
Dr
Jesus
China8
SimpleBible
MatteoRicci
Tues Nov 17
Two nights ago ... 5 mins from my home: fire
claimed 7 lives and injured many others. Yesterday afternoon, together with
Sr L and my social work assistant Simon, I visited the site and offered prayers
for the dead & injured and their families
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
41. I realize that some people are hesitant
and fearful with regard to migrants. I consider this part of our natural
instinct of self-defence. Yet it
is also true that an individual and a people are only fruitful and productive if
they are able to develop a creative openness to others.
I ask everyone to move beyond those primal reactions because "there is a
problem when doubts and fears condition our way of thinking and acting to the
point of making us intolerant, closed and perhaps even - without realizing it -
racist. In this way, fear deprives us of the desire and the ability to encounter
the other".
Tomorrow, Wed Nov 18, hike to Big
Wave Bay. Everyone welcome! Info here
My article in today's Ming Pao newspaper has the topic: November 25 Policy Address - Dear Carrie:It's on Ming Pao website - click "Australian in HK". Text without recording
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job
11-14: Zophar then said that Job must still have some
secret sins of which he had not repented. Job sarcastically replied:
"No doubt you are the voice of the people
and when you die, wisdom will die with you. I am only too aware that God knows everything.
How could I hide anything from him? God, why do you hide your face?
Why do you look on me as an enemy?" Dear God, please give us
trust and courage in time of trial
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
136: O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his great love is without end. It was his wisdom which made the skies,
for his great love is without end. It was he who made the sun, moon and stars,
for his great love is without end. It was he who rescued and protected his people
Israel,
for his great love is without end. He gives food to all living things,
for his great love is without end. To the God of heaven give thanks,
for his great love is without end.
We praise you, Lord, for your
great love is without end
Listen
Galatians
5.1-6:
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain
free.
Stand firm then and do not return to a life of slavery to Jewish Law. As a Christian, it doesn't matter if you are
circumcised or not.
What matters is faith that is put into loving action
Jesus, help people whose lives are being
damaged by unreasonable religious laws
Listen
Matthew
8.1-3:
In Jesus' time, it was illegal for anyone to
touch a leper,
and it was illegal for lepers to go near other people. But one day a leper broke the law.
He came right up to Jesus and said
"If you want to, you can heal me." Jesus also broke the law.
He stretched out his hand, touched the leper,
and said "Of course I want to heal you. Be healed!" The man was healed immediately.
Jesus, I didn't know you were a
law-breaker. I guess this means that sometimes, in special
cases, it's ok to break the law
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: The reason for lack of healing is not on Jesus' side ... but on our side ... usually not enough faith
------------------------------
To go with today's Gospel:
-------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
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 17th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Malawi
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Nov 16
My video interview in English with Malaysian
woman freed 7:0 by HK High Court jury not long ago, after being in prison
for 23 months on a drug trafficking charge ....after being tricked by a Nigerian
man in Kuala Lumpur to take drugs from Sao Paulo, Brazil to HK - here
MercyHK updated financial report for November - here
Except
for people who believe the earth is flat, everyone knows that Donald Trump and
Fox News are in divorce mode .... and that Trump is now turning to another news
agency to support his lies. That other news agency has quickly become the
darling of extremist Youtube commentators in HK with the sad result that many
good HK people are continuing to be deceived about what really happened in the
US election. The fact that Fox News has said Donald Trump is lying should cause
people to search a bit harder for the truth.
Wed Nov 18, hike to Big
Wave Bay. Everyone welcome! Info here
The
Happy Wanderer (hiking song!)
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
40. "Migrations,
more than ever before, will play a pivotal role in the future of our world". At
present, however, migration is affected by the "loss of that sense of
responsibility for our brothers and sisters on which every civil society is
based. Europe, for example, seriously risks taking this path. Nonetheless,
"aided by its great cultural and religious heritage, it has the means to
defend the centrality of the human person and to find the right balance between
its twofold moral responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens and to
assure assistance and acceptance to migrants".
Click
"countries" here
for Covid-19 latest figures
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job
8-10: Bildad then spoke of God's justice and the
fate of people who forget God. Job agreed and said how God was sole creator
and judge of the world:
"He and no other stretched out the skies.
