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
My other sites/links
Tues Aug 8
I spent a large part of yesterday with a very special group of visitors from Zhaoqing before fareweling them at nearby West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station. A part of my heart is still in Zhaoqing after spending 7 years there as an English teacher 2001- 2008. Today I'm due to be at a court hearing for two of my bail cases for whom I am surety.
Laudato
Si:
165.
We know that technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels -
especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas - needs to be
progressively replaced without delay. Until
greater progress is made in developing widely accessible sources of renewable
energy, it is legitimate to choose the less harmful alternative or to find
short-term solutions. But the international community has still not
reached adequate agreements about the responsibility for paying the costs of
this energy transition. In recent decades, environmental issues have given
rise to considerable public debate and have elicited a variety of committed
and generous civic responses. Politics and business have been slow to react in
a way commensurate with the urgency of the challenges facing our world.
Although the post-industrial period may well be remembered as one of the most
irresponsible in history, nonetheless there is reason to hope that humanity at
the dawn of the twenty-first century will be remembered for having generously
shouldered its grave responsibilities.
Pope
asks we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 51
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Samuel 4: Around this time, the Philistines defeated the
Israelites in a battle. The Israelites then went to Shiloh
and took the Sacred Chest of the Lord. They took the Sacred Chest into battle with
them
but the Chest was captured by the Philistines. In the same battle, Eli's two sons were
killed.
When Eli heard that his sons were dead
and that the Sacred Chest had been captured,
he fell backwards off his seat, his neck was broken, and he died.
Dear God, please don't let me
cause unhappiness for my family
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
92: It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning,
and your truth right through the night. Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad.
For the work of your hands, I shout with joy. To me you give the wild ox's strength.
You anoint me with the purest oil. May we love and praise you right through our
lives,
right till the end of our days. May we keep on proclaiming your goodness,
proclaiming that in you, our rock, there is only goodness.
Lord, it is right and fitting
to love and praise you
Listen
James
3.3-10:
When a bit is put into a horse's mouth, the
whole animal is under control. A tiny rudder can control a big ship. In the same way,
if you can control your
tongue,
you can control every other part of yourself. The tongue is a whole wicked world in itself.
It is so hard to control.
We use it to bless God, but we also use it to curse people made in God's
image
Jesus, please help me control my tongue!
Listen
Mark
6.53-56:
When Jesus got out of the boat on the other
side of the lake,
people recognized him and news of his presence spread quickly.
From
all around that area, sick people were brought to him.
Wherever he went, to village or town or farm, they laid down the sick in
open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak.
All those who touched him were healed
Jesus, please heal my sick
friends ...(names)... by letting them,
through prayer, touch your clothing
Listen
Reflection: In today's world ... so many sick people .... may there be an increase of healing through prayer to Jesus!
------------------------------
This month HK is expecting 4 millions visitors from the
Mainland. Tourism related industries are smiling!
-------------------------------
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 8th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Heilongjiang
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 8th of the month, Jesus please
bless the people of Sierra Leone
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Aug 7
Yesterday after my usual two morning Masses I took a group of 8 dear friends from Zhaoqing (where I used to work as an English teacher) to Repulse Bay. At first I thought they were being unwise to want to go to a beach on such a hot day but then when we got there I found out that for 6 of them it was their very first time ever to visit a beach. They "had a ball". And, thank you Lord, some clouds came at the right time to help us cope with the heat.
Jesus please bless Pope Francis
and all the pilgrims in Portugal for World Youth Day!
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Samuel 3: One day when the boy Samuel was serving in the
temple,
the Lord called to him "Samuel, Samuel."
The boy thought it was the old priest Eli calling to him
so he ran to Eli and said "Here I am." Eli replied "I did not call you."
Two more times the Lord called.
Both times the boy went to Eli. Eli now realized it was the Lord calling
Samuel.
