V2Catholic.comDr
Jesus Centre 187 Temple St Jordan
A voice for the poor
by HK prison chaplain
胡頌恆神父
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I.
jdwomi@gmail.com
+852 67095674
Imitating
Pope Francis
Tues July 18
Typhoon Signal 8 closed down HK yesterday ... although MercyHK
social worker Lucia and I worked as usual at the Dr Jesus Centre ... Lucia
processing many requests for help ... while I spent a large part of the day on
a bail application for a domestic helper arrested on a drug trafficking charge
that I believe she was totally innocent of.
Laudato
Si:
146.
In this sense, it is essential to show
special care for indigenous communities and their cultural traditions.
They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal
dialogue partners, especially when large projects affecting their land are
proposed. For them, land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and
from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which they need to
interact if they are to maintain their identity and values. When they remain
on their land, they themselves care for it best. Nevertheless, in various
parts of the world, pressure is being put on them to abandon their homelands
to make room for agricultural or mining projects which are undertaken without
regard for the degradation of nature and culture.
Pope
asks we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 27
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Joshua
8: After Gideon defeated
all the enemies of the Israelites,
the Israelites asked him to be their ruler. He replied: "It is
not I who shall rule over you, nor my son;
The Lord must be your ruler". After Gideon's death,
the people of Israel again began
to worship the local idols. They no longer remembered
the Lord who had so often rescued them. The people were also
ungrateful to Gideon's family
despite all the good deeds that family had done for Israel.
Dear
Lord, please don't let me ever become an ungrateful person
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
Hebrews
3.1-13:
Focus on
Jesus, the apostle and high priest of
our religion.
He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just like Moses. Take care not to turn away from the living
God.
Keep encouraging one another, so that sin does not cause you to turn away
from God
Jesus, help me stay focused on you
Listen
Mark
2.13-17:
Jesus went again to the Sea of Galilee.
Many people came to him and he taught them there by the sea. Near the sea he saw
a tax collector Levi
(Matthew) working at the customs house. Jesus said to him "Follow
me". He got up and followed him. Levi gave a dinner in his house for Jesus.
Sitting with Jesus were some tax collectors and "sinners".
In fact Jesus' followers included many tax collectors and
"sinners". Some religious leaders asked Jesus' disciples
"Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
Jesus himself answered them: "It is not
the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the
virtuous, but sinners."
Jesus, thank you for being a
friend
of people who are rejected and despised
Listen
Reflection:
------------------------------
Yesterday
as I reflected on yesterday's Gospel about the paralytic being lowered from
the roof ... and then being healed by Jesus ... I began thinking that as the
healed man got up and walked out, Peter (in whose house he was healed) would
have said to him and to his four friends who lowered him from the roof ...
"Hey guys ... well done ... but before you go ... would you please fix my
*^%*@ roof!"
-------------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 18th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Shandong
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 18th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Gambia
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon July 17
HK01
report about work of MercyHK
30
drug mules arrested at HK airport this year ((this figure seems too
high?))
Laudato
Si:
145.
Many intensive forms of environmental exploitation and degradation not only
exhaust the resources which provide local communities with their livelihood,
but also undo the social structures which, for a long time, shaped cultural
identity and their sense of the meaning of life and community. The
disappearance of a culture can be just as serious, or even more serious, than
the disappearance of a species of plant or animal. The imposition of a
dominant lifestyle linked to a single form of production can be just as
harmful as the altering of ecosystems.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 28
of Church in the
World
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges
7: Gideon prepared to go
to war with the Midianites.
But God told him to reduce his number of soldiers. The army was told
"Let anyone who is frightened or fearful go home". 22,000 men went home;
10,000 stayed. The Lord said
there were still too many.
"So many men might cause Israel to claim that a victory
had nothing to do with the Lord".
So Gideon got the men to go to the river to drink. All those who lapped the water, like a
dog, he put on one side.
These numbered 300. The rest knelt down and used their
hands to drink.
These were sent home. Gideon divided his 300 men into 3
groups, surrounding the Midianite camp. To each man he gave a horn and an empty
water container,
with a torch inside each container. In the middle of the night, they
attacked.
They sounded their horns and smashed their containers,
holding a horn in their right hand and a torch in their left. The Midianites woke in terror,
thinking that the Israelites had a huge number of men. In their panic, the Midianites attacked
each other
as they fled the camp. The Israelites drove the Midianites
from the Israelite homeland.
