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 Aug 22
Yesterday I went to West Kowloon Court for a
"mention" for one of the bail cases I'm looking after. Today I'm due
to go to a prison for the day ... and maybe another bail application
Yesterday Eddie, Lucia and Cindy went across the border to
Shenzhen to buy items for MercyHK's canteen which is due to start operating
Please God on Sep 14
Laudato
Si:
178.
A politics concerned with immediate results, supported by consumerist sectors
of the population, is driven to produce short-term growth. In response to
electoral interests, governments are reluctant to upset the public with
measures which could affect the level of consumption or create risks for
foreign investment. The myopia of
power politics delays the inclusion of a far-sighted environmental agenda
within the overall agenda of governments. Thus we forget that "time
is greater than space", that we are always more effective when we
generate processes rather than holding on to positions of power. True
statecraft is manifest when, in difficult times, we uphold high principles and
think of the long-term common good. Political powers do not find it easy to
assume this duty in the work of nation-building.
Pope
asks we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 74
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Queenship of Mary (.. one week after Assumption 15/8...)
Isaiah
9: The people that walked
in darkness has seen a great light. On those who live in a land of deep
shadow, a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing on them, the rod of
their oppressor, you have broken and removed. For there is a child born for
us, a son given to us, and
dominion is laid on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonder-Counselor,
Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.
Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank you for the peace and hope and joy of your
friendship and love
My recording of this reading
Psalm
113: Praise, O
friends of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. May the name of the Lord be
blessed both now and for evermore. From
the rising of the sun to its setting, praised be the name of the Lord.
Who is like the Lord our God, above the heavens his glory. From the dust he
lifts up the lowly, to put them in the company of royalty. To the childless
wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.
May the Lord be praised from sunrise to sunset
Recording
Luke
1.26-38 (a): In
the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the
town of Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed to a man
named Joseph. The angel said to her "Mary, Rejoice! You have been greatly
blessed by God. You are to conceive and have a son whom you must name Jesus. He
will be great and will be called the Son of God". Mary said to the
angel, "How can this happen since I am a virgin?"
Recording
Luke
1.26-38 (b): The angel replied "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will specially
bless you. Know this too: your cousin Elizabeth has, in her old age,
conceived a son, and is now in her sixth month". "I am the
handmaid of the Lord", said Mary, "let what you have said, be done
for me". And the angel left her.
God the Son, thank you for becoming a baby in Mary's womb
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings: 
Gentle
Woman
------------------------------
McDonald's has temporarily run out of "Double
Mango". Strawberry replacement ok but not as good as Mango!
-------------------------------
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 22nd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Zhejiang
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 22nd of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Senegal
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Aug 21
HK
friends most welcome to attend this sharing on Sep 4 at which I am due to be
the guest speaker:
Notice how one possible name for this
mysterious design is .... GOD! And here's another
most interesting TED talk: History
of the universe in 18 minutes!
Laudato
Si:
177.
Given the real potential for a misuse of human abilities, individual states
can no longer ignore their responsibility for planning, coordination,
oversight and enforcement within their respective borders. How can a society
plan and protect its future amid constantly developing technological
innovations? One authoritative source of oversight and coordination is the
law, which lays down rules for admissible conduct in the light of the common
good. The limits which a healthy, mature and sovereign society must impose are
those related to foresight and security, regulatory norms, timely enforcement,
the elimination of corruption, effective responses to undesired side-effects
of production processes, and appropriate intervention where potential or
uncertain risks are involved. There is a growing jurisprudence dealing with
the reduction of pollution by business activities. But
political and institutional frameworks do not exist simply to avoid bad
practice, but also to promote best practice, to stimulate creativity in
seeking new solutions and to encourage individual or group initiatives.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 73
of Church in the
World
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Samuel 17: The Philistine and Israelite armies prepared
for battle.
The Philistines were on one hill, the Israelites on an opposite hill,
with a valley between them. The Philistines produced a giant warrior,
Goliath,
who challenged the Israelites to find one man to fight him.
Goliath said: "If I win, you become our slaves;
if I am killed, we will become your slaves." For many weeks Goliath issued his
challenge,
but no Israelite soldier was brave enough to fight Goliath. Then David visited the army camp and heard
Goliath's words.