Eli told Samuel to say "Speak Lord, your servant is listening"
the next time he heard the voice. The Lord told Samuel that Eli's family would
be punished
for the bad things they had done. The people quickly found out that the Lord was
with Samuel
and that Samuel was the Lord's prophet.
Dear Lord, please
help me to listen to your voice,
your voice in the Bible, in my conscience and in other people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
91: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
says to the Lord "you are my refuge in whom I trust". The Lord will hide you and protect you.
Under his wings you will find refuge. You will not fear any night time terror,
nor any attack during the day. Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels
to keep you safe in all your ways.
Dear God, thank you for your
protection day and night
Listen
James
2.14-26: Faith and good works need to go together.
Suppose someone is lacking clothes and food,
and you say "I wish you well" and do nothing to help them. What good is that?
Faith
without good deeds is useless.
Jesus, please help me put my faith into action
by good deeds
Listen
Mark
6.45-52: After feeding the crowd with 5 loaves and 2
fish,
Jesus told his disciples to go by boat across the nearby lake.
Jesus stayed to send the crowds away.
Then he went up into the hills to pray. When it was dark, the boat was far from land,
but battling large waves caused by a strong head-wind. Jesus then walked on the water towards the
boat.
He called out to his disciples "Courage. It is I. Don't be
afraid."
Then he got into the boat, and the wind stopped.
Jesus, please give me courage
by helping me remember that you are in my boat (my life)
Listen
Reflection: Above picture says it all .."Focus on Jesus, not the storm"
-------------------------
Italian
fugitive caught after his passion for football betrays his location
--------------------
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 7th of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Hebei
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 7th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Burkina
Faso
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Aug 6
Feast
of the Transfiguration of Jesus
Jesus please bless Pope Francis
and all the pilgrims in Portugal for World Youth Day!
Let's remember what happened 78 years
ago today in Hiroshima:
Conclusion of P. Ham: H & N:
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast
of the Transfiguration
Daniel
7: Once when Daniel was asleep, he
had a vision of heaven: "Thrones were put in place and one of great age
took his seat. His robe was white as snow, his hair as pure as wool. A
thousand thousand waited on him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before
him. Then coming on the clouds of heaven was one
like a son of man. On him was conferred glory and kingship, and
people of all nations became his servants. His kingship is eternal. His empire
will never be destroyed."
Jesus, please help me understand that you are the "Son of Man" whose
kingship is eternal
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
97: The Lord is king, let
earth rejoice, the many coastlands be glad. Cloud and darkness are his robes.
His throne is justice and goodness. The skies proclaim his goodness. All
peoples see his glory. Let those who serve idols be ashamed. Let
all creation worship the Creator. Light shines
forth for good people. and joy for the upright of heart. Rejoice in the Lord,
all good people. Give glory to his holy name.
Lord, you indeed are God of the universe
Recording
2
Peter 1.12-18: As long as I
am in this passing world, my duty is to keep on reminding you of the truths we
hold dear. Writing this letter is one way of making sure that after my
departure you will still have a way of recalling the truths we hold dear.
These truths are not cleverly invented myths. I myself saw the majesty of our
Lord Jesus Christ. He was honored and glorified by God the Father, when
the Sublime Glory himself spoke to him and said "This is my Son, the
Beloved. He enjoys my favor". I
heard this myself, spoken from heaven, when I was with Jesus on the holy
mountain.
Jesus, Beloved Son, may more and more people
accept the truth of your Good News
Recording
Matthew
17.1-8: One day Jesus took his disciples
Peter, James and John up a high mountain. On
the mountain Jesus' whole appearance changed. His face shone like the
sun. His clothes were as white as snow. The prophets Moses and Elijah
appeared and spoke with him. Peter said to Jesus "Lord, how good it
is for us to be here!" Then a bright cloud covered them with its shadow.
From the cloud came a voice: "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to
him." The disciples bowed to the ground. When they got up, they saw only
Jesus in his normal appearance.