Dear
God, thank you for the courage and leadership of Gideon
01
02
Psalms
69-70: Save me, O God, for the waters have risen to
my neck.
I am sinking fast and can't keep afloat much longer. So many people hate me without cause.
I have no more strength to resist them. May my situation not cause anyone to lose
faith in you.
May people realize that it is for your sake that I am taunted. Taunts have broken my heart.
No one shows me any compassion. For food they give me poison.
In my thirst they give me vinegar to drink. Lord, do not hide your face from your servant.
Answer quickly for I am in distress. You are my rescuer, my help, O God.
O Lord, do not delay to help me.
O God come to our
assistance. Lord make haste to help us
Listen
Hebrews
2.14-18: The Son did not become an angel.
He became a man, so that he could die for us. By his death he took away the power of the
devil. He himself experienced temptation.
He is able to help us when we are tempted
Jesus, please help me when I am tempted to do
something wrong
Listen
Mark
2.1-12: After some time Jesus returned to Capernaum.
Crowds quickly gathered at the house where he was staying. While he was preaching inside the house,
four men carried a paralytic on a stretcher to the front door.
They couldn't get in, because of the crowd, so they went up on the roof,
took off some of the roof covering, and lowered the stretcher in front of
Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the
paralytic "Your sins are forgiven". Some religious leaders
present in the crowd thought to themselves "Who does this man
think he is? Only God can forgive sins". Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he
asked them "Which is easier? To say 'Your sins are
forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'? But to show you that I have authority to
forgive sins I now say: get up, pick up your stretcher and go home."
The man got up, picked up his stretcher and
walked out in front of everyone. The crowd said "We have never seen
anything like this".
Jesus, please heal my
friend.....(name)....who is a paralytic
01
02
Reflection: May God give us the faith of the five men on the roof!
-------------------------
After Cantonese Mass at St Paul's parish Yau Ma Tei yesterday
morning, I stopped as usual at a nearby bread shop to buy a bun to eat on way
back to the Dr Jesus Centre. Usually I get a HK$10 large "Mak Bau"
but yesterday I thought I'd try something different. But when I asked for a
pineapple bun the lady serving gave me a Mak Bau ....because this is what
she's used to giving me. I didn't want to cause her loss of face ....and to be
honest my Cantonese for pineapple bun might not have been so clear..... so I took
the Mak Bau with a smile and enjoyed it as usual!
--------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On
this 17th of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Shaanxi
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 Ethiopia
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun July 16
Jesus, when
Pope goes to Mongolia Sep 1-4, may he please make
a stopover in Beijing to pray at the tomb of Matteo
Ricci!
Hot
article on climate change (really important info)
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 15
Isaiah
55: Thus says the Lord:
"As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return
without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed
for the sower and bread for the eating, so
the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without
carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do."
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
Recording
Romans
8.14-21: Everyone
moved by the Spirit is a child of God. The Spirit lets us use
children's language to speak to God tenderly as "Abba, Father".
Since we are God's children, we are also his heirs, coheirs with Jesus,
sharing his suffering so as to share his glory. What we suffer in this life
can never be compared with the glorious life we will have in heaven. The whole
of creation looks forward to sharing the same glory, to sharing immortality.
Abba, Father, may everyone love and honor you.
Help everyone get to heaven
Recording
Matthew 13.1-23: One day Jesus told the people this story: A farmer was planting seeds in his field. Some seeds fell on the path. Birds ate them. Some seeds fell on rocky ground. They became sickly plants, without roots, and died. Some seeds fell among thorns. When they became plants, they were choked by the thorns. Some seeds fell on good soil and produced a rich harvest.
People
who hear God's word without good will are like the seeds on
the path. They are easy prey for Satan. People who hear God's word only
superficially are like the seeds on
rocky ground. As soon as difficulties come, such people easily give up.
People who hear God's word with one ear but with the other listen to the call
of greed and pleasure are like the seeds among
thorns. Greed kills the word. People who hear God's word with good will
and put it into practice are like the
good seeds which produced a rich harvest.
Jesus, please help me be good seed!
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: For those of us who are Christians, maybe the most relevant idea from today's Gospel is: how can we produce a better "harvest"? ... are we producing as much as God wants us to?
