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
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?
Name
& shame
JesusTower
GoodNewsForPoor
Dr
Jesus
China8
SimpleBible
MatteoRicci
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Tues
Feb 1 LNY
God bless all dear readers with good health in the Year of the Tiger!
Update from Camay ....
she is bouncing back after another spell in
hospital
Illustrated
English translation, with original Chinese, of letter from local HK man -
how he got caught up in drug trafficking
Dear God, please give rain to drought-stricken Ethiopia (which I visited in 2020 and for which I have a special
concern)
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: Through
Adam, the virus of sin entered the world. Through Jesus, the divine anti-virus
of grace entered the world
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings
8-9: When the temple was finished,
Solomon shifted the Sacred Chest to the temple.
After the Chest was placed in the temple,
the glorious cloud of the Lord filled the temple. Solomon then praised God and
blessed the people.
Solomon prayed that the temple would be a place of blessings. Solomon also prayed that all the
peoples of the world
would come to know the Lord from whom all life comes. The Lord again appeared to Solomon and said:
"I will be near to all who enter the temple you have
built."
Dear God, may all temples and
churches in the world
be places where people praise and love you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
6: Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no
strength.
My body is racked with pain. Please heal me, Lord. I am exhausted with my groaning.
Every night my pillow is covered with tears. Lord, please hear my prayer.
Dear Lord, please help people who are in distress of mind or body
Listen
Philippians
3.7-11:
Because of Christ, I have come to consider
all my former advantages as a scholar as disadvantages. Nothing is more important than knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of
everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have
Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power of
his resurrection.
I want to share his sufferings by carrying the Cross with him. This is the way I can hope to receive eternal
life
Christ Jesus my Lord, knowing you is No. 1
Listen
Matthew
12.9-14:
On another Sabbath Jesus visited a
prayer hall.
A man with a withered hand was in the hall. Some religious leaders asked Jesus, to trap
him,
"Is it lawful to heal a man on the Sabbath day?"
(The leaders taught that no "work" could be done on the
Sabbath). Jesus replied:
"If one of your sheep fell down a hole on the Sabbath,
wouldn't you lift it out?
A man is more important than a sheep.
Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then Jesus said to the man with the withered
hand
"Stretch out your hand".
He stretched it out. It was healed. The religious leaders left the prayer hall
and began plotting how to get rid of Jesus.
Jesus, please stop bad
religious leaders from misleading people
Listen
Reflection: Only a terribly warped heart could be unhappy that a handicapped man was healed
-------------------
Recommended
movie:
Not One Less * Wikipedia * DVD Talk * In Chinese (Putonghua) with English sub-titles. True story of a 13-year-old substitute teacher in the Chinese countryside who is told not to lose any students. When one of the boys takes off in search of work in the big city, she goes looking for him. A simple but powerful movie
------------------------------
For the Year of the Tiger:
-------------------------------
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 1st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Anhui
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 1st of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Niger
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Mon Jan
31 LNY
Eve
God bless all dear readers with good health in the Year of the Tiger!
191: Even though MercyHK's shop in Temple Street has been closed for the past week (... for the safety of our workers during this time of Covid) more than 30 kind people have made deliveries of second hand goods to the shop over the past week .... with Simon and I opening the shop to receive items. But this made the shop badly overcrowded, so yesterday I put many items (mainly used clothing) outside of the front entrance for free take-a-way
Camay's interview with Sunday Examiner ... her courage and faith continue to give hope to other cancer patients
I
have updated my
list of the world's poorest 31 countries - for daily pray intention at
bottom of each day's menu
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: "In
each child there burns a moral flame that if nurtured can defeat the darkness at
the core of human nature"
Helping MercyHK rent rooms for
homeless people - Carousell:
Shop 1
Shop
2
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings
6-7:
Solomon built the temple of the Lord with
finest wood
and many precious materials. The temple took 7 years to build. Solomon also built a palace for
himself.