Jesus, Beloved Son of God, how good it is to
spend time with you in prayer.
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
May today's Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus give us hope and courage to do whatever we can to help transform our troubled word into a better place
A beautiful song about the Transfiguration: We Behold
Reflection by Fr Peter: English Chinese
-------------
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
-------------------------------
"It
doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire
smart people so they can tell us what to do."
-
Steve Jobs
------------------------------
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 6th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Hainan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 6th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Mali
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Aug 5
Yesterday morning I was at the High Court again for a
"change of bail conditions" case. In the afternoon my three recent
bail people had a McDonald's meeting (Double Mango + Tuna Bun) at the Dr Jesus Centre. I am so relieved that
these elderly people are not still in detention in the extreme heat which HK
(and most of the world) is now experiencing.
Jesus please bless Pope Francis
and all the pilgrims in Portugal for World Youth Day!
Laudato
Si:
164.
Beginning in the middle of the last century and overcoming many difficulties,
there has been a growing conviction that our planet is a homeland and that
humanity is one people living in a common home. An interdependent world not
only makes us more conscious of the negative effects of certain lifestyles and
models of production and consumption which affect us all; more importantly, it
motivates us to ensure that solutions are proposed from a global perspective,
and not simply to defend the interests of a few countries.
Interdependence obliges us to think of one
world with a common plan.
Yet the same ingenuity which has brought about enormous technological progress
has so far proved incapable of finding effective ways of dealing with grave
environmental and social problems worldwide. A global consensus is essential
for confronting the deeper problems, which cannot be resolved by unilateral
actions on the part of individual countries. Such a consensus could lead, for
example, to planning a sustainable and diversified agriculture, developing
renewable and less polluting forms of energy, encouraging a more efficient use
of energy, promoting a better management of marine and forest resources, and
ensuring universal access to drinking water.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 49
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Samuel 2: Hannah
praised God for giving her a child:
"My heart rejoices in the Lord.
The Lord, our fortress, is holy. Don't
speak proudly,
for the Lord knows what's in our hearts. The
Lord breaks the power of the strong.
He gives strength and victory to the weak.
He blesses the barren woman. The
Lord raises the poor from the dust,
and gives them a seat of honor with princes. The
Lord guards the steps of good people,
but scatters bad people in their pride." The
Lord blessed Hannah
and she gave birth to three more sons and two daughters. Her
son Samuel grew up in the temple.
The temple priest at that time was Eli. But
Eli's sons were bad men.
They stole the people's offerings to the Lord.
Dear God, please bless good
people like Hannah,
and please help bad people like Eli's sons to stop being bad
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
90: O Lord you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
Before the earth or the world
existed,
you are God, without beginning or end. For you, a thousand years are
like yesterday, come and gone so quickly. We humans have a short life,
our life is over like a sigh. Our span is 70 years,
or 80 for those who are strong. Make us know the shortness of our
life,
that we may gain wisdom of heart. In the morning, fill us with your
love.
Give success to the work of our hands.
Lord,
help us realize the shortness of our life, that we may live our lives more wisely
Listen
James
2.1-13: Don't try to combine faith in Jesus Christ,
our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of
people. Suppose two men come into your prayer meeting,
one beautifully dressed and with a gold ring; the other poor and in shabby
clothes. If you welcome the rich man, and look down on
the poor man, you are making a big mistake. It was those who are poor according to the
world that God chose to be rich in faith. So, never make distinctions between classes of
people.
Everyone is your neighbour. Love your neighbour as yourself. There will be judgment without mercy for
people who have not been merciful. But merciful people need have no fear
of judgment
Jesus, help me treat everyone equally and
fairly. No favorites
Listen
Mark
6.30-44: Once after Jesus had been healing and teaching
many people all afternoon, his disciples said to him
"It's getting late and the people need to go and eat".
Jesus replied "They don't need to go. You feed them".