Reflection by Fr Peter: English Chinese
-------------
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
-------------------------------
Taxi
driver charged for overcharging ... a policeman
------------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Malawi
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat July 15
After a swim at Kowloon Park yesterday morning I spent most of the day finishing a bail application for an elderly overseas women tricked on line to bring drugs to HK. I was able to get the application to the post office before it closed at 6pm. Hopefully the case will be heard at the High Court in about 10 days time. From the post office I went back to the Dr Jesus Centre for more office work while listening to a seesawing game between the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne ... which the Lions won! (Well, they were about to win but ....correction: in the final minutes Melbourne got up and won!)
Laudato
Si:
144.
A consumerist vision of human beings, encouraged by the mechanisms of today's
globalized economy, has a levelling effect on cultures, diminishing the
immense variety which is the heritage of all humanity. Attempts to resolve all
problems through uniform regulations or technical interventions can lead to
overlooking the complexities of local problems which demand the active
participation of all members of the community. New processes taking shape
cannot always fit into frameworks imported from outside; they need to be based
in the local culture itself. As life and the world are dynamic realities, so
our care for the world must also be flexible and dynamic. Merely technical
solutions run the risk of addressing symptoms and not the more serious
underlying problems. There is a need to respect the rights of peoples and
cultures, and to appreciate that the development of a social group presupposes
an historical process which takes place within a cultural context and demands
the constant and active involvement of local people from
within their proper culture. Nor can the notion of the quality of life be
imposed from without, for quality of life must be understood within the world
of symbols and customs proper to each human group. ((this
is repetition ....these points already made in previous articles!))
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 26
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges
4-6: After Sisera's forces
were defeated,
the land enjoyed peace for 40 years. But then the Israelites
again lapsed into idolatry,
and so they were oppressed by the Midianites for 7 years. The Lord then raised up
Gideon to rescue the people. Following the Lord's
instructions,
Gideon at night time destroyed the altar to Baal
in his father's house. When the Midianites
heard what Gideon had done,
they prepared to attack the Israelites. The spirit of the Lord
came on Gideon
and he rallied the Israelites. Gideon asked for a sign
of success in battle,
and said to the Lord: "See now, I
spread out a fleece of wool on the ground;
tomorrow morning, if there is dew only on the fleece
and not on the surrounding ground,
then I know you will deliver Israel by my hand". And so it happened the
next morning:
the ground was dry but the fleece was drenched with dew. Gideon asked for a
second sign,
requesting that the fleece be dry but the ground covered with dew. And God did what Gideon
asked:
the fleece stayed dry, and there was dew on the ground
Dear
Lord, thank you for hearing Gideon's prayer
(and please bless the work of the Gideon Society which puts Bibles in hotels around the world!)
01
02
Psalm
66-68: O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shine its light upon us. Let all the peoples praise you, O
God.
Let all the peoples praise you. O sing to the Lord, make music to his name.
Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
God provides a shelter for the homeless. God gives his people strength.
May all the peoples of the
earth know you and praise you, O God
Hebrews
1.1-4: At various times in the past and in various
different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets. But in our own time, he
has spoken to us
through his Son,
through whom he made everything.
He is the radiant light of God the Father's glory. He has sacrificed himself for sinners.
He has taken his place at the right hand of the Father.
He is far greater than any angel
Jesus, deepen my understanding of
who you are
Listen
Mark
1.40-45: A leper came to Jesus and on his knees
pleaded
"If you want to, you can heal me". Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his
hand,
touched him and said "Of course I want to heal you. Be healed!"
The leprosy left him at that moment and he was
healed. Jesus told the man not to tell people what had
happened
(in case people misunderstood Jesus' spiritual mission and tried to use
him politically). But the man told everyone. Soon Jesus could not go openly into any town
(for fear the crowds would become unruly) so he stayed in remote places. Even so, people from all around the district
would come to him.
Jesus, please heal people who
are lepers
Listen
Reflection: "Of course I want to heal you" means "please heal me if it is your will" is not the way to pray
------------
Long
time no typhoon ....but today a typhoon signal due
------------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the
month:
On this 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Liberia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri July 14
Several meetings were held at the Dr Jesus Centre in Jordan
yesterday, beginning with a staff meeting in the morning. During the day a
number of needy people came for help ...including one man from North Africa in
urgent need of accommodation. And yesterday afternoon there was the usual
gathering at our Nathan Road centre for single mothers ... always a happy
time. Which reminds me, during the coming Summer holidays there will be
special classes at the Nathan Road centre for needy young children .... God
bless the kind tutors (who themselves are older students)
Laudato
Si:
143.
