HOME
ABOUT US
MISSION STATEMENT
VOLUNTEER
URBAN RETREATS
MEDIA ATTENTION
NEWSLETTER

ALIEN STREET
PRIEST JOURNALS
DONATIONS
LINKS
DOWNLOADS
STORE
LITERATURE
CONTACT INFO
Quick Search:
 
 
 
 
Web Journal of an Alien Street Priest
This blog is about the daily activities of Fr. Damien Sims of San Francisco and his work on Polk Street with prostitutes and the punk culture.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
February 16

Ps. 51
Luke 11:29-312

My greatest sin is my lack of trust in Jesus--like the people of Ninevah and of the hearers of Jesus i have experience that presence throughout my life--always there, always providing a door to open, when one is shut, and always heading to this ministry with the poorest of the poor. through the last ten years i have sought to surrender myself materially and providentially into the hands of Jesus. this recent scare reminds me my fear of death and how i have totally surrendered my death to Jesus, and therefore not trust him with my entire being. that is my growing edge, that is to grow into a deeper surrender to Jesus.

the weather is great here in tampa, time to reflect, even though my body is so sore and i feel so alone, it is a time of looking at myself and for that i am grateful Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

posted by River  # 2:59 PM
*****************------------------------*****************
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Mt. 6:7-15: the lord's prayer is an example of what prayer is about, and of what life with God is about--we are to trust in God for our basic needs. today i have become more aware of how much all we have is Jesus, and only in that dependence is life. this morning i went to the hospital in excruciating pain, my blood pressure was dangerously high and remains very high, normal only a couple of weeks ago. appears i might have a lymp gland infection resulting from staff infection i have been fighting for months. i have felt my own sense of mortality today, my mortality, my fears of death, and of wondering if ultimately my life really counts for anything. i feel at times my time is drawing near. in a city, surrounded by strangers, a city i am not familiar with, i would be more at home in new york city, all these feelings surface and i feel very much alone. and so for me all that is left is a simple trust in Jesus, trusting in him the prayer i pray every night from the hours, may the all powerful lord grant me a restful sleep and a peaceful death. for nothing really matters in the end, our drive for success, money, all comes down to Jesus. and for me tonight as i sit outside the church door on nebraska ave. and homeless guys passed by and talked i thought of how really alone they must feel in a world where they do not have access to basic health care, and have no one to call their friends or no place to call home. my suffering pales compares to theres when they are sick and fearful. i sleep in a comfortable bed, have meds, health insurance and people i can call. and so the prayer of jesus is a reminder that it is in God we depend for our basics. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

posted by River  # 8:07 PM
*****************------------------------*****************
Monday, February 14, 2005
Matt. 25:31-46

arrived in tampa yesterday to begin retreat and to go to a meeting. went to bed at 8:00 p.m., i was just exhausted. have been having pain in right side of jaw, dentist says i am grinding teeth from stress, and i find it goes away once i let the stress go.;

i am reflecting this week on my "priesthood", my "mission" and its reaffirmation of it. todays scripture has been my mandate for ten years plus, i have sought to live it out in everything ido however unsuccessfully. to me it is the heart of the gopsel, for only when we see jesus inothers, see that divine and minister to them, to their basic needs as well as spiritual we are not truly meeting Jesus.

Today i have been reminded of gifts. several women in the office were overheard commenting when they first met me "is he really a priest." i felt like answering like matt answers when people say that to him: "fucking yea!" ;but decided not to.

i found it humorous and a reaffirmation of my own "priesthood".; for me being a priest is being a "father" a life giver. "father" is the only title i have ever allowed used for me willingly. "rev", "dr", both of these to me are pretentious, but "fr." i am a life giver, i am a father now to thousands, and accept it with honor. my priesthood has been reaffirmed over and over by those i serve, and when i an the chuch cross hairs, for me that is all that needed.

today i have my gifts of letting aloneness, being a presence, and being non-judgmental reaffirmed.

as i look back over the years for all of my shortcomings, i find that God is always present with me, and gives me what i need in the moment. for that i am supremely thanksful.

Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

posted by River  # 9:32 PM
*****************------------------------*****************
Archives

06/15/2003 - 06/22/2003   06/22/2003 - 06/29/2003   06/29/2003 - 07/06/2003   07/06/2003 - 07/13/2003   07/13/2003 - 07/20/2003   07/20/2003 - 07/27/2003   07/27/2003 - 08/03/2003   08/03/2003 - 08/10/2003   08/10/2003 - 08/17/2003   08/17/2003 - 08/24/2003   08/24/2003 - 08/31/2003   08/31/2003 - 09/07/2003   09/07/2003 - 09/14/2003   09/14/2003 - 09/21/2003   09/21/2003 - 09/28/2003   09/28/2003 - 10/05/2003   10/05/2003 - 10/12/2003   10/12/2003 - 10/19/2003   10/19/2003 - 10/26/2003   10/26/2003 - 11/02/2003   11/02/2003 - 11/09/2003   11/09/2003 - 11/16/2003   11/16/2003 - 11/23/2003   11/23/2003 - 11/30/2003   11/30/2003 - 12/07/2003   12/07/2003 - 12/14/2003   12/14/2003 - 12/21/2003   12/21/2003 - 12/28/2003   12/28/2003 - 01/04/2004   01/04/2004 - 01/11/2004   01/11/2004 - 01/18/2004   01/18/2004 - 01/25/2004   01/25/2004 - 02/01/2004   02/01/2004 - 02/08/2004   02/08/2004 - 02/15/2004   02/15/2004 - 02/22/2004   02/22/2004 - 02/29/2004   02/29/2004 - 03/07/2004   03/07/2004 - 03/14/2004   03/14/2004 - 03/21/2004   03/21/2004 - 03/28/2004   03/28/2004 - 04/04/2004   04/04/2004 - 04/11/2004   04/11/2004 - 04/18/2004   04/18/2004 - 04/25/2004   04/25/2004 - 05/02/2004   05/02/2004 - 05/09/2004   05/09/2004 - 05/16/2004   05/16/2004 - 05/23/2004   05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004   05/30/2004 - 06/06/2004   06/06/2004 - 06/13/2004   06/20/2004 - 06/27/2004   06/27/2004 - 07/04/2004   07/04/2004 - 07/11/2004   07/25/2004 - 08/01/2004   08/01/2004 - 08/08/2004   08/08/2004 - 08/15/2004   08/15/2004 - 08/22/2004   08/22/2004 - 08/29/2004   09/05/2004 - 09/12/2004   09/12/2004 - 09/19/2004   09/19/2004 - 09/26/2004   09/26/2004 - 10/03/2004   10/10/2004 - 10/17/2004   10/17/2004 - 10/24/2004   10/24/2004 - 10/31/2004   10/31/2004 - 11/07/2004   11/07/2004 - 11/14/2004   11/14/2004 - 11/21/2004   11/21/2004 - 11/28/2004   11/28/2004 - 12/05/2004   12/05/2004 - 12/12/2004   12/12/2004 - 12/19/2004   12/19/2004 - 12/26/2004   12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005   01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005   01/09/2005 - 01/16/2005   01/16/2005 - 01/23/2005   01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005   01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005   02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005   02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005   02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005   02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005   03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005   03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005   03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005   04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005   04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005   05/08/2005 - 05/15/2005   05/15/2005 - 05/22/2005   05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005   09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005   09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005   09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005   09/25/2005 - 10/02/2005   10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005   10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005   10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005   10/23/2005 - 10/30/2005   10/30/2005 - 11/06/2005   11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005   11/13/2005 - 11/20/2005   11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005   11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005   12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005   12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005   12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005   12/25/2005 - 01/01/2006   01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006   01/08/2006 - 01/15/2006   01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006   01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006   01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006   02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006   02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006   02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006   04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006   05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006   06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006   06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006   07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006   07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006   08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006   08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006   08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006   09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006   09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006   10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006   10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006   10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006   10/22/2006 - 10/29/2006   10/29/2006 - 11/05/2006   11/05/2006 - 11/12/2006   11/12/2006 - 11/19/2006   11/19/2006 - 11/26/2006  

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?
Monetary donations are most welcome! Please consider using the safe and secure PayPal services by clicking on the link below.
© Temenos Catholic Worker
 ||
CONTACT: Father C. River Sims
1550 California Street, No. 6-320
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415)305.2124