The disciples replied "We have only 5 loaves and 2 fish". Jesus got the people to sit on the grass.
There were about 20,000 of them.
Then he blessed the loaves and fish. He handed the loaves and fish to his
disciples.
His disciples gave them to the crowd.
Everyone had plenty to eat.
They even had 12 baskets of leftovers.
Jesus, please help the starving
people of the world
Listen
Reflection: Changing water to wine, multiplying loaves and fish .... Jesus made extra!
------------
Today I am really looking forward to the visit to
HK of a group of very special friends from Zhaoqing where I used to work as an
English teacher
------------------------------
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 5th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Guizhou
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 5th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of South
Sudan
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Aug 4
Jesus please bless Pope Francis
in Portugal for World Youth Day! An O.M.I. group and a diocesan group are
among several groups from HK in Portugal.
THANK YOU JESUS! Yesterday's bail application was successful!
That's 2 in 2 days. 3 in 2 weeks. With one more hopefully in the next few
working days. God bless everyone for praying for these applications. For me it
has meant a lot of time at the High Court: 8 hours yesterday, 7 the day
before. Also need to go today for a "change of bail conditions"
hearing.
More
prisons for shoplifters trying to feed their families?
3rd
hanging in a week. This time for 55g of heroin. Let's boycott Singapore,
boycott Singapore Airlines and all products and services from Singapore.
SHAME, SINGAPORE, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!
Laudato
Si:
163.
So far I have attempted to take stock of our present situation, pointing to
the cracks in the planet that we inhabit as well as to the profoundly human
causes of environmental degradation. Although the contemplation of this
reality in itself has already shown the need for a change of direction and
other courses of action, now we shall
try to outline the major paths of dialogue which can help us escape the spiral
of self-destruction which currently engulfs us.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 47
of Church in the
World
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Samuel 1: Each
year, Elkanah and his two wives Hannah and Peninnah, went to Shiloh
to worship the Lord.
Peninnah
had children, but Hannah was barren.
Each year at the temple,
Peninnah would taunt Hannah because she was barren. One
year at the temple, Hannah prayed in great distress:
"God, if you give me a child, I will dedicate him to you".
Not
long after, Hannah conceived a son whom she called "Samuel".
When Samuel was weaned, she took him to the temple
and gave him to the priest there to serve the Lord
for the rest of his life.
Dear God, please bless all
women who are unable to have a baby
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
89: I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O Lord.
The heavens are yours, the world is yours. Blessed the people who find joy in you,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face.
Thank you, Lord, for our
beautiful world
Listen
James
1.26-27:
Don't go thinking you're "religious"
while your tongue is out of control. That's the wrong idea of religion. Genuine religion, in the eyes of God our
Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows, and staying
clear of bad values
Jesus, help me control my tongue
...and help me do more
to help the poor
Listen
Mark
6.17-29: Not long after Jesus began traveling and teaching,
King Herod arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison. This was because John had told Herod he was breaking the Law
by living with Herodias, his brother's wife. During a birthday party for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias danced. Her dancing so pleased Herod
that he said he would give her anything she wanted. Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a dish.
Herod then had John beheaded.
Jesus, please give the world
good leaders, and protect people from bad leaders like Herod
Listen
Reflection: John the Baptist died for the sanctity of marriage .... which is the theme of Reflection 47, above
-------------------------
Yesterday at the High Court as I went from place to place
for processing an approved bail application I passed through the G/F security
check 5 (!) times
-------------------------
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 4th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Guangdong
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 4th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Burundi
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Aug 3
Yesterday's bail application at the High Court was approved! THANK
YOU JESUS! God bless all the kind
people who prayed for the success of yesterday's application. And ....
today.... another bail application ...so ... prayers again today please!!!
Laudato
Si:
162.
