September 28

Ezk. 18:25-28, Phil 2:1-11; Mt. 21:28-32

people are in trouble financially, there is a major bailout being proposed in congress, and as i look at it, and the passage from philippians i see how our pure selfishness gets us into these problems–always wanting more and more–but philippians calls us to put ourselves second, and i have found that when i seek my own good, my own financial well being, that i fall short, but that when i put others first, put Jesus first, it all works out because i am not about number 1. we are never satisified when we are pushing always for ourselves, we must put others first.

lunch with vicki, dinner with stephen. fed two guys. bed at midnight. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

September 27

Ec. 11:9-12:8; Lk. 9:43-45

the passage in ecc is a beautiful passage one of my favorites, as a young boy i loved it, but now as i am older  i still love its beauty, but it means a lot to me, for time has passed, i am getting near the end of my time, and i look back and seen how through the years i have sought to follow God. granted i fail a hell of alot, but at the heart of my life, has been following Jesus, ups, downs, boredom, and i am content in that knowledge. i have failed many, many times, but it is the moment that is important, and there have been many good moments.  spent the day at the tenderloins health fair with a booth, and picking up drinks earlier and food. J, 26, i paid to help me move stuff, he is stuck here from orange county, seems not to know how to relate to his family.  went out to dinner with marilyn last night. am reminded how our lives differ, the way she looks on homelessness is far different from me, but it is our different perspectives. she asked me if i still found excitement in what i do, i seemed not as passionate. well, i was dead tired, but i have never been bored, and it is my life, it is integrated into  my life, where it is not a job, but simply a part of what i do, and who i am.

did outreach, did not seem busy, but i encountered twenty people and spent time with each of them. deo gratis! Thanks be to God!

September 26

Ecl. 3:1-11; Lk. 9:18-22

“but he also set eternity in their hearts” Ec. 3:10 this is thye hope that everything we do has eternal significance. had lunch with rose today. spent two hours with 26 year old todd, homeless, no drugs, wanting to get home to Orange county, seems very lost. saw the movie humbolt county, a good movie about people getting lost, finding themselves, and simply going from day to day in the search. outreach spent an hour with harry, 30, hustling, struggling with drug use, wants a quick fix. bed at 2:30 a.m. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

September 25

Ecl 1:2-11; Lk. 9:7-9

it seems that all is meaningless, but as i get older in light of the one we call Jesus, he is the one who makes sense of life.  i find for me that is where meaning, and purpose is, without him there is no meaning.  tenderloin health fair meeting, cooked meal, served meal. one of the muslims yelling at me for serving food, in people’s way in the alley, people at his temple felt uncomfortable. does not matter what religion one belongs to it seems that people seem to miss the the most important points–ie feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, all about themselves. did outreach spent time with 23 year old, jim, who is severely mentally ill, bed at 1. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

September 24

In spiritual direction today i talked about how i worry little lately about finanical or physical needs. the older i get the less i seem to want and need. i remember when i was younger i deserpately wanted stuff, but now i need less and less. i find that what every i have will be enough.

styx still recovering from major abscess.  did outreach until midnight, prepared food for tomorrow and bed early. deo gratis! thanks be to God

September 23

Proverbs 21:1-6; 10-13, Lk. 8:9-21

Proverbs  21 states that God is concerned about our motives;  The Gospel says the same. we are family of Jesus if we follow him and do his work, it is a matter of motives and action.

joking around with friend today, she became angry, and my concept of time is so different than other peoples, time does not dictate to me, but i use it for people.

cooked meal, served in castro, people are always appreciative, came home did outreach, bed a 1:00 a.m. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

September 23

Proverbs 21:1-6; 10-13, Lk. 8:9-21

Proverbs 21 states that God is concerned about our motives; The Gospel says the same. we are family of Jesus if we follow him and do his work, it is a matter of motives and action.

joking around with friend today, she became angry, and my concept of time is so different than other peoples, time does not dictate to me, but i use it for people.

cooked meal, served in castro, people are always appreciative, came home did outreach, bed a 1:00 a.m. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

Negativity

September 22

Pro. 3:27-34; Lk. 8:16-18

i am tired of all the negativity around the candidates–the bad mouthing, the condemning–ie condeming paulson for being a hunter, where i come from everyone are hunters–tired of the negativity about McClains age–he has the nomination–what are u saying that thousands of people are stupid–i am damn tired of the criticism, the condemnation. for one thing i get the same thing, from people who have no understanding of what i do or actually even care about what i do.

the gospel says nothing is to be kept secredt, all is out in the open, that is right. spent day at museum of contemporary jewish art, took evening off. deo gratis! thanks be to God!
—
Father River Sims
Temenos Catholic Worker
P. O. Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164-2656
415-305-2124

Andrew Kim Taegon/Paul Chong Hasang and Companions

September 21

I Cor. 15:35-37, 42-49

For the most part people want to believe to have hope  beyond death, to meet their “eternal needs”, but for me my spirituality has sustained me in this life, it has held me together, given me a reason to live–if there is a life to come, then great, and that is the hope of our corintian passage, and like the people in the gospel at times i have been unfaithful, at others i have great faith, it is a day to day journey for me.

spent day doing outreach.  night was busier than usual, had a snack with david, and then came home and went to bed. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

The Land Owner and His Workers

Sept. 21, 2008

Is. 55:6-9; Phil. 1:20b-24, 27; Mt. 20:1-16

spent morning relaxing, all day pride meeting on pride theme, home, and to bed at 9. i have been simply, simply exhausted. it has been a long week, constant people, constant demands.

the gospel is about the land owner and his workers. the denarius was the standard wage for an unskilled worker. the owner of the vineyard is not without reason in paying a full day’s wagbe to the workers hired late int he afternoon, for if the grapes are not picked in a timely fashion they will go to waste. the master knows what he is doing, even if it might not seem so to the untrained eye. each worker is essential tot he good harvest, just as each of us is essential to building of the reign of  God.  it is not about the pay, it is the work that is important. deo gratis! thanks be to God!

— 
Father River Sims
Temenos Catholic Worker
P. O. Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164-2656
415-305-2124

www.temenos.org