V2Catholic.com
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 78
Thu Oct 8
Yesterday
morning a film crew from TVB came to the Dr Jesus Centre and MercyHK canteen in
Temple Street to prepare a program on the danger of local and Mainland people
being tricked online to go to another country and bring drugs to HK. The program
is due to go to air tomrrow night at 9.30.
Yesterday
afternoon I joined several MercyHK staff colleagues for the funeral service of
one of our dear street sleepers. Part one of service was in the mortuary section
of nearby Kwong Wah Hospital. Part two was at far away Wo Hop Shek Crematorium.
May that dear friend in Heaven help us by his prayers!
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Settlers
bash photographer
127. The expression “more than human” is not an exclusive domain of technological promise. For centuries, the Christian tradition has maintained that human beings are not confined by the boundaries of their own nature; rather, they are called to self-transcendence, not through an escape from reality or a contempt for their limitations, but through their fulfillment in love. Faith recognizes an openness toward the “beyond,” which originates as a gift from God. This transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit. As Saint Thomas Aquinas taught, this process of elevation and transformation “surpasses every capability of created nature,” [134] for an infinite disparity separates our finite nature from the life of God. [135] Nevertheless, it remains possible to enter into the heart of that inexhaustible life, even as we journey through the limitations of this world. The one who makes this passage possible can only be the Eternal One who gives of himself. Indeed, it is God himself who overcomes the “infinite” disproportion. [136] In him, the re-creation of the human person happens. “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new” ( 2 Cor 5:17).
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Judges 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
Recording
Psalm 22: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I call to you for help, but day and night you give no reply. I am a worm and not a man. Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They taunt me: "He trusted in the Lord, why doesn't the Lord help him?" Like water I am poured out, my bones no longer connected. My throat is parched, my tongue sticks to my jaws. Many evil people attack me. They make holes in my hands and my feet. They await my death. They divide my clothing among them, they throw a dice for my robe.
Yet I know Lord, that you are good and
holy.
I know how you heard the cries of our ancestors and you helped them. It was you who took me from the womb
and entrusted me to my mother's breast.
To you I was committed from my birth,
from my mother's womb you have been my God. Lord, I trust in you even now.
I trust you will not scorn my prayer. Even now I praise you as my Creator.
May all the nations know and worship you.
Lord, please help people who
are in big trouble right now,
especially people whose lives are in danger
01
02
Romans 13.8-9: Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of
love we owe each other.
Love other people as you should, and you will keep all the commandments. All the commandments
concerning other people -
You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal etc
- are summed up in the words "You must care about your neighbor as
much as you care about yourself"
Jesus,
help me care about others as much
as I care about myself
Listen
Luke 3.10-14: People asked John the Baptist
how they should
reform their lives.
He replied:
"If anyone has extra clothing, share with people who have none.
If anyone has plenty to eat, share with people who have nothing" Tax collectors asked John what they should do.
He replied "Don't cheat anyone".
Soldiers asked him "What about us? What
must we do?"
He replied "No bullying. No extortion. Be content with your pay"
Jesus, what about me? What should I do?
Listen
---------------
This
morning I'm due to be at the High Court for the hearing of a very special bail
application. Thank you for a prayer!
--------------------
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 the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 8th 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 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, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Oct 7
Yesterday morning the bi-monthly meeting for MercyHK staff was
held at the Dr Jesus Centre .... followed in the afternoon by a zoom meeting for
several staff of Voice for Prisoners. God bless both NGOs!
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Pope
writes to Gaza priest after 5 people murdered by Israeli strike
126. It is this intertwining of just institutions, credible witnesses and daily fidelity that sustains hope and provides clear direction for technological progress without allowing the heart to regress. For this reason, humanity — in all its grandeur and woundedness — must never be replaced or surpassed. We can embrace the technological progress that alleviates suffering and unlocks new possibilities, provided that we do not abandon the very essence of our humanity, namely the capacity for relationship and love. This leads to a crucial question: if an authentic “more than human” exists, where is it to be found? The Christian faith answers that question by pointing to a fulfilment that does not arise from a technological divinization, but through God’s grace received in Christ.
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of the Rosary
Genesis
3: A
creature hostile to God took the form of a snake and tempted the first man and
first woman. The snake tempted them to disobey God. When God asked them why
they disobeyed him, the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the snake.
God said to the snake: "You are the enemy of the human race. Someday
a member of the human race will defeat you." God said to the
man and woman: "From dust you came, and to dust you will return." The
first man's name was Adam (meaning
"man"). The first woman's name was Eve (meaning
"life").
