- Where Jacob wrestled with God and survived -
TEMENOS CATHOLIC WORKER
Fr. River Sims
1550 California Street, No. 6-320
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-305-2124 punkpriest@yahoo.com
JOURNAL OF AN ALIEN STREET PRIEST
June, 2003, Pentecost, 2003
The God-who-is has always been searching for me. By his choice, her relationship with me is presence, as a call, as a guide; he is not satisfied with speaking to me, or showing things to me, or asking things of me. She does much more.
He is Life, and she knows his creature can do nothing without her; he knows her child would die of hunger without bread.
But our bread is God herself, and God gives himself to us as eternal food.
Only eternal life can feed one who is destined for eternal life.
The bread of earth can nourish us only for this finite earth; it can sustain us only as far as the frontier of the Invisible. If we want to penetrate this frontier, the bread from our fields is not sufficient; if we want to march along the roads of the Invisible, we must feed on bread from heaven.
This bread from heaven is God herself. He becomes food to us walking in the
Invisible. ---From The God Who Comes by Carlo Carretto
(language adapted for inclusivity)
Sandra Sneider defines spirituality as "the experience of consciously striving to integrate one's life in terms not of isolation and self-absorption but of self transcendence toward the ultimate value one perceives."
On a typical day I will spend "quality time" with ten to twenty
people, plus a few minutes with forty or so more. At the center of our conversations
is the
Need to find a value, a center on which to hang one' life to give it
meaning and purpose. Drugs, addiction become a means of fleeing from the terror
of life.
Our daily readings for much of Easter have centered around Jesus as the Bread of life. For me the focus has been on Jesus as the One who centers my life, who breathes life into my walk with the Invisible. When our lives remain isolated, self-absorbed into our own needs we lose sight of the values found in moving in a relationship with One who centers us and gives us the freedom in moving out in relationship with others.
Eternal life for the Gospel of John begins in the here and now. Life without a center, life in which one is totally self-absorbed and self-centered is hell on earth, but a life centered in Jesus, is one of loving others in freedom, of moving beyond ourselves into a greater value that allows us to see all of life as a gift and to give as well as receive. A life so centered, regardless of our circumstances is well lived.
This Pentecost I wish for you an in filling of the Holy Spirit whose power will be with your journey in the Invisible.
Coming Events
Spiritual Director's Immersion Weekend
In the tradition of
St. Vincent Depaul and Dorothy Day
In the Tenderloin of San Francisco
If you are a spiritual director come for a weekend of experiencing direction
with the poorest of the poor.
Cost is $500.00 for room and board for four days.
Contact Fr. River
Day of the Dead Remembrance for Those Who Have Died of Drug Related Causes
Civic Center-Day of the Dead Altar
Speaker: The Reverend Edwin Saunders, Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee, past candidate for governor of Tennessee and member of the Center for Disease Control; Edwin is chair of Religious Leaders Against Unjust Drug Policy.
Date: All Souls Day, November 2, 2003
WE ARE BEGGARS:
We are beggars who depend on the generosity of others. Through their generosity our ministry of presence continues among the poorest of the poor.
We are also in need of blankets and socks.
Our thanks for the generosity of those who have given this past month. Your
kind words, and your gifts have continued the ministry of Temenos. Thank you.
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May Donations: $2595.51
NEEDED: $3877.51
Balance on Hand as of May 26, 2003: $2,221.21 (all bills are paid for June).
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Mail Donations to:
1550 California Street, No. 6-320
San Francisco, CA. 94109
Please make checks out to Temenos Catholic Worker