This took 13 years to build.
Dear God, may all temples and
churches in the world
be places of prayer and peace
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
5: At the start of this day I pray to you, O
Lord, my King and my God. I offer you my prayer and ask for your
help. Through the greatness of your love, I have
access to your friendship. I bow down in reverence and worship. Lead me, Lord, in the way you want me to go.
It is you, Lord, who bless good people.
You surround them with favors, as with a shield.
Lord, I adore you as my Creator
Listen
Philippians
2.13-16: It is God who gives us the spiritual energy to
be good and to do good. Don't be someone who is always complaining and
arguing. Live a life of light in our dark world.
May your life of light offer the world the word of life
Jesus, help me avoid complaining and
arguing
Listen
Matthew
12.1-8: One Sabbath day Jesus and his disciples were walking through a
cornfield. The disciples were hungry.
They picked some ears of corn and ate them. Picking corn on the Sabbath was regarded as unlawful by the
Pharisees. So the Pharisees said to Jesus
"Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath law". Jesus replied
"Don't you remember what David and his followers once did when
they were hungry? They ate the Temple bread which only the priests were
allowed to eat. Go and learn the meaning of these words 'What I want is mercy, not superficial external
offerings'. I am Master of the Sabbath."
Jesus,
Master of the Sabbath, please help
me understand that love is more important than law.
Listen
Reflection: Some (most?) Bible scholars say that by saying he was Master of the Sabbath, Jesus was claiming to be Lord as in LORD!
-----------------
Book:
Long
Road to Freedom
by
Nelson Mandela. Inspiring
from start to finish. See some of 932 reviews at Amazon
-------------------------
Sunday
for Christians in HK is now zoom day! (for church services)
--------------------
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 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 Uganda
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Sun Jan 30
The current crisis in Ukraine is very similar to that
in Cuba in 1962. If Ukraine joins NATO, then US can put ballistic weapons on
doorstep of Russia. No wonder Russia is upset. Just as US was upset when Russia
put weapons in Cuba on doorstep of US in 1962. Compromise
suggestion: decision about Ukraine joining NATO be deferred for 5
years ... in response to which Russia will withdrawn troops from Ukraine border.
Please God!
187: Yesterday afternoon's weekly meeting to pray for health was again held by zoom .... and it was beautiful and inspiring the way people shared and encouraged each other. Thank you Jesus!
Yesterday morning at a Tsim Sha Tsui branch of the Bank of China,
MercyHK's social worker Simon with Directors Eddie, Michael and myself made a
formal application for MercyHK to have a business account ... since we recently
were given Article 88 tax exemption by the Inland Revenue Dept. Bank staff
at TST, just as at Jordan branch, totally kind and helpful. Please God the
account will be ready in the next month or so
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: Western
civilization's debt to religion
Bible Study: Acts
18
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 4
Jeremiah 1: Jeremiah
lived in a village not far from Jerusalem. Jeremiah's father was a priest. God
said to Jeremiah: "Before
I formed you in the womb, I knew you. I have appointed you as prophet to
the nations." Jeremiah said to God: "Lord, I do not know how to speak.
I am so young." God then touched Jeremiah's mouth and said: "I now put
my words into your mouth. Go and tell the people everything I ask you to speak.
Do not be dismayed by anyone. I am making you strong. You must confront Judah's
kings, priests and people. They will oppose you, but will not overcome you,
for I am with you."
Lord, please give special courage to people who speak your message for the
world
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
71: In
you, O Lord, I take refuge. Please hear me and help me. Be a rock where I can
take refuge. Rescue me from people who want to hurt me. It is you, O Lord, who
are my hope. In you I have trusted since I was young. From
my mother's womb you have been my help. My hope has always been in you.
Now that I am old, please do not forget me. Now that my strength fails, do not
abandon me. Now that I am old and grey-headed, may I continue to trust in you
and proclaim your help. To you I will sing with the harp. All day long my tongue
will tell of your goodness to me.