He offered to fight Goliath. Some people made fun of David,
but David knew he would be helped by the
Lord. David took 5 smooth stones from the river bed
and with his sling in his hand he went to fight Goliath. When Goliath saw the young boy David,
Goliath insulted and ridiculed him. But David took out one of his stones
and slung it at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath on the forehead
and he dropped to the ground. David then used Goliath's sword to kill him
and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion
was dead,
they fled in fear, chased by the Israelites who defeated them. Saul put David in charge of his army
and David had many victories. David and Saul's son Jonathan became good
friends.
Dear God, please help me
just as you helped David
01
02
Psalm
103: My soul, give thanks to the Lord.
All my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills. It is he who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle's life. The Lord is compassion and
love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy. As the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who love him. As far as the East is from the West,
so far does he remove our sins. As a father has compassion on his
children,
the Lord has pity on all who love and honor him. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
who heed the voice of his word. Give thanks to the Lord, everyone and
everything.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for your love
and compassion
Listen
1
Peter 2.11-15: Keep yourselves free from selfish passions
that attack the soul.
Behave honorably among non-Christians, even if they treat you badly. For the sake of the Lord, accept the authority
of every social institution. God wants you to be good citizens.
Jesus, bless government officials
in our country.
Give them good health, courage and wisdom
Listen
Mark
10.1-12: One day some religious leaders put Jesus to the test by asking him
"Is it against the Law of Moses for a man to divorce his wife?" Jesus replied "God created male and
female, for the two to become united as one body. What God has
united, no one should separate." The religious leaders then asked
"But why did Moses allow divorce?" Jesus replied "Moses allowed divorce
because people were so hard of heart. But divorce was not God's
plan. So I say to you, anyone who walks out on their
partner and marries someone else, is guilty of adultery."
Jesus, please help married
people stay together
Listen
Reflection: Both St Paul and St Peter allowed for dissolution/remarriage in special cases: The Pauline Privilege; The Petrine Privilege
-------------------------
Call for cooler prisons (above) reminds me of slang for a
prison: a cooler!
--------------------
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 21st of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Yunnan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 21st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Aug 20
Sunday Examiner report: 23
children of single mothers baptised at MercyHK Centre (more photos here,
July 27)
Fr John Dear: War
is the Ultimate Failure
Laudato
Si:
176. There are not just winners and losers
among countries, but within poorer countries themselves. Hence different
responsibilities need to be identified. Questions related to the environment
and economic development can no longer be approached only from the standpoint
of differences between countries; they
also call for greater attention to policies on the national and local levels.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 72
of Church in the
World
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 20
Isaiah
56: Foreigners who love and
serve the Lord - these I will bring to my holy mountain, says the Lord. I will
make them joyful in my house of prayer, for my
house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.
Lord, please help all peoples of the world know that you are their loving
Creator
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
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
Recording
Romans
10.1-4: I
have a really great love for the Jews. I pray to God for them to be
saved. They have a strong belief in God, but their zeal is misguided. They
can't see that friendship with God is a gift from God, not just a matter of
external practices.
Jesus, some people have mixed up ideas about religion (.. Mormons, Jehovah
Witnesses). Help them know the truth as you revealed it
Recording
Matthew
15.21-28: Jesus went to the coastal
district near Tyre and Sidon. A
foreign woman followed him and shouted "Sir, Son
of David, have pity on me. My daughter is tormented by an evil spirit."
At first Jesus did not answer her, so his disciples said to him. "Help
her, because she keeps shouting after us." Jesus replied "I was sent
only to the people of Israel". The foreign woman by now was kneeling at
Jesus' feet. "Lord, help me" she pleaded. Jesus said to her "Woman,
you have great faith. Your wish is granted". At that very
moment, her daughter was healed.
Jesus, please give sick people great faith in
you
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
The Catholic Church is so called because the word "catholic" means "all-embracing"/"including everyone"/"for everyone"/"international"....which is what today's first reading is about: any genuine church/house of God should be open to and include people of all nations. c.f. website of Union Church in Jordan Road, not far from my home, and St Andrew's Anglican Church in nearby Nathan Road.