Our difficulty in taking up this challenge seriously has much to do with an
ethical and cultural decline which has accompanied the deterioration of the
environment. Men and women of our postmodern world run the risk of
rampant individualism, and many problems of society are connected with today's
self-centred culture of instant gratification. We see this in the crisis of
family and social ties and the difficulties of recognizing the other. Parents
can be prone to impulsive and wasteful consumption, which then affects their
children who find it increasingly difficult to acquire a home of their own and
build a family. Furthermore, our inability to think seriously about future
generations is linked to our inability to broaden the scope of our present
interests and to give consideration to those who remain excluded from
development. Let us not only keep the poor of the future in mind, but also
today's poor, whose life on this earth is brief and who cannot keep on
waiting. Hence, "in addition to a fairer sense of intergenerational
solidarity there is also an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of
intragenerational solidarity"
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My
reflection on Article 45
of Church in the
World
-------------------------
The Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Ruth 3-4:
Naomi told Ruth to go to the threshing
shed of Boaz
and to sleep there at the feet of Boaz,
this action symbolizing her wish to marry Boaz. When Boaz discovered Ruth there during
the night,
he praised Ruth for wanting to continue Elimelech's family. The next day, Boaz went to the gate of
Bethlehem
and met the only man who preceded him
in the legal right to marry Ruth. The man agreed to let Boaz marry Ruth
and so Boaz took Ruth as his wife. Boaz and Ruth had a son, Obed.
Obed was the father of Jesse whose son was King David.
Dear
God, please bless
all grandparents,
as you blessed David's great grandparents Ruth and Boaz
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
88: Lord my God, day and night I call to you for
help.
Please turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is filled with evils.
My life is on the brink of the grave. I am reckoned as one in the tomb.
I have reached the end of my strength. Will your love be told in the grave?
Will your wonders be known in the dark? Fear surrounds me like a flood. All my friends have deserted me.
My only companion is darkness.
Lord, please help people who
are in despair
Listen
Hebrews
13.8-21: Jesus Christ is the same today as he was
yesterday and as he will be for ever. Do not let yourselves be led astray by strange
doctrines
that teach a different Jesus. Jesus died outside the city. Let us go to him
and share his rejection. Our life in this world is a temporary
arrangement, like a tent. We look for a permanent home in the life to come.
Keep doing good works and sharing your
resources
God of peace, you brought Jesus back from the dead to be our great Shepherd and
Priest. Make
me ready to do your will in any kind of good action
Listen
Mark
6.7-13: Jesus went on a teaching tour of the
nearby villages.
He sent out his 12 special friends in 6 pairs, with
authority over evil spirits. He told them to take only bare essentials for
the journey.
He said "If any place does not welcome you, as you leave that place shake the dust from your feet as a
sign to them". The 12 apostles preached
repentance. They cast out many devils. They anointed sick people with
oil and healed them.
Jesus, may every place welcome
you and your messengers
Listen
Reflection: Was Ruth barren before she married Boaz?
---------
A long but happy day at High Court yesterday ....same again
today .... and possibly the same again tomorrow!
--------------------
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 3rd 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 3rd
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Chad
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Aug 2
Prayers please for a bail application at the High Court this
morning!
Good news: A-Cheung, a drug addict we've been helping for many
years, is out of a drug treatment centre after 3 months residence. And he
looks 20 years younger than before. Our social workers can't believe how well he
looks. THANK YOU JESUS!
YellowBus
report about work of MercyHK (some typos ...
e.g. I was at Notre Dame College/Parish in Kowloon City for 10 years, not 2
years).
Chinese FB copy here
Laudato
Si:
161. Doomsday
predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be
leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of
consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet's
capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only
precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in
different areas of the world. The effects of the present imbalance can only be
reduced by our decisive action, here and now. We need to reflect on our
accountability before those who will have to endure the dire consequences.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 44
of Church
in World
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Ruth 2: Naomi and Ruth arrived
in Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest. Ruth went to the fields
to look for left-over ears of corn.