Together with the patrimony of nature, there is also an historic, artistic and
cultural patrimony which is likewise under threat. This patrimony is a part of
the shared identity of each place and a foundation upon which to build a
habitable city. It is not a matter of tearing down and building new cities,
supposedly more respectful of the environment yet not always more attractive
to live in. Rather, there is a need to incorporate the history, culture and
architecture of each place, thus preserving its original identity. Ecology,
then, also involves protecting the cultural treasures of humanity in the
broadest sense. More specifically, it calls for greater attention to
local cultures when studying environmental problems, favouring a dialogue
between scientific-technical language and the language of the people. Culture
is more than what we have inherited from the past; it is also, and above all,
a living, dynamic and participatory present reality, which cannot be excluded
as we rethink the relationship between human beings and the environment
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 25
of Church in the
World
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges 4: After Ehud died,
the
Israelites again began to stray from the Lord
and therefore again lost their freedom and peace. The Lord then used
Deborah,
who was a judge and prophetess, to rescue the people. Deborah instructed Barak son
of Abinoam
to go and do battle with Sisera, the people's oppressor. Barak said he would go only if
Deborah went with him.
She agreed but then said that his hesitation would cause the Lord to give battle
victory to a woman, not Barak. When Barak's forces
routed those of Sisera,
Sisera fled and took refuge in the tent of Jael, wife of Heber. As Sisera slept from
exhaustion,
Jael drove a tent peg into his head and he died. So once again the Lord had
rescued the Israelites.
Dear God,
please give me more courage in the battle of life
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
Philemon
9-25:
While here in prison, I have helped someone
you know
to become a believer. He is carrying this letter - Onesimus. I'm sending him back to you,
no longer your
slave,
but your brother in Christ. Please welcome him as you would welcome me.
And let me pay for anything he stole from you. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you
Jesus, please put an end to slavery in the
world
Listen
Mark
1.35-39: The next morning, long before dawn,
Jesus left the house and went off to a lonely place to pray.
When Simon and the other fishermen found him, they said
"Everyone is looking for you". Jesus replied "We must go to the nearby
towns,
so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came". Jesus went all through
Galilee,
preaching in the prayer halls and casting out devils.
Jesus, may every town on earth
welcome you and hear your message
Listen
Reflection:
Jesus didn't
stay in one place waiting for people to come to him .... he walked all around
the country ministering to people
-------------------------
Back in stock at local convenience store for first time
this year: Korean Yogurt ...delicious!
-------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the
month:
On this 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Guinea Bissau
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu July 13
True story from yesterday morning: as I walked to the post office to send my
50 page (!) submission to a 77 year old overseas prisoner in Lai Chi Kok men's prison
to help him apply for bail, I saw people looking at an ID card on the footpath
which someone had lost. I picked up the ID and saw it belonged to an
Indonesian woman. I scanned the card and sent it to the Indonesian consulate
for them to tell the woman I had found her ID card. As I passed the same spot
on the way back from the post office, after I talked with a drug addict sitting on the footpath begging money, I noticed a woman walking past who
seemed she might be Indonesian. Holding the ID card, I planned to ask
her if she perhaps knew the woman on the ID card. I said "Excuse me, are
you from Indonesia?" To which she reacted by joyfully snatching the card ....it
was hers! I in turn took back the card to make sure it was hers (by checking photo
on card) and returned the card to her. She said thank you and kept going .... and I sent message
to consulate "have found the woman and returned card to her". Thank
you Providence!
-------------------------
The Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges 3: Some of the Israelites
forgot the Lord their God
and worshipped false gods. As a result, they were
enslaved by the king of Edom for 8 years. They cried to God for
help
and God raised up Othniel, a nephew of Caleb,
to lead and rescue them. Then the land enjoyed
peace for 40 years. But when Othniel died,
the Israelites again began to do what displeases the Lord,
and were again enslaved, this time by Eglon king of Moab,
for 18 years. Once more they cried to
the Lord for help
and he raised up Ehud, a left-hander. As Ehud presented
tribute to Eglon,
he said to Eglon:
"I have a secret message for you".
When they were alone, Eglon thought he was safe,
because Ehud's knife was on his right thigh.