-------------
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
Reflection by Fr Peter: Chinese English
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
------------------------------
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 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Sichuan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 20th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Sudan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Aug 19
Yesterday afternoon at the High Court a 77 year old man from
Mongolia was granted bail at the High Court. Sincere
thanks to the many people who prayed for and helped with this appeal,
especially MercyHK social worker Lucia Leung who joined me in going surety for
the man. Over the past 6 weeks we have gained bail for 4 elderly people who
were tricked into bringing drugs to HK. THANK
YOU JESUS!
560kg
of cocained seized off coast of Western Australia
Laudato
Si:
175. The same mindset which stands in the
way of making radical decisions to reverse the trend of global warming also
stands in the way of achieving the goal of eliminating poverty. A more
responsible overall approach is needed to deal with both problems: the
reduction of pollution and the development of poorer countries and regions.
The twenty-first century, while maintaining systems of governance inherited
from the past, is witnessing a
weakening of the power of nation states, chiefly because the economic and
financial sectors, being transnational, tend to prevail over the political.
Given this situation, it is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently
organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed
fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose
sanctions. As Benedict XVI has affirmed in continuity with the social teaching
of the Church: "To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by
the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater
imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament,
food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to
regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world
political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years
ago". Diplomacy also takes on new importance in the work of
developing international strategies which can anticipate serious problems
affecting us all.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 69
of Church in the
World
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1
Samuel 16:
The Lord told Samuel to go to Bethlehem
and anoint one of Jesse's sons as king. Samuel anointed Jesse's son David as king.
The spirit of the Lord came down on David
and stayed with him from that day on.
Dear God, may your Holy Spirit
come down on more and more people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
102: O Lord, listen to my
prayer in my distress.
Do not hide your face from me. For my days are
vanishing like smoke,
my bones burn away like a fire. I forget to eat my
bread.
My skin clings to my bones. All day long my foes
revile me.
Those who hate me use my name as a curse. But you, O Lord, will
endure for ever.
You will arise and have mercy on Sion. You will hear the
groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die. I pray to you: "Do
not take me away before my time has come,
you whose days last from age to age.
Lord, please help people who
are in great distress
Listen
1
Peter 2.4-9: Jesus is Mr
Livingstone, the living stone
rejected by men, but chosen by God. Stay close to him, so that you
too may be living stones in the spiritual house of God's church. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a
consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who
called you out of darkness into his wonderful light
Jesus, you are the foundation stone of my
life.
May I build my life on your teaching, your values, your example
Listen
Mark
9.38-41: Jesus' apostle John, said "Master,
we saw a man who is not one of our group casting out devils in your name.
Because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him". Jesus said "You must not stop him. No one
who works a miracle in my name is going to speak evil of me. Anyone who is
not against us
is for us. In fact, even someone who gives you a cup of
water to drink because you belong to me, will be rewarded"
Jesus, please help me stop
dividing people into "us and them"
Listen
Reflection: Sadly "us and them" is a growing problem in many societies in the world ... and in the Church
------------
My
team the Brisbane Lions had good win against injury-depleted Collingwood last
night
------------------------------
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 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Shanxi
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 Haiti
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Aug 18
Yesterday a remarkable visitor with her two children joined various members of the MercyHK family for a spontaneous lunch at the Dr Jesus Centre ... to sample/test items that will be on sale at MercyHK's canteen from mid-Sep please God ... and to wish MercyHK chairman Eddie Chan a Happy Birthday (today, Aug 18). The visitor is from Australia, works in HK, and has set up a school for more than 300 primary children in Africa. More details about this school later in the year.
Laudato
Si:
174.
Let us also mention the system of
governance of the oceans. International and regional conventions do
exist, but fragmentation and the lack of strict mechanisms of regulation,
control and penalization end up undermining these efforts. The growing problem
of marine waste and the protection of the open seas represent particular
challenges. What is needed, in effect, is an agreement on systems of
governance for the whole range of so-called "global commons".
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 66
of Church in the
World
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Samuel 13-15: Not long after he became king, Saul began
doing things
that caused Samuel to stop supporting him. Samuel clearly told Saul what the Lord wanted
Saul to do,
but Saul insisted on doing things his own way. Saul seemed more concerned about his own
popularity
than about being obedient to the Lord. This displeased the Lord, and he rejected Saul.