The Bear, Orion, the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South - all were
made by him. Challenging God is unthinkable.
Yet I know I am innocent and I'm being punished unjustly. I also know that God knows I'm innocent.
So why am I being punished? This is my question."
Dear God, please save us in
time of trial
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
135: Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord. Praise the Lord for he is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving. I know the Lord is great. He does whatever he
wills
in heaven, on earth, in the seas. Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak.
They have eyes but they cannot see. Sons of Israel, do not trust in useless idols.
Sons of Aaron, trust only in our Creator and
Lord.
Dear Lord, please help people
who worship idols to know and love you
Listen
Galatians
4.4-6: When the appointed time came, God sent his
Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of
the Law, and to enable us to be adopted as children of God, brothers and
sisters of his Son. The proof that we are children is that God has
sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries
"Abba, Father"
Jesus, help me understand how I have been
adopted,
how you are my Brother
Listen
Matthew
7.1-27: Jesus said to the people:
Do not judge other people,
and God will not judge you. It's so easy to be aware of other people's
faults
yet be blind to your own faults. Persevere in prayer. Ask and you will receive.
Search and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened. You like to give good things to your children.
God likes to give good things to you. Treat other people
the way you would like them to treat you. Beware of bad leaders.
A sure way to know if someone is good or bad:
are their actions good or bad?
If you put my words into practice,
you are like someone who builds his house on rock. If you ignore my words,
you are like someone who builds his house on sand.
Jesus, please help me put your
words into practice
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: People whose lives lack the teaching and example of Jesus for a foundation are less likely to be able to stand the stresses of life
-------------------------
Senior's
moment yesterday morning as 8.30am Mass was about to start at Yau Ma Tei: one of
the kind altar servers pointed to my chasuble
and said "it's inside out"!
--------------------
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 16th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Qinghai
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Nov 15
Today is the 4th World Day of the
Poor - Pope's
message
HK
to start compulsory tests .... with threat of prison!
Wed Nov 18, hike to Big
Wave Bay. Everyone welcome! Info here
Bible Study: Matthew
12 (Complete set of 12 videos on Matthew here)
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sun 33
Proverbs
30-31: Every
word of God is true and of great value. Do not change or misinterpret God's
words. Do not give way to sexual excess. Do not give way to drunkenness. Be
the voice of the poor, the unwanted. Uphold the
rights of the needy. Happy the man who finds a good wife. She is far beyond the
price of pearls. She looks after her household with care. She works diligently
for her family. She holds out her hand to the poor. She opens her arms to the
needy. Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty. The woman who is wise is the one to
praise.
Lord, thank you for all the wisdom in the Book of Proverbs!
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
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
Luke
12.35-38: Jesus said to his disciples "Be like people
waiting for their master to return, ready to open the door as soon as he comes
and knocks. Be ready, for I will come at an hour you do not expect. "When
someone is given a great deal, of that person more will be expected".
Jesus, you have given me so much. Please help me use my gifts and my situation
to do more to help other people
Listen
Reflection on the above readings:
On this World Day of the Poor, we "who have been given a great deal" (today's Gospel) must ask ourselves: are we helping as many people as God intends us to help?
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
Daniel Daring: Enter into the joy of Christ (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
some time now Saturday has been my washing day. I soak washing in buckets on
Friday night, then rise it out on Saturday morning and after it stops dripping
in my shower room, I hang it on rack next to window above my bed ....where it
usually dries by Sunday night. No need for washing machine or dryer!
------------------------------
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 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 15th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Zimbabwe
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Nov
14
Happy
Divali!
My
2013 Divali reflection
My social work assistant, Simon, has now finished 2 weeks on the
job... and he feels that HE needs an assistant! .... since there is so much
work to do related to the more than 70 homeless people for whom MercyHK is
providing accommodation
Wed Nov 18, hike to Big
Wave Bay. Everyone welcome! Info here
Sr.
Anastasia, M.M. (黄修女）-
New articles:
https://anastasialindawatimm.
https://anastasialindawatimm.
https://anastasialindawatimm.
https://anastasialindawatimm.
https://anastasialindawatimm.