She came to the attention of Boaz, Elimelech's clansman. Boaz was a kind man and
he told the men harvesting his crop
to let Ruth take some sheaves of corn, not just left-overs.
As one of Naomi's closest relatives,
Boaz was in a group of several men from which one man was
required by law to marry Ruth and produce children for Elimelech
Lord,
please bless all young wives who have become widows
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
87: On the holy mountain is Jerusalem,
the Lord's cherished city. Of you are told glorious things, O city of
God. All nations are called to serve and love the
Lord.
And Jerusalem shall be called their spiritual mother,
for all shall be her children. In Jerusalem everyone will be welcome and find
a home.
Lord, may Jerusalem be a place
of peace and prayer for all peoples
Listen
James
1.19-25: Be quick to listen, and slow to
speak, and
even slower to get angry.
God's goodness is never helped by human anger. Accept and submit to the word which has been
planted in your heart and can save your soul. Do what the word tells you. Don't just listen
to it. Actively put God's word into practice in your life
Jesus, help me put your word into practice in
my life each day
Listen
Mark
6.1-6: Jesus and his disciples went to his home town
of Nazareth.
On the Sabbath he went to the prayer hall and began teaching. People in the prayer hall were astonished at
his teaching.
"Who does he think he is?" they asked. "He is just a
carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joset, Jude and Simon.
His sisters also are here." And they would not accept
him. So Jesus said to them
"A prophet is
despised only in his own country" Because of their lack of faith, Jesus cured
only a few sick people there. He was amazed at the lack of faith in
Nazareth.
Jesus, please help me be happy
about your gifts to others
Listen
Reflection: Less faith ...less healing; more faith ... more healing
---------------------------
-------------------------
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 2nd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Fujian
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 2nd
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Central
African Republic
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues Aug 1
Should
we worry about dry eyes? (... from too much screen time ...)
Laudato
Si:
160. What kind of world do we want to
leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? This
question not only concerns the environment in isolation; the issue cannot be
approached piecemeal. When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to
leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its
meaning and its values. Unless we
struggle with these deeper issues, I do not believe that our concern for
ecology will produce significant results. But if these issues are
courageously faced, we are led inexorably to ask other pointed questions: What
is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of
our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us? It is no
longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future
generations. We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity. Leaving
an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us.
The issue is one which dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the
ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn.
Pope
asks we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 43
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Ruth
1: In the days of the
judges, there was famine in the land.
Because of the famine, a man from Bethlehem named Elimelech moved to Moab.
Elimelech took with him
his wife Naomi and his two sons.
Elimelech died.
The two sons married Moabite women: Orpah and Ruth.
But then the two sons also died. Naomi was
heart-broken. She had lost her husband and two sons. She decided to return
to Bethlehem
and told her daughters-in-law to go back to their own homes. Orpah went back to her
people.
But Ruth with great loyalty and love chose to go with Naomi. Ruth said:
"Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live.
Your people shall be my people.
Your God shall be my God.
Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried."
Dear God, in time of trouble, please help people to be loyal and kind to each other
01
02
Psalm
86: Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call to you. All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord,
you who alone are God. Show me, Lord, your way, and guide my heart
so that I may walk in your truth. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my
heart
for your love to me has been great. O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid's son.
Dear Lord, thank you for
all your
love
Listen
James
1.1-12:
From James, servant of God and of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Greetings to believers scattered around the world. You will always have difficulties and things
going wrong.
When they happen, praise God for them and patiently keep going.
Blessed are people who stand firm when trials
come. They have proved themselves, and will win the prize of eternal life
which the Lord has promised to those who love him
Jesus, please give me patience and praise
when
life gets tough
Listen
Mark
5.21-43:
A prayer hall official, Jairus, fell at
Jesus' feet and pleaded "My little daughter is dying. Please come and
lay your hands on her and save her life". While Jesus was on the way to
Jairus' home,
people arrived and told Jairus "Your daughter is dead. No need
to trouble the Master any further". Jesus heard this and said to Jairus "Do
not be afraid. Just have faith". Jesus allowed only Peter, James and
John to go with him. At Jairus' home, everyone was weeping and
wailing.