Lord, may all elderly people put their trust and hope in you
Listen
1
Corinthians 13.1-13: If
I am the most brilliant speaker, but don't have love, I am just a gong booming.
If I understand all mysteries, and if I have a faith that will move mountains,
but don't have love, I am nothing. Love
is always patient and kind. It is never jealous, never
boastful, never conceited, never rude or selfish. Love does not take offence.
It's not resentful. Love delights in the truth. Love is always ready to excuse,
to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love is virtue Number One,
greater than faith or hope.
Jesus, please help me love like you
Listen
Luke
4.23-30: People in the
prayer hall rejected Jesus. "Who does he think he is?" they asked.
"He's just the son of Joseph". Jesus replied "No
prophet is ever accepted in his own country". The angry people then
took Jesus by force to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth was
built. They planned to throw him down the cliff. But Jesus escaped from them and
went away.
Jesus, please forgive people who reject you. Please help them accept you
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: It's often easier to preach/speak/share with strangers than with one's own friends/community/family ... c.f. the Chinese saying: "Local ginger is not hot"!
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
HK
professor creates Chinese Wordle
------------------------------
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 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, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Sat Jan 29
As the pandemic continues
to spread in HK there is increasing need for HK people to support and
encourage each other to keep going. Little acts of kindness take on extra
meaning at times like this. MercyHK is trying to do more these days for poor
people in the area. Like last night .... I was on my way home from a nearby
canteen with my favourite meal - the most delicious fish burger in HK - when I
met a homeless guy who sleeps in a park near Temple Street. When I saw him I
found myself thinking "What does it matter?", gave him my fish burger,
and went and got another one for myself!
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: What's
the purpose of life?
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings
4-5: Solomon enjoyed peace with all his
neighbouring countries.
He was blessed by God with great wisdom and understanding. He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,000 songs.
People from all nations went to hear Solomon's wisdom. Solomon made preparations for building a
temple for the Lord.
Hiram, king of Tyre, made a treaty with Solomon.
Hiram provided wood for building the temple.
Dear God, please
help all nations
live peacefully with each other
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
3: When people make fun of me for believing in
you, Lord,
I deeply remember how you are my help and my shield. Even when the whole world seems against me,
I can go to bed and sleep easy, knowing that you protect me. O Lord, please rescue me from people who plot
against me.
Lord our savior, please bless everyone who needs help.
Lord, thank you for your
protection and help
Listen
Philippians
2.5-11:
Listen
to this being sung
O Lord, unite us in your love
and keep our minds in you O Lord, unite us in your love
and keep our minds in you.
Though you were God in state divine
you did not cling to what you were.
No, you shed your glory's shine
so as to live just like a slave
O Lord, unite us in your love
and keep our minds in you
You came on earth in human form
and you shared our troubled life.
A humbler man there never was,
even in death obedient
Yes, Lord, death upon a cross,
yes, upon a cross
Therefore are you raised on high
and you have the name of names. At that name should bend the knee
and tongue confess: Jesus Christ is LORD.
And tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.
And tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.
To the glory of God the Father
Matthew
11.25-30: One day Jesus prayed:
Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
I am joyfully amazed at the way simple people
understand and accept what I'm saying,
while proud and clever people miss the plot. And he said to the ordinary people:
Come to me,
all you who are treated unfairly by unjust religious laws.
I will give you peace and justice. Learn from me, and you will know peace,
for I am gentle and humble of heart.
Jesus, please help people who
are suffering from unjust religious laws
Listen
Reflection: The name "Solomon" means "peace". And peace is Jesus' special gift. Every Christian is meant to be a person of peace, a Solomon.
---------------------------
I admire McDonalds's for the way they (carefully and
prudently) remain open despite typhoons/Covid etc!
