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| austraLasia #2564
It seems appropriate, given the item below, to take Bishop Tong's theme of the shining star and wish all austraLasia readers a Christmas and New Year enlightened by the newborn Saviour. The letter below is the bishop's to his people in Hong Kong. Just selections from the letter are repeated here below.
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HONG KONG: 21st December 2009 -- Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
In this joyful season, when people have a special longing for family reunions, I send you this family letter to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and peace in the Lord. Moreover, I would like to share with you a new page from my life.
I was ordained a priest on the Solemnity of the Epiphany. For this reason, of all the Scripture passages about the birth of Christ, the one I like most is this: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Mt 2:2). In this quotation from scripture, what touches me profoundly are the words “shining star.” It was this shining star that brought the Magi to find Jesus. In the eight months that I have been the bishop of Hong Kong, many shining stars have appeared in my pastoral ministry too. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to them....
This year, the annual retreat for priests and deacons of the diocese was held in November with the theme, The Word of God in the Life and Mission of Priests, There were more than 40 participants and Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil sdb, from Thailand, was spiritual director. He has a deep love for Lectio Divina, which he learned from a famous master in Italy. He has also been to Ethiopia where he made a 40-day retreat on Lectio Divina under the guidance of another famous master.
Since then, Bishop Joseph has practised Lectio Divina daily for an hour in front of the tabernacle. Not only has he been transformed by the word of God and been able to come closer to the Lord day by day, but he has also acquired a sense of mission and a desire to share his love for the scripture with others. Thus, from time to time, he has accepted invitations to conduct this kind of retreat. On our part, the annual retreat has been very fruitful. As companions on my spiritual journey this year, Bishop Joseph and all the participants have been my shining stars......
Invoking God’s blessings on all of you, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to conclude my letter with the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, the light of all peoples, sustain all the faithful and the clergy, so that they may become shining stars to guide humankind to recognise you as the one true God. May all nations, united in mind and heart with one another, form one single family, a family of love and peace. Through the good example of the clergy, inspire more and more young people to respond with generosity to your calling and join the ranks of the clergy to serve the Church and the world. Grant, also, peace and joy to our motherland and let her civilisation be uplifted. May the citizens of Hong Kong not succumb to excessive desires for material well-being, but rather look to you, the true light, and find in you their new hope. May their hearts overflow with a warm stream of mutual trust and love. We make our prayer to you, our Lord and God, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
+ JOHN TONG
2009 Christmas |
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