Jesus said to them "Why all this crying? The child is not dead, but
asleep". Everyone laughed at him.
So he got them all to leave. Then taking the girl's parents and his 3
companions, he went to the place where the child was lying. Taking the girl by the hand he said to her
"Little girl, I tell you to get up". The little girl got up at
once. She was 12 years old.
Jesus, please give us more
faith to pray for the sick
....even for children who have died!
Listen
Reflection: Song of Ruth
------------------------------
Yesterday as a way of coping with the extreme heat in HK
I had another ... McD's Double
Mango Frappe!
-------------------------------
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 1st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people 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
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon July 31
If you know who this man
is
Pls let me know:
jdwomi@gmail.com
Nigerian
man in prison in HK for drug trafficking ... his second time
Laudato
Si:
159. The
notion of the common good also extends to future generations. The global
economic crises have made painfully obvious the detrimental effects of
disregarding our common destiny, which cannot exclude those who come after us.
We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational
solidarity. Once we start to think
about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at
things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have
freely received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to
us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which
efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit.
Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of
justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will
follow us. The Portuguese bishops have called upon us to acknowledge this
obligation of justice: "The environment is part of a logic of
receptivity. It is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to
the next". An integral ecology is marked by this broader vision.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 42
of Church in the
World
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Judges
17-21: After Samson's death, there was no leader
in Israel
and everyone did as they pleased
as lawlessness and anarchy became widespread. Dear Lord,
please don't let lawlessness increase in our world
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
84: How lovely is your sacred temple, Lord.
My heart is longing to spend time in your holy dwelling. Even sparrows and swallows are your
temple guests.
They build homes for their young near your altar. Blessed are the people who live and work in
your temple.
And blessed, too, are people who keep the memory of your temple in
their hearts. As they go through the troubles of life,
you give them strength to face the trials of each day. Lord, one day within your temple
is better than a thousand anywhere else.
Dear God, thank you for special
places of prayer
Listen
Hebrews
11.1 - 12.15: Only faith can keep us going. Only faith
helped Abraham and other famous people in the Scriptures to keep going. So many of them were weak people who were
given strength by God, to be brave when life became difficult. With so many witnesses in a great cloud all
around us, we too should keep running in the race we have started. We
should get rid of everything that slows us down. Keep focusing on Jesus. He is running beside
us. His example going to the cross gives us courage. Try to live at peace with everyone. Don't let
any seed of bitterness begin to grown and make trouble. This can poison a
whole community
Jesus, help me remember your presence
in my heart
Listen
Mark
5. 25-34: A large crowd gathered around Jesus near the
side of the Sea of Galilee. In the crowd was a woman who had suffered from
bleeding for 12 years. She had spent all her money on doctors, but
they had been unable to help her. She had heard about Jesus. She came up behind
him in the crowd and touched his cloak. "If I can touch even his
clothes, I will be healed" she said to herself. As soon as she touched Jesus' cloak, the
source of the bleeding dried up at once. Aware that power had gone out
from him, Jesus turned round and said "Who touched me?" The woman fell at his feet and told her story.
Jesus said "My daughter, your faith has restored you to health. Go in
peace and be free from your illness".
Jesus, please
help sick people
touch you by prayer
Reflection: Jesus praised the woman's faith .... as he did so many other times when he healed people .... from which we learn there is a link between faith and healing
-------------------------
Two
kittens ...now cats ...who used to be based at MercyHK's 191 Temple Street
centre are now temporarily based at one of our nearby shelters for domestic
workers ...but once 191 re-opens as a canteen the cats will move back there to
make sure no rats dare to enter the premises. Canteen?
--------------------
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 31st of
the month, Jesus please bless the people 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.
-----------------------
------
----------------------
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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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++