Dear God, please help me
understand how evil in the world started when Adam and Eve disobeyed you
My
recording of this reading
Luke 1.46: My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour. He looks on his servant in her lowliness; henceforth all ages will call me blessed. The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name! His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him. He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted. He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly. He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty. He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons for ever.
Acts
1.12: After Jesus went up to heaven from the Mount
of Olives, the apostles went back down to Jerusalem, a walk of about half a
kilometer. They gathered
in an upstairs room which they used as a meeting place. The 11 apostles were
Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of
Alphaeus, Simon and Jude. They spent a long time praying. With them were several
women, including
Mary the mother of Jesus, and also Jesus' brothers.
Recording
Luke
1.26: 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?" 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
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
Many religions use beads to help pray. Beads help us to remember what we're doing. Beads help us to focus on praying ... even as we ride a bus or walk along the street. My own custom is to pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary at the start of each decade of the Rosary, and then for the 9 other beads to use words from the Bible readings of the day. So for today, the first decade might use a bead or two for each of these words: "the snake tempted them", "they disobeyed God", "Someday a member of the human race will defeat you", "from dust you came, to dust you will return", the first people were named "man" and "woman". Then the Glory be to the Father, then the "O my Jesus" prayer. Then to the next decade
---------------------------
For
the Feast of the Rosary, a famous Australian poem:
The
Trimmin's on the Rosary
-------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 7th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Henan
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, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
Tues Oct 6
Yesterday morning I was at the High Court for a very short while,
then at the District Court for a very long while ....and everything went well,
for which I just said "Thank you Jesus for blessing today!"
On
this day in 1552 Matteo
Ricci was born in Italy. Happy 474th Birthday, Matteo!
School
kid drug mules in Scotland (other places, including
HK, might become like this if authorities continue to show lack of action to
stop drugs entering by sea and air)
125. Alongside these public signs, there is a more hidden but decisive story. We see it in religious communities that choose to serve in poor and dangerous places. We also see it in the martyrs of fraternity and justice, such as Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Saint Oscar Romero and Blessed Enrique Angelelli; and in those witnesses who embodied the hope of the Gospel as well as human dignity amidst harsh, often inhumane conditions, such as Venerable Francis-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận. Above all, it is visible in the “martyrs of everyday life” who care for, educate, accompany and comfort without fanfare, such as parents, nurses, doctors, volunteers and those who remain alongside an elderly person or an outcast. Their testimony demonstrates that goodness does not advance automatically, but requires the perseverance, memory and interior conversion necessary to begin anew, even after defeat.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
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
Psalm
23: The Lord is my
shepherd, there is nothing I
shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit. He guides me along the right path. He is true
to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me
comfort. You have prepared a banquet for me in the
sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil. My cup is overflowing. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell for ever
and ever.
Thank you, Lord, for being my
good shepherd
Listen
Romans
13.1-7: Be a good
citizen. Respect all civil
authorities.
Authority comes from God and is answerable to God. Don't break laws. Live honestly.
Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes.
Jesus, please help me be a good citizen
Listen
Luke
3.1-6:
In the 15th year of the Roman Emperor
Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod was
ruler of Galilee and during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
God's message entered the heart of John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
John went through the whole Jordan River area
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah
when he said
"A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord"
Jesus, help us prepare your way, like
John
Listen
Reflection
on the above readings: By prayer,
by trying to live a good life, by trying to help needy people ... every
Christian is called to "prepare a way for the Lord"
------------------------------
See
this enlarged photo of the Good Shepherd!
-------------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China 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, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Oct 5
Yesterday
afternoon I joined a Voice for Prisoners gathering for about 40 kind
people who visit prisoners ... a very special group indeed
124. Certain events make it clear that history can also change when individuals truly take the dignity of everyone seriously: the civil rights movement in the United States of America, closely associated with the testimony of Martin Luther King Jr., or the end of apartheid in South Africa following the release of Nelson Mandela and his decision not to surrender the future to hatred. In different contexts, many courageous and generous women have also stood out, including Saint Laura Montoya, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Dorothy Day, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Maria Montessori, Elisabeth Elliot, Wangari Maathai, Benazir Bhutto and countless others from every continent whose commitment has contributed to making history more humane.
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
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
Psalms
20 & 21: May the Lord protect and help you,
may he give you your heart's desire
and fulfil every one of your plans. Some trust in chariots or horses,
but we trust in the Lord.
Lord, may our plans and hopes
be acceptable to you.
Please bless our plans
Listen
Romans
12.14-21: Pray for people who are unkind to you. Be
kind to them.