Ehud then used his left-hand to grab the knife unexpectedly
and killed Eglon. Ehud escaped from the
king's quarters
before the king's attendants knew Eglon was dead. Ehud then roused the
Israelites to fight and defeat the Moabites,
after which the land enjoyed peace for 80 years
Lord,
please raise up good leaders in every country
01
02
Psalms 52-60: Lord, I will tell everyone about how good you
are.
You are our Creator. Everyone should love you. Thank you for so often rescuing me from
trouble.
You uphold my life. Sometimes I have so many troubles and cares
that I can't get to sleep.
Sometimes I wish I was a bird and could fly away to a safe place. When I fear, I will trust in you,
in you whose word I praise. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise. Each morning I will sing of your strength,
and each morning acclaim your love.
O God, please help me to praise
and love you every day
Listen
Philemon
1-7: From Paul, a prisoner for Christ
Jesus, and from our brother Timothy,
to our dear fellow worker Philemon and the church that meets in your
house. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. I am so happy that your faith and love have given great
encouragement to the believers
Jesus, bless all house church groups
and meetings
Listen
Mark
1.29-34: Jesus went to the home of Simon and
Andrew.
Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever. Jesus took her by the hand and helped her
up.
The fever left her, and she began to serve her visitors. That night all the local sick people were brought to
Jesus.
He healed many who were suffering from all kinds of diseases.
He also cast out many devils.
Jesus, please heal (..name..)
who is sick
Listen
Reflection: When someone is healed, the word spreads quickly
---------
Seen on T-shirt yesterday: "Go and ask your Mum"
--------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 13th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of
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 Congo
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed July 12
Usually I try to visit a prison on Tuesdays, but yesterday I
stayed home at the desk all day catching up on many jobs .... including
several hours working on a bail application for an elderly man from overseas.
Common sense also said best to stay home in the extremely hot weather.
Very doubtful if bail would be granted by a HK court for this
drug trafficking case which got bail in Australia
Addis
Ababa airport overwhelmed with drug trafficking
Laudato
Si:
142.
If everything is related, then the health of a society's institutions has
consequences for the environment and the quality of human life. "Every
violation of solidarity and civic friendship harms the environment". In
this sense, social ecology is necessarily institutional, and gradually extends
to the whole of society, from the primary social group, the family, to the
wider local, national and international communities. Within each social
stratum, and between them, institutions develop to regulate human
relationships. Anything which weakens those institutions has negative
consequences, such as injustice, violence and loss of freedom. A number of
countries have a relatively low level of institutional effectiveness, which
results in greater problems for their people while benefiting those who profit
from this situation. Whether in the administration of the state, the various
levels of civil society, or relationships between individuals themselves, lack
of respect for the law is becoming more common. Laws may be well framed yet
remain a dead letter. Can we hope, then, that in such cases, legislation and
regulations dealing with the environment will really prove effective? We know,
for example, that countries which have clear legislation about the protection
of forests continue to keep silent as they watch laws repeatedly being broken.
Moreover, what takes place in any one area can have a direct or indirect
influence on other areas. Thus, for example, drug
use in affluent societies creates a continual and growing demand for products
imported from poorer regions, where behaviour is corrupted, lives are
destroyed, and the environment continues to deteriorate.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 24
of Church
in World
(...saying the same thing as 142, above!)
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges
1-2: After the death of
Joshua,
the Israelites continued their campaign to occupy all parts of the land of Canaan.
But as time went
on, the Israelites began to forget the Lord their God.
As a result, things went wrong for the Israelites. To help them, the Lord
appointed judges to lead them.
For a while the people followed the judges. But as soon as a judge died,
the people again lapsed into idolatry.
Dear God,
please don't let me forget you.
Please help me pray to you and love you every day.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
51: Have mercy on me, God, in your
kindness,
and cleanse me of my sin. My offences truly I know them.
What is evil in your sight I have done. But in my defence please don't forget that
sinfulness is part of the human condition, part of our DNA. A pure heart create for me, O God.
Put a steadfast spirit within me. Give me again the joy of your help.
With a spirit of fervor sustain me.
Lord, you will not spurn
a humbled, contrite heart
Listen
Titus
3.8-15: Tell people to keep their minds occupied in
doing good works.
Avoid useless speculations about trivial matters. All believers, including elders, should try to
be self-supporting. Grace be with you all
Jesus, help me be a doer and not just a
talker
Listen
Mark
1.21-28: Jesus and the fishermen went to the town of
Capernaum.
On the Sabbath Jesus began to teach in the local prayer hall.