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
39.
Then too, "in some host countries, migration causes fear and alarm, often
fomented and exploited for political purposes. This can lead to a xenophobic
mentality, as people close in on themselves, and it needs to be addressed
decisively". Migrants
are not seen as entitled like others to participate in the life of society, and
it is forgotten that they possess the same intrinsic dignity as any person.
Hence they ought to be "agents in their own redemption". No one
will ever openly deny that they are human beings, yet in practice, by our
decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less
worthy, less important, less human. For
Christians, this way of thinking and acting is unacceptable,
since it sets certain political preferences above deep convictions of our faith:
the inalienable dignity of each human person regardless of origin, race or
religion, and the supreme law of fraternal love.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Job
3-7: Job broke the 7 day silence by wishing that
he had never been
born. He added "For me, there is no peace, no sleep. My
suffering doesn't let me rest." Eliphaz then spoke and reminded Job that God
corrects those whom he loves. Job replied that he was innocent of any
wrongdoing, so why was he being punished? He added: "Lying in
bed I wonder 'When will it be day?' During the day I think 'How
slowly night comes.'
Neither day nor night offers me any relief from my suffering."
Dear Lord, please give courage
and peace
to people who are suffering great pain or distress
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
134: O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands to heaven
and bless the Lord through the night. May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.
Lord, please protect my
family tonight and every night
Listen
Galatians
3.26-28:
Through faith in Christ Jesus, you are
children of God.
When you were baptized, you entered into a special relationship of
friendship with Christ. This relationship cancels out old labels like
Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. These old labels have
been replaced by a new one hanging around your heart: Made in Christ
Jesus, help me better understand our
relationship
Listen
Matthew
6.25-34: Jesus said to the crowds that life is about more than food and clothing.
Pointing to some birds flying around, Jesus said:
Look at the birds. They don't sow or reap,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
And you are more precious than the birds. Pointing to flowers in the field Jesus said:
How beautiful are the flowers.
They are more beautiful than King Solomon's clothing. If God cares so much about the life of flowers
won't he care even more about human life? So, don't spend your day worrying about
what you are going to eat and drink and wear. Put God first in your life, God and a right
way of life,
then God will look after your physical needs. Don't waste your energy worrying about
tomorrow.
Live life one day at a time.
Heavenly Father, thank you for
caring for
the birds and flowers....and me!
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: See pages 5-6-7 of GoodNewsForThePoor
---------------------------
Yesterday as I walked to Rosary Church for a visit,
I passed a new shop at the corner of Nathan Road and Austin Road. New shop sells
only one product ... a product that is needed by everyone these days:
masks! Shop is called Masklab and
says its products are "Made in HomeKong"! (since US no longer
recognizes "Made in HK")
------------------------------
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 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jilin
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Etiopia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Nov 13
Yesterday
I was at Tai Lam women's prison from 9am to 5.30pm ... a non-stop day from
which I came away with a truck load of jobs to do. Met only one new drug mule
... a HK woman groomed by 3 harmless overseas trips to undertake a trip to Sao
Paulo, Brazil and unknowingly carry drugs back to HK. Grooming and recruiting in
HK and handing over of drugs in Sao Paulo all done by local HK men, not the
usual suspects. Sadly, as is not uncommon, the woman said that HK Customs
officials were not interested in her story with a view to locating the local HK
group.
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
38. Sadly, some "are attracted by
Western culture, sometimes with unrealistic expectations that expose them to
grave disappointments. Unscrupulous
traffickers, frequently linked to drug cartels or arms cartels, exploit the
weakness of migrants, who too often experience violence, trafficking,
psychological and physical abuse and untold sufferings on their journey".
Those who emigrate "experience separation from their place of origin,
and often a cultural and religious uprooting as well. Fragmentation is also felt
by the communities they leave behind, which lose their most vigorous and
enterprising elements, and by families, especially when one or both of the
parents migrates, leaving the children in the country of origin". For
this reason, "there is also a need to reaffirm the right not to emigrate,
that is, to remain in one's homeland".
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Job 2: Satan asked permission from God to test Job even
further.