Rejoice with those who are happy. Console people who are sad. Treat everyone with kindness. Never be
condescending.
Make real friends with the poor. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone.
Resist evil and conquer it with good
Jesus, I pray for
(.. name ...) who was unkind
to me
Listen
Luke 2.39-52: Joseph and Mary moved back to their own town
of Nazareth.
The child Jesus was filled with wisdom as he grew older. Each year Joseph and Mary would take
Jesus to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover. When Jesus
was 12 years old, they went to Jerusalem as usual. But when their traveling group left Jerusalem,
Jesus stayed behind without his parents knowing it. They presumed he
was somewhere with the group. When they couldn't find him, they went back
to Jerusalem to look for him. After 2 days, they found him, in the Temple,
listening to the religion teachers and asking them questions. People who
heard him were astounded at his intelligence. His mother said to him "My child, why
have you done this to us? Your father and I have been really worried about
you". Jesus replied "Why were you looking for
me? Didn't you know that I must be concerned with my Father's
work?" But they didn't understand what he meant. He went with them to Nazareth and lived under
their authority.
His mother stored all these things in her heart
Jesus, please help all "lost
children" to be found!
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Today's Gospel is the first recorded encounter of Jesus with the religious leaders/teachers
-------------------------
This morning at 9.30 I am supposed to be at the High Court for the first day of
a trial of two people for whom I am surety, and also at 9.30 I am supposed to be
at the District Court for the first day of a trial for someone for whom I am
surety. Spot the problem?!
--------------------
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 the people in one
part of China 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, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
Sun Oct 4
800
years ago last night, Oct 3, 1226, St Francis of Assisi died. His feast day
today will be celebrated in many parts of the world. The beautiful movie about
his life - Brother Sun, Sister Moon -
is here in full, free
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
Israel
murders 5 more people in Gaza
123. History does not appear solely as a record of human violence, but also as evidence that humanity is capable of creating institutions that protect our shared life. Over the past two centuries, this can be seen in several emblematic achievements: the founding of the International Committee of the Red Cross (1863), whose operational neutrality ensures compassionate care for all; the long process that led to the abolition of slavery, which represented not only a legal shift but a transformation of conscience; the establishment of the United Nations (1945) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), which articulated a shared language for affirming, at least as a common ideal, the universality of human dignity; and the 1951 Refugee Convention, which recognizes the duty to protect those fleeing persecution and danger. In each of these cases, the desire for good took concrete shape in public contexts — laws, institutions and practices — capable of limiting the abuse of power and defending the vulnerable. Yet none of these developments emerged without encountering resistance, narrow interests or cultural inertia. Moral progress almost always unfolds through a long and demanding journey, often marked by setbacks. We need only think of stalled peace processes or the slow implementation of environmental commitments. The very fragility of these achievements highlights how precious the responsibility is of those who initiate and sustain them.
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 27
Isaiah
5: My friend
had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He planted choice vines in it and expected
it to produce good grapes. But it produced only sour grapes. That
vineyard is Israel. Its owner is the Lord. That chosen plant is the
people of Judah. The Lord expected the people of Israel to produce justice. But
those people have produced only bloodshed and injustice. Those people have no
time to think about the Lord. They have no interest in what he has done for
them. So they are consigning themselves to ruin. The vineyard will be trampled
on and become a waste. Invaders will attack Israel. The people of Israel will be
taken into exile. All because they rejected the Lord.
"I am the true vine. My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me
that bears no fruit he cuts away. Every branch that does bear fruit
he prunes to make it bear even more" - Jesus (John 15.1-2)
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
80: O God, the
nations have invaded your sacred land, they have profaned your holy
temple. They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. We have become the taunt of
our neighbours, the mockery and scorn of those who surround us. How long, O
Lord, will all this last? How long will this sorrow keep going? Do not hold the
guilt of our ancestors against us. If their guilt is somehow influencing our
situation now please give peace and healing to everyone and everything in our
history. Let the groans of the prisoners come before you. Let your strong arm
reprieve those condemned to die. O Lord, our God, help us and save us. Let your
face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Lord, please heal any
problems in my family tree
Listen
Philippians
4.4-9: I want
you to be happy, always happy in the Lord. Let your tolerance be evident to
everyone. If there is anything you need, with prayer and thanksgiving ask God
for it. Fill
your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything
that is good and pure, everything that is worthwhile. Then the God of
peace will be with you.