The listeners were deeply impressed by Jesus' teaching.
Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus taught with authority. That very day in the prayer hall there was a
man possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit shouted out "Have
you come to destroy me, Jesus of Nazareth? I know who you are: the
Holy One of God." Jesus said strongly "Be quiet! Come out
of him!"
The evil spirit threw the man on the ground and with a loud cry went out
of him. The people in the prayer hall were amazed.
They said
"Here is a teaching which has authority. Even evil spirits obey
him." Jesus' reputation quickly spread throughout
the whole district.
Jesus, Holy One of God, please
protect my family from evil
Listen
Reflection: He taught them with authority
---------------------------
-------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 12th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Jiangsu
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
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues July 11
Ming
Pao report about work of MercyHK in Jordan .....especially
about our canteen in Temple Street due to open in next month or so.
England
fans turn to Bible and bottle to settle Ashes nerves
Laudato
Si:
141.
Economic growth, for its part, tends to produce predictable reactions and a
certain standardization with the aim of simplifying procedures and reducing
costs. This suggests the need for an "economic ecology" capable of
appealing to a broader vision of reality. The protection of the environment is
in fact "an integral part of the development process and cannot be
considered in isolation from it". We urgently need a humanism
capable of bringing together the different fields of knowledge, including
economics, in the service of a more integral and integrating vision. Today, the
analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of
human, family, work-related and urban contexts, nor from how
individuals relate to themselves, which leads in turn to how they relate to
others and to the environment. There is an interrelation between ecosystems
and between the various spheres of social interaction, demonstrating yet again
that "the whole is greater than the part".
Pope
asks we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My
reflection on Article 23
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Joshua
23-24: As Joshua neared the end of his life,
he urged the Israelites to stay faithful to the Lord
while living with many foreign neighbours: "Continue to observe everything
written by Moses.
Do not mingle with the foreign peoples still among you.
Do not utter the names of their gods. Stay loyal to the Lord your God.
Love the Lord your God. If you stay faithful, the Lord will
bless you.
If you are unfaithful, everything will go wrong for you. Choose today whom you will serve:
the Lord our God, or false gods. As for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord."
Dear Lord, may Joshua's
dying words be true for me:
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
49-50: I will turn my mind to a parable,
with the harp I will solve a problem. The problem is: why do bad people prosper and
succeed? The answer: at the end of their lives bad
people will have to face death and judgement, just like everyone else. When we are rich, we often lack
wisdom.
Wealth blinds our minds and hearts. Let's not
forget God and his laws.
Let's try to be good and lead good lives
Lord, please help me understand
the meaning of life
Listen
Titus
3.1-7: Remind everyone
to be obedient to government officials; to be
ready to do good at every opportunity; not to go slandering other
people or picking quarrels; to be courteous and polite to everyone. There was
a time when we too were ignorant; when we lived in wickedness and ill-will,
hating each other and hateful ourselves. But then the kindness and love of God
our Saviour were revealed, and God saved us because of his compassion. God
saved us by the cleansing water of rebirth, and by renewing us with the Holy
Spirit whom he has poured over us through Jesus Christ our Saviour. So we are
justified by his grace, and look forward to eternal life
Jesus, Saviour of the world, you are our Saviour
Listen
Mark
1.14-20:
Jesus went to Galilee and proclaimed the Good
News from God.
"The time has come" he said "and the kingdom of God is
close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News." As he was walking along by the sea of Galilee,
he saw two fishermen Simon and his brother Andrew. Jesus said to
them "Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men".
Simon and Andrew then followed Jesus.
Going a little further, Jesus saw two more fishermen James and his brother
John. He called them also to follow him. They left their nets and
boat and followed him.
Jesus, please bless all the
people who work full time as "fishers of men"
Listen
Reflection: Jesus did not recruit professional people or religious leaders etc ... but simple fishermen etc.
------------------------------
For today, 7/11 ... did
you know there are 78,029 7-Eleven
stores in the world ....including 2 within 1 minutes walk from the Dr Jesus
Centre
-------------------------------
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 11th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people 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 Yemen
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
Jan 1, 2020: How cocaine trafficking is impacting West Africa
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
2017-09-27: 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)
2017-05-17: 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, 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
http://hkdrugblog.org/name-and-shame/index.htm
----------------------
Photos
from my time in China 2001-20008
---------------------
---------------------
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
prisoners:
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.
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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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