Dear God, please help us
not to disobey you.
"Your will be done"
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
101:
My song is of mercy and justice.
I sing to you, O Lord. I will try to walk with blameless
heart.
I will try to give my attention to what is good, not what is bad. People who slander others, people of proud
looks,
these will not be my friends.
People who are good and do good,
these will be my friends.
Dear Lord, please help me to
avoid bad company
Listen
1
Peter 1.13 - 2.3:
Delete rubbish from your
minds. Control your
thinking. Trust more in Jesus. Live the way he wants you to live,
not like the way you used to live before you learnt the truth.
Be good and holy. Let your love for each other be real and from
the heart. You are born again by the everlasting word of
the living God. Never be spiteful, or deceitful, or
hypocritical
or envious and critical of each other
Jesus, help me live the way you want me
to live
Listen
Mark
9.33-35: One day Jesus heard his disciples arguing about which one of them was the most important.
So he said to them "If you want to be No.
1, you must become No. 1,000 and a servant of everyone else"
Jesus, give the
world leaders who care more about their people than about
themselves
Listen
Reflection: Similar theme in Psalm 101 and I Peter: avoid rubbish
-------------------------
Sometimes I go to Kowloon Park pool for a swim ....
usually before lunch. Yesterday, for my first swim this month, to avoid the
holiday crowd, I went at 7am .... only to find the pool as full if not fuller
than usual ....with people very few of whom were younger than I am!
-------------------------
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 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, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Aug 17
Yesterday
a group of 12 special people from Macau came to HK for the day for sharing
sessions with MercyHK. The group visits prisons in Macau and is interested in
the work of MercyHK for the needy. After a lunch sharing session at the Dr
Jesus Centre in Temple Street, the group went to the MercyHK Centre in YMT to
attend our regular Wednesday afternoon gathering for drug addicts and other
people. As well as the Macau group there was also a team from Caritas HK
attending the afternoon gathering. Jesus, please bless all of yesterday's
visitors!
Laudato
Si:
173.
Enforceable international agreements are urgently needed, since local
authorities are not always capable of effective intervention. Relations
between states must be respectful of each other's sovereignty, but must also
lay down mutually agreed means of averting regional disasters which would
eventually affect everyone. Global
regulatory norms are needed to impose obligations and prevent unacceptable
actions, for example, when powerful companies or countries dump
contaminated waste or offshore polluting industries in other countries.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 63
of Church in the
World
-------------------------
The Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Samuel 12:
As the elderly Samuel handed over leadership
to Saul,
he said to all the people:
"In future it is the king who will lead you. The Lord is my witness that I have never
treated you unjustly. You must follow the Lord with all your
heart.
Do not turn your back on the Lord's way.
Do not follow false ways."
Dear God, thank you for the
life of Samuel.
Please help all people to follow your way, not follow false ways
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
100: Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the
earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy. Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we
belong to him.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his temple with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name. Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
Dear Lord, please help us to
serve you with gladness
Listen
1
Peter 1.3-9: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
In his great mercy, he has made us his children.
He has prepared a place in heaven for us to live with him forever. This is a cause of great joy for you,
even though life in this world has many trials. You did not see Jesus, yet you love him, and
you believe in him.
Faith gives you confidence to look forward to the salvation of your souls
Jesus, I have never seen you with my physical
eyes,
but I love you and believe in you
Listen
Mark
9.14-29:
A man brought his son to Jesus and pleaded: "Master, there is a spirit of dumbness in
my son. When it takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground, and he
foams at the mouth and goes rigid". They brought the boy. As soon as the spirit
saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions. Jesus asked the father "How long has this
been happening?"
He replied "From childhood....please help us!" Jesus said "Everything is possible if you
have faith".
The father cried out "Please increase my faith!"
Jesus rebuked the evil spirit: "Deaf and
dumb spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again".
The spirit came out, but the boy seemed to
have died. Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up. Jesus' disciples asked "Why were we
unable to expel that spirit?"
Jesus replied "Only prayer can drive out that kind of spirit"
Jesus, please help me pray
better,
so that I can help other people more
01
02
Reflection: Big tasks require big prayer
---------
England
3 - Australia 1
--------------------
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 17th 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 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Ethiopia
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Aug 16
Yesterday morning at the High Court, one bail application was
turned down and the other has been adjourned, with much hope, until Friday
75
year old Peru man with drugs in body arrested HK airport
Laudato
Si:
172.