Jesus, please fill my
mind with good things
Listen
John
15.1-8: At the meal, Jesus said to his
disciples "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Each branch
in me that bears no fruit, he cuts off. Each branch that does bear fruit, he
prunes to make it bear even more fruit. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
but must remain part of the vine, so you can't bear fruit unless you
remain in me. Cut off from me, you can do nothing. If you remain in me, and my
words are alive in your heart, you can ask for any good thing and you will get
it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit"
Jesus, please help me stay close to you. Help me
bear much fruit
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: The more we let Jesus influence our lives - by his teaching and example - the more fruit we will produce....just like the sun causes the moon (a piece of rock) to be beautiful
-------------------------------
Patron
saint of security cameras is St Francis of a CC?
------------------------------
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 the
people in one part
of China 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, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Oct 3
On the night of Oct 3, 1226, St Francis of Assisi died. His feast day is tomorrow, but since tomorrow is a Sunday, and Sunday's readings must be used tomorrow, let's use the readings of St Francis today!
122. Finitude, when truly accepted, does not diminish us but opens us to recognizing the face of God and others. Indeed, precisely because we experience limits — vulnerability, suffering and failure — we can recognize the inviolable dignity of every person, both our own and that of others. In this same experience, we remain capable of intuiting a fraternity greater than ourselves and of perceiving injustice as a scandal. Authentic culture and art preserve this spark, resisting the normalization of evil. For this reason, certain works have taken on an almost prophetic significance: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony can be seen as a desire for unity; Guernica as a denunciation of dehumanization; Schindler’s List as a call not to consign the past to oblivion.
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of St Francis of Assisi
Galatians 6: The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for each person to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God. I want no more trouble from anybody after this; the marks on my body are those of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
Francis was a stigmata
Psalm
16: Please protect me, Lord,
I take refuge in you. You
are the only source of all true happiness. I
bless you, Lord, who guide and lead me. Even at night you direct my heart. And
so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad. My body shall rest in safety now and
always. You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand, happiness for ever.
Recording
Francis is the patron saint of animals
Matthew
11.28: Jesus said to
the people: "Come to me, all you who are treated unfairly by unjust
religious laws. I will give you peace and justice. Learn from me, and
you will know peace, for I am gentle and humble of heart"
Recording
The Prayer of Saint Francis: Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
A beautiful song from the
movie about Francis: Brother
Sun Sister Moon
---------------------------
Pope's letter, above, uses "finitude".
I can't remember ever once using this word in my whole life!
------------------------------
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 the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 3rd
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Gansu
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, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Oct 2
Please God, hike to Sai Kung Big Wave Bay on public holiday
Monday October 19.
Photos
of same hike last year. Take
8.30am ferry from Ma
Liu Shui pier near University MTR station ... to Chek
Keng Pier (a trip of about 2 hours) ... then walk for
about 90 mins
to Big Wave Bay .....for swim ... and lunch at beach canteen ...then walk about 90 mins
back to Chek Keng for ferry to Wong
Shek Pier and bus to Kowloon ...or, if available, boat from beach to Sai
Kung. HK readers who can walk for 4 hours!
most welcome to join me for my favourite hike!
Meet at University MTR
Exit B at 8am
to walk to Ma Liu Shui pier.
Basics: umbrella, hat, water and a little bit of food. Lunch
will be provided at Big Wave Bay.
Ferry
route map ***
Photos of 2023
hike
TVB
program 30/9 re waiting time for courts too long. Features MercyHK centre in
Sha Tau Kok. And see 
below!
2026
a catastrophic year for Swiss glaciers
121. The moral corruption of our limitations as created beings — namely the evil that clearly agitates the human heart — ruins society and life, at times reaching extreme forms of inhumanity. Yet even these painful expressions of our limitations leave openings for the good. Even when persons dehumanize themselves and bring about tragedy, a small light continues to shine within humanity, one that can be rekindled, with God’s grace, along paths of conversion and reconciliation. As Viktor Frankl rightly observed, in moments of horror, “we have come to know man as he really is. After all, man is that being who invented the gas chambers of Auschwitz; however, he is also that being who entered those gas chambers upright, with the Lord’s Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on his lips.” [133]
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
c.f. Feast of the Guardian Angels
Exodus
23: The Lord says
this: "I myself will send an angel before
you to guard you as you go and to bring you to the
place that I have prepared. Give him reverence and listen to all that he says.
Offer him no defiance; he would not pardon such a fault, for my name is in him. If
you listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say, I shall be enemy to
your enemies, foe to your foes. My angel will go before you."
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.
Recording
Acts
12: When
Peter was rescued from prison, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John
Mark where people were praying for him, thinking he was still in prison. A
servant girl opened the door when Peter knocked. She ran inside to tell the
group that Peter was at the door. The group did not believe Peter was
there. One of them said "it
must be his angel".