God gave permission. Satan struck Job with sores and ulcers from the soles of his feet
to the top of his head. Job scraped himself with a piece of pot. His wife told him to curse God and die. But Job replied
"If we take happiness from God's hand, must we not take
sorrow too?" News of Job's situation reached three of his friends:
Eliphaz,
Bildad and Zophar and they decided to visit Job. When they drew near to Job, they did not recognize him.
They wept, tore their clothes and sat on the ground beside Job
for 7 days without speaking, stunned and saddened by Job's appearance.
Dear God, please help me imitate Job's trust and
faith
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
133: How good and how pleasant it is
when people live in unity. It is like precious oil upon the head,
running down upon the beard. It is like the dew of Hermon
which falls on the heights of Zion. For there the Lord gives his blessing,
life for ever.
Dear Lord, please help all the
peoples of the world to live as one family, in unity.
Listen
Galatians
2.16-20:
What makes us God's friends is not obedience
to the Law,
but faith in Jesus Christ. I have been crucified with Christ, and I live
now,
not with my own life, but with the life of Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in this body, I live in
faith: faith in the Son of God who loved me and who sacrificed himself for
my sake
Jesus, help me understand how you live in me,
and I live in you
Listen
Matthew
6.16-24: Jesus said to the crowds: When you do a bit of fasting,
don't run round telling the world what you are doing.
Secret fasting is spiritually powerful. Your most important account is
with the Bank of Heaven.
Build up your deposit with lots of good deeds and prayers. Physical blindness is a great tragedy.
Greater still is spiritual blindness. God must be number one in your
life.
Don't let money or anything else replace God.
Jesus, please be Number One in
my life
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: If our relationship with God is not Number One in our lives, all other relationships will have a problem.
-------------------------
Two days ago I was asked by a lawyer to get some clothes
for a woman prisoner for her coming trial. Clothes were easy to arrange ... from
MercyHK's 2nd hand shop near my home in Jordan .... and delivered to the prison
yesterday. Soon our shop will be able to use the words "Fashions available
here as seen at the High Court"!
-------------------------
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 13th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 13th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Mali
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Nov 12
Yesterday
morning I was at the High Court for the drug trafficking case of an African man
and an African woman who brought cocaine to HK in their bodies. Both face long
sentences.
Most of the afternoon and early evening were spent on work for
MercyHK which is renting rooms for homeless people ... some of whom are not so
easy to help, such is the complicated nature of their lives.
Wed Nov 18 - I hope to go on another hike to Big Wave Bay in Sai
Kung - following same path as on hike
of Oct 29. Everyone (who can walk 15km in 5 hours) welcome! Full details in
the next few days.
Pope
Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
AN ABSENCE OF HUMAN DIGNITY ON THE BORDERS
37. Certain populist political
regimes, as well as certain liberal economic approaches, maintain that an influx
of migrants is to be prevented at all costs. Arguments are also made for the
propriety of limiting aid to poor countries, so that they can hit rock bottom
and find themselves forced to take austerity measures. One fails to realize that
behind such statements, abstract and hard to support, great numbers of lives are
at stake. Many migrants have fled from war, persecution and natural
catastrophes. Others, rightly, "are seeking opportunities for themselves
and their families. They dream of a
better future and they want to create the conditions for achieving
it".
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Job 1: Job lived in Southern Israel. He had 7 sons
and 3 daughters.
He owned thousands of animals.
He loved God and was a good man.
Satan, one of the fallen angels, challenged God to let Job be put to the
test. God gave permission to Satan to test Job.
On the same day, all Job's animals were
captured by raiders, and all his children died in a storm. Job tore his clothes, shaved his head, bowed
to the ground and prayed:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
naked I shall return to the womb of the earth.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back.
Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Dear God, please give us
courage and faith when life is difficult
Recording
Psalm 130: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
If you, O Lord, should
record our guilt,
Lord, who would survive? But with you is found
forgiveness.
For this we revere you. My soul is waiting for the Lord.
I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for the daybreak. With the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption. Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.