------------------------------
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 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, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Fri Jan 28
Covid
is spreading in HK as a result of which more and more people - especially
elderly people - are staying at home, afraid to go outside
Yesterday afternoon I received a message from a lawyer to say
that my mitigation letter on behalf of a local HK man convicted of drug
trafficking allowed the judge to give him a 2 month discount. Thank
you Jesus. This makes days spent working at the
desk worthwhile!
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: A
Middle East Union?
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1 Kings 3: The Lord appeared to King Solomon in a dream
and said "Ask me for anything you'd
like." Solomon asked for
wisdom: "Give your
servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil." God replied: "I now give you a heart full
of wisdom,
wisdom greater than anyone else has ever had. And I also give you what you did not ask for:
riches and glory and long life." Not long after this, two prostitutes came for
judgement:
they lived in the same house and both had given birth to a son,
but one of the babies died during the night.
The mother of the dead baby changed babies
during the same night
and claimed that the living baby was hers. Solomon asked for a sword to cut the
living baby in two
and give half to each mother. The lying woman agreed, but the real mother
said
"No. Don't kill the baby. Give it to the other woman." Solomon then knew the real mother was telling
the truth
and gave the baby to her.
For wisdom such as this, Solomon's reputation spread far.
Dear Lord, please give me more
wisdom for my life
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
2: Why are the nations revolting against God?
Why won't the nations accept God? O kings and rulers of the
nations, listen to God's voice.
Serve the Lord with love and honor. Blessed are the nations that love
the Lord
Let all the nations love you,
Lord. Let all the nations love you
Listen
Philippians
1.27-2.4: Avoid anything in your
everyday lives that would be unworthy of the Good News of Christ. Be united in your
convictions, and united in your love.
There must be no competition among you, no conceit. Everyone should be
self-effacing.
Always regard others as better than yourself. Put others interests
before your own
Jesus, help me say
"no" to anything unworthy of your Good News
Listen
Matthew
11.1-19: John the Baptist sent some of his friends to
ask Jesus
"Are you the promised Anointed One?"
Jesus replied
"Tell John what you hear and see:
blind people see, lame people walk, lepers are healed". Jesus also said to the people around him
how neither John nor himself could please the religious leaders. "For John
always fasted and
never drank wine,
and people said he was possessed. I eat well and I drink wine
and people call me a glutton and a drunkard."
Jesus, please help me be
someone who is easy to live with,
someone who is not hard to please
Listen
Reflection: Psalm 2 speaks about nations loving the Lord. Here's the top 10 Christian countries, based on % of population which is Christian.
- Vatican City - 100% (!)
- Timor Leste - 99.1%
- Romania - 98.0%
- Armenia - 97.9%
- Grenada - 97.3%
- Papua New Guinea - 97%
- Greenland - 96.6%
- Haiti - 96% (tie)
- Paraguay - 96% (tie)
- Zambia - 95.5%
-------------------------
Before I found the above list, if someone had asked me
"What country has the highest % of Christians?", I don't think I would
have answered the Vatican ....since we don't usually think of it as a country!
-------------------------
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 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, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Thu Jan 27
HK
Covid situation - from A
beastly beginning to the year:
There
are essentially four major clusters, the largest of these expanding at a Kwai
Chung public housing estate where infections have been found in 12 of the 16
blocks, prompting authorities to place three of them under lockdown. Yet,
despite our leaders having had months to prepare for such a situation, the
scenes there are chaotic. Complaints have rained down from stranded residents:
shoddy testing arrangements that cause them to queue for hours; government
hotlines going unanswered; stinking garbage piling up in lift lobbies. The list
goes on.
I missed this yesterday, but we can do it today:
Pope
asks for day of prayer for peace in Ukraine
My
reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: Are
these 2 items high on my/our agenda?
Everything's a miracle!
The miracle of the Milky Way!
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1 Kings 2:
Before King David died, he encouraged his son
Solomon
to love the Lord with all his heart and soul. Solomon executed his main enemies and rivals,
including Adonijah who had again plotted to become king. Solomon then was secure and safe as king.