For poor countries, the priorities must be to eliminate extreme poverty and to
promote the social development of their people. At
the same time, they need to acknowledge the scandalous level of consumption in
some privileged sectors of their population and to combat corruption more
effectively. They are likewise bound to develop less polluting forms of
energy production, but to do so they require the help of countries which have
experienced great growth at the cost of the ongoing pollution of the planet.
Taking advantage of abundant solar energy will require the establishment of
mechanisms and subsidies which allow developing countries access to technology
transfer, technical assistance and financial resources, but in a way which
respects their concrete situations, since "the compatibility of
infrastructures with the context for which they have been designed is not
always adequately assessed". The costs of this would be low,
compared to the risks of climate change. In any event, these are primarily
ethical decisions, rooted in solidarity between all peoples.
Pope
asking we re-read documents of Vatican 2.
My reflection on Article 60
of Church
in World
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Samuel 11:
The people of Jabesh-gilead told Saul
that the Ammonites were threatening them. The spirit of the Lord stirred up Saul
and he led the Israelites to a great victory over the Ammonites. Samuel and all the people then went to Gilgal
where Saul was again proclaimed king.
Dear Lord, may your Spirit stir
us up to do good things
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
99: The Lord is king. He is great in
Sion.
His power is seen throughout the world. Among his priests were Aaron, Moses and
Samuel.
They prayed to the Lord and he answered their call. Let peoples everywhere praise his
name.
He is holy, full of power.
Lord, may all peoples
know and love you
Listen
1
Peter 1.1-2: Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, sends
greetings to the believers living among foreigners. You were chosen by God
the Father. You
were made holy by the Spirit. You are obedient to Jesus Christ
and are sprinkled with his blood. Grace and peace be with you more and more
Father, Son and Holy Spirit - thank you for
life and faith
Listen
Mark
9.1-8:
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. 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,
how good it is to spend time with you
Listen
Reflection: Peter who heard on the mountain that Jesus was "my Son, the Beloved" came to realise that "Son" was as in "God the Son" ... which is reflected in the Trinity reference in 1 Peter, above
---------------------------
Tonight in Sydney: Australia
vs England !
-------------------------
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 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, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues Aug 15
The
Assumption of Mary to Heaven
My August 15 Reflection: In our spiritual DNA, there's something about Mary that moves our hearts on August 15. May this reflection be an encouragement to people who might be influenced to doubt the beautiful importance of Mary in God's plan and in our lives
Yesterday during lunch I watched this
excellent Assumption reflection by Scott Hahn
(9 mins)
Prayers please for TWO
very special bail applications due to be heard at the High Court this
morning!
Allow
married indigenous men to be priests - Abp Coleridge
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Assumption
Revelation
12: The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and
the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of
lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake, and violent hail. Now a great
sign appeared in heaven: a
woman adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with twelve stars on
her head for a crown
My
recording of this reading
Mary
of Guadalupe
Many people see in this picture the Woman
of today's first reading: dressed in the sun, standing on the moon, crowned
with stars
Psalm
44: The daughters of kings are among your loved
ones. On
your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir. Listen, O
daughter, give ear to my words: forget your own people and your father's
house. So will the king desire your beauty: He is your lord, pay homage
to him. They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace
of the king
Recording
1
Corinthians 15: Christ
has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.
Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead
has come through one man. Just
as all people die in Adam, so all people will be brought to life in Christ; but
all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after
the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every
sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his
enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death,
for everything is to be put under his feet.
Recording
Luke
1: Mary set out and went as quickly as she
could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's
house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, "Of all women you are the most blessed,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit
from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears,
the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that
the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit exults in
God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid. Yes,
from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty
has done great things for me"
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
The spirituality of Mary invites us to the values of Catholic Social Teaching: concern for the poor, solidarity with all people, a preference for the ways of nonviolence rather than military might, forgiveness and reconciliation rather than domination and manipulation.
------------------------------
-------------------------------
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 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, 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.
Map and Flag Counter began Feb 11, 2012. Previous visits 4,932.
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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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