Lord, please forgive me for all
the bad things I have done
Recording
Galatians 2.11-14: Not long after this, when Peter came to
Antioch, I opposed him
to his face, since he was in the wrong. He had been accustomed to eating with
non-Jews, but when some friends of James arrived, people who insisted that
all believers should be circumcised, he kept away from the non-Jews. When I saw that Peter was not respecting the
true meaning of the Good News, I said to him in front of everyone
"You have no right to make non-Jews adopt Jewish customs"
Jesus, help me understand that it's sometimes
ok to criticize top Christian leaders
Listen
Matthew 6.1-15: Jesus said to the crowds:
When you do a good deed,
do it for its own sake, not just to get people to praise you. When you pray, love to pray in private in your
heart.
Don't be looking for people to notice and praise you. When you pray, there's no need to rave on and
on.
God is not deaf. Prayer is not a lawyer arguing a case.
Prayer is a child speaking with simple trust like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may everyone love and honor you. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Thank you for enough food for today.
Forgive us as we forgive others. Save us in time of trial.
Protect us from evil
Jesus, help me remember
that each time I pray "The Our Father",
you are praying with me. "Your Father = my Father = our
Father"
Listen
---------------
Seen
on t-shirt yesterday:
Common sense
is not so common
--------------------
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 12th 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 12th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Guinea
Bissau
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Nov 11
102 years ago today, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War 1 officially ended, after a conflict that involved 65 million men in battle, left nearly 10 million killed, 21 million wounded, nearly seven million civilian deaths. May the Good Lord help our world avoid war
Not forgetting that the Treaty of Versailles which end World War 1 was a major cause of World War 2 (because it treated Germany so harshly) and was the reason for China's young leaders turning away from the West and turning to Marxism/Russia (because China also was treated so badly - see May 4 Movement)
Pope Francis - Fratelli
Tutti:
36. Unless we recover the shared passion to
create a community of belonging and solidarity worthy of our time, our energy
and our resources, the global illusion that misled us will collapse and leave
many in the grip of anguish and emptiness. Nor should we naively refuse to
recognize that "obsession with a
consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it,
can only lead to violence and mutual destruction". The notion
of "every man for himself" will rapidly degenerate into a free-for-all
that would prove worse than any pandemic.
------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
A time to be reconciled
"How can I better destroy my enemies than by making them my
friends?"
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Maccabees 15: In 138 B.C., Antiochus
son of Demetrius made war with Trypho.
This same Antiochus became hostile to Simon after the Romans
renewed their treaty with Israel. When Antiochus sent an
army to attack Israel,
Simon defeated that army. A disloyal and
ambitious Jew named Ptolemy got Simon and two of his sons drunk at a
banquet and killed them. Simon was succeeded by
his son John as leader of the Jews.
Dear God, please protect
good leaders from disloyalty
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
Galatians
2.1-9: 14 years after that first visit, I again went
to Jerusalem,
with Barnabas and Titus. I explained to the Christian leaders how I had
been proclaiming the Good News to non-Jews. James, Peter and John shook hands with us as a
sign of partnership.
We were to preach to the non-Jews, and they to the Jews
Jesus, please help all Christians to avoid disunity
Listen
Matthew
5.13-48: Jesus said to the crowds:
You are the salt of the
earth.
But if salt loses its taste, it's no use for anything. You are the light of
the world.
Let the world see your light, your good deeds.
When people see you doing good deeds,
people will praise God. I have not come to
abolish the Jewish religion.
I have come to raise it to a higher level of goodness. Your goodness must not
just be something superficial.
Your goodness must be something from the heart. You must avoid anger
and insult, just like you avoid murder.
If you have offended someone, say "Sorry". You must avoid lustful
looks and thoughts. Looking at someone lustfully is immorality of the heart.
Love and pray for
people who are unkind to you.
This is the way to practise the highest level of goodness.
Jesus, please help me
practise a higher level of goodness
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Shaking hands was an unusual procedure in the Jewish world ...mentioned today in Galatians to stress an important agreement ... (& see today's article by Chris McDonnell!)
---------------------------
Yesterday I had a day off, my second this year, and, like
my first (on Oct 29) the same thing happened: while I was away from Jordan,
MercyHK's little 2nd hand shop at 191 Temple Street, Jordan had an excellent day
of sales. Maybe I need more days off?!
-------------------------
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 11th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hunan
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 11th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Eritrea
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
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The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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