Dear God, thank you for the
life of David
who, despite his faults, loved you with all his heart
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
1: Happy the person who
avoids evil and evil entertainment.
Happy the person who reads and meditates on God's words. Such a
person is like a tree planted beside a river, getting plenty of
nourishment, bearing plenty of fruit. Such a
person is on the Way of Life.
People who do evil are on the Way of Death.
Dear
Lord, please help me do good and avoid evil
Listen
Philippians
1.13-25: My chains have become famous and have given
courage to many other believers. Many others are now becoming more daring
in announcing the Message without fear. I hope and trust that I will always have
courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my
death. My heart wants to go
two ways. One part wants to depart this world and live for ever with
Christ in heaven. The other part wants to stay in this world to help more
people to know the Lord
Jesus, give me courage in
spreading the Good News
Listen
Matthew
10.17-42: Jesus said to his apostles
"Because you follow me and speak my message,
therefore you will be arrested and put in prison. But don't worry about what to say for your
defence.
What to say will be given you by the Holy Spirit. Boldly proclaim my message
and do not be afraid of persecution. Take up your cross and follow
me.
Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me
is not worthy of me."
Jesus, please give me more
courage
Listen
Reflection: The example of Jesus and Paul give us courage to carry our crosses
---------------
From
the Milky Way article, above:
But Hubble's observations
proved that Andromeda was much too far away and was, in fact, a galaxy on its
own, just like the Milky Way. Since then, astronomers have learned that
Andromeda will one day bring about the end of our galaxy as we know it when
the two collide some 4 to 5 billion years from now
(!)
--------------------
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 27th 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 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, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Wed Jan 26
Yesterday after the monthly O.M.I. meeting finished with lunch
at Sheung Shui, I was able to go to nearby Lo Wu women's prison and hand in a
number of items for inmates at main reception desk ....but wasn't able to visit
anyone because of Covid restrictions
93
new Covid cases in HK yesterday
If Covid restrictions allow, next hike to Big Wave Bay in Sai
Kung will please God be on Tues Feb 8 (not Feb 15 as previously stated).
Following similar route to this
one. Pls contact me for more info: jdwomi@gmail.com
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: Dynamic
rather than static mode!
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Readings are from Simple
Bible
2 Timothy 1.1-5 (for
feast of Timothy and Titus): From
Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, to Timothy,
dear child of mine in the faith, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the
Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. I
always remember your sincere faith. It came first to live in your
grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and now in yourself.
Jesus, thank you for parents who pass on the faith to their children
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
71: In
you, O Lord, I take refuge. Please hear me and help me. Be a rock where I can
take refuge. Rescue me from people who want to hurt me. It is you, O Lord, who
are my hope. In
you I have trusted since I was young. From my mother's womb you have been
my help. My hope has always been in you. Now that I am old, please do not forget
me. Now that my strength fails, do not abandon me. Now that I am old and
grey-headed, may I continue to trust in you and proclaim your help. To you I
will sing with the harp. All day long my tongue will tell of your goodness to
me.
Lord, may all elderly people put their trust and hope in you
Listen
Titus
1.1-9: From
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
Titus, true child of mine in the faith we share, wishing you grace and
peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Saviour. The reason I left
you behind in Crete was for you to appoint elders in every town: each of them a
man of irreproachable character, married only once, not arrogant or
hot-tempered, not a heavy drinker, not out to make money. A man who is
hospitable and a friend of all that is good; sensible, devout, with a firm grasp
of the Good News, a good teacher, able to refute people who argue against sound
doctrine.
Jesus, please help all pastors be good
"elders"
Listen
Matthew
10.1-16: Many men followed Jesus as "fishers of
men", as "disciples".
Jesus chose 12 of them and called them "apostles": Peter and his
brother Andrew; Zebedees' sons James
and John;
Philip and Bartholomew;
Thomas and Matthew;
James son of
Alphaeus; Thaddaeus,
Simon and Judas.