Eventually they opened the door and Peter described how an angel had rescued him
from prison.
Recording
Matthew 18.1: The disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, "I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven."
Reflection
on the above readings: I
recommend this little prayer which I've said each morning and night for 70
years:
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's
love commits me here. Ever this day (night) be at my side, to light and guard,
to rule and guide. Amen
-------------------------
TVB interview at top of today's menu, featuring MercyHK's Sha Tau Kok
centre, showing the image of St Michael in the centre chapel, was filmed on
29/9, the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael!
-------------------------
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 the
people in one
part of China 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, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Oct 1
US-sponsored
Israeli genocide in Gaza: ...and attack on Iran & Lebanon:
September 22 in Rome - 100 priests marched against Gaza genocide. The
march was covered widely in the international press:
• CNN: Priests
protest over violence in Gaza ((Pls
Pope Leo - use the term "Genocide"!))
• Al Jazeera: Priests
Against Genocide hold shroud with names of children killed in Gaza |
Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera
• Crux News: Priests
and nuns march to Vatican to demand end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza | Crux
• Independent Catholic News: Rome:
Priests from around the world in silent march against Middle East genocide | ICN
India Today: Gaza
war protest: Catholic priests march to Vatican demanding end to 'genocide' -
India Today
Indonesia: https://www.instagram.com/
120. Even when limitations are experienced as inner suffering, human wisdom teaches us not to deny or suppress it, but to integrate it. To eliminate suffering entirely would mean, in the end, extinguishing love and desire as well. ((???)) Those who love and desire cannot avoid passing through trial and suffering; and over the years, we carry within us lessons that leave their mark like scars, the memories of a journey shaped by freedom and failure, dreams and disappointments. It is only thanks to the interplay of these elements that the wonders of the soul occur within us, allowing us to sense the richness of our humanity. [132] To renounce this adventure, both tragic and splendid, in the name of a presumed transcendence of all limits, could mean many things, but it would no longer be human.
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
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
Recording
Psalm 19: The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
the starry skies are the work of his hands. The stars can't speak, but they are
God's handwriting.
The sun is God's love shining on the whole world. The universe is a masterpiece, and so is God's
law
which shines in our hearts.
The precepts of the Lord
enlighten our lives
each day.
The law of the Lord gives joy and wisdom to our hearts. The decrees of the Lord are to be desired more
than gold,
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. But often we are unaware of our
errors.
Lord, please protect us from making mistakes.
Lord, may the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you
Recording
Romans 12.9-13: Do not let your love be superficial, but
sincerely prefer good to evil.
Have a family love for each other, and a profound respect for each
other. Persevere in your love for the Lord and your
service of the Lord.
Hope will make you cheerful. Do not give up when trials
come. Keep on
praying.
Help people who are in need. Make hospitality your special care
Jesus, please help me grow in love. Help me
love you and other people a bit better
Listen
Matthew 2.13-23: After the wise men left Bethlehem,
an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said
"Go quickly to Egypt,
because Herod wants to kill the child". That same night, Joseph got up
and set out for Egypt with Mary and Jesus.
Herod was angry after being tricked by the wise men.
He got his soldiers to kill all baby boys two years old or younger in
Bethlehem. After Herod died some months later,
an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream
and told him to return to Israel. Joseph, Mary and Jesus moved to the town of
Nazareth,
thus fulfilling the prophecy about the Saviour:
"He will be called a Nazarene".
Dear
Jesus, Son of God, son of Mary, step-son of Joseph,
please help me understand how you are the Saviour of the world
Listen
---------------
--------------------
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 the people in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 1st 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 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, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
-----------------
----------------------------
Anti-drug
campaign trips: 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 ( 2016:
My trip to Kenya, Uganda
---------------- 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 2018-07-29:
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 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nomasmulas/ Facebook: Chinese
no more mules page http://hkdrugblog.org/name-and-shame/index.htm ---------------------- --------------------- --------------------- Left
click this table of flags for details of hits on this main page This website
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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and
bloggers! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .
Europe:
Many reports of 2026 trip here
(Jan 6 - Feb 7)
Africa: 
The
Last Run)
2015: My trip to Tanzania, Malawi
Latin America:
2018-09-22:
My
60 min video interview with Radio99,
in Cantonese, is here: 01 02
to help stop people going to prison
(skillfully
managed by kind HK friends):
Photos
from my time in China 2001-20008
Table shows location of readers:
HK 33%; Australia 19%; UK 11%; US
12%; Canada 4% ; Tanzania 4%
Fr
John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com HK
mobile +852- 67095674