Jesus sent them to prepare his way by visiting
the places he would go.
He gave them power to cast out evil spirits and to heal all kinds of
sicknesses.
He said to them:
Proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near.
Cure the sick.
Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Cast out devils.
Jesus, please help all
Christians to be apostles and fishers of people
Listen
Reflection: Who were Timothy & Titus?
---------------------------
Novak
Djokovic's parents must have known the future ... when they named him "No
vaccine"!
-------------------------
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 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, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Because of the pandemic, MercyHK's shop in Temple Street is closed. It will re-open, please God, on February 5
Tues Jan 25
Hello from St Paul's House of Prayer where I'm attending the monthly O.M.I. meeting for HK Oblates. We arrived yesterday afternoon and are pleased to be here on a feast of St Paul (see below, readings). After the meeting finishes with lunch today, I hope to visit nearby Lo Wu women's prison to hand in some items (... glasses, IDD cards, text books etc) ....chaplains not allowed to visit at the moment because of Covid restrictions, but I hope I can at least hand in my shopping list!
On
this day in 1816 in France was born the group that became the Oblates
of Mary Immaculate.
A good day for HK Oblates to be together!
My reflections on Documents of Vatican 2: We
have passed from a static to a dynamic understanding of life
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of Conversion of St Paul
Isaiah
51-52: Pay attention
to me, you peoples. Listen to me, you nations. The islands put their hope in the
Lord. They put their trust in his strength. How
beautiful on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, who
proclaims peace and salvation, and tells Zion "Your God is king!"
Break into shouts of joy, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord is redeeming his
people. All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Lord, may more and more people in more and more countries know you and love
you.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
117: O Praise
the Lord, all you nations. Acclaim
him, all you peoples! Strong is his love for us. He is
faithful for ever.
May all the nations love and praise you, Lord
Recording
Acts
9.1-19: Paul kept up
his campaign against the Lord's disciples. He got the ok to arrest followers of
the Way in Damascus. But on his way to Damascus, a light from heaven surrounded
him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying "Paul, Paul, why are
you persecuting me?" He said "Who are you, Lord?" The voice
replied "I am Jesus, and
you are persecuting me. Go into Damascus and you will be told what to
do". Paul's eyes were open, but for more than a day he was without his
sight, and he ate and drank nothing. The Lord got Ananias, a disciple in
Damascus, to visit Paul and pray for him. The Lord said to Ananias "Paul
is my chosen instrument to bring my name to non-Jews and Jews. He will suffer
much for me". Ananias went to Paul and prayed for him
with the laying on of hands. Straight away, Paul could see again. Then Ananias
baptized him.
Jesus, please help me understand how
unkindness to others is unkindness to you
Recording
Mark
16.9-20: After he
rose from the dead, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had
cast out 7 devils. Next he appeared to two of his disciples while they
were on a journey. Then he appeared to the 11 apostles. He said to them "Go
everywhere in the world. Proclaim the Good News to all creation. Anyone who
believes and is baptized, will be saved. Anyone who refuses to believe, will be
condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my
name they
will cast out devils, they
will have the gift of tongues, they
will pick up snakes in their hands, they will be unharmed if they drink
poison, they will lay their
hands on the sick, who will be healed". And so, the Lord Jesus,
after he had spoken to them, was taken up to heaven, while they, going out,
preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming their message by
the miracles that accompanied the message
Lord Jesus, may more and more people all over the world believe in you
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Jesus, please bless Xi Jin Ping and people like him, the same way as you blessed St Paul!
-------------------
Recommended
movie:
Joseph King of Dreams - the Exodus story of Joseph. One of my all time favourites!
------------------------------
To go with today's feast of St Paul:
-------------------------------
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 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, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
------------------------
======
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)) (blocked by FB Oct 2020)
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 King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .