Which Christ?
(The "Unakite Jasper" teaches patience, and persistence, and facilitates the gradual elimination of bad habits. It helps one unearth and release the bonds of old emotional wounds and trauma.)
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(The "Lepidolite" stone is the "Heart and Eye Chakra": Emotional healing and balance purification, serenity, relaxation and stress relief.)
Which Christ Do We Know?
Fifth Sunday of Easter!
Acts 9:26-31; Ps, 22; St. John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8
April 28, 2024
The question is which Christ do we believe in? Throughout the week I have asked that question. For example, there is a fifty-two-year-old lady, who took care of her mother until she died, and her sister kicked her out of the house and inherited all the mother's money. She has come to my door twice needing money for food and rent, and I gave her money, she gave me the jewelry she made above. "Gloria" was given a voucher in one of the SROs but she told me of the insects, bed bugs, filth, and dirty bathrooms. I know for a fact that most SROs I go into are just like that,? I wash my clothes and bathe from top to bottom every time I come home.
The question I ask is how can a city like San Francisco, allow such places to be used as housing for people without housing; how can the city of San Francisco, use draconian methods in trying to deal with drug abuse?
Frankly, I struggle with guilt. I have food, clothing, a nice place to live, and excellent health care--why can not everybody have the same thing?
I struggle with the way people are treated in the name of Christ, I grieve over how they are treated. One gentleman on Facebook received horrible responses when he talked of decentralizing his faith; Through the years I have lost friends because my faith does not match theirs, and physical harm has been done as well.
My sister will not talk to me and believes I am going to hell, several friends told me to not feel regret, it was "her fault", well frankly it hurts like hell, and leaves me feeling sad, wondering besides my faith what is the problem for her, so which Christ do we believe in?
The Christ I believe in is the Cosmic Christ, who represents many ways of belief, and whose command is to "Love your neighbor!'?
Father Nial O'Brien reflects on the teachings of Christ in these words: "The Church's teaching is unambiguous with regard to the pursuit of justice. Christianity is grotesque when it turns its back on justice. It's not Christianity, its's something else?
During this season of Eastertide, we hear of how the first believers shared equally of their belongings, how the church grew through the years through its love and care for those discarded by society, and now what are we as Christians and non-Christians in our beautiful churches and City with nice homes, and plenty food dong? What Christ do we believe in?
This is the question each of us needs to ask ourselves! Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
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Fr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.
Post Office Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124
Fr. River Sims, D.Min., D.S.T.
Director
Prayer of St. Brendan!
"Help me to journey beyond the familiar
and into the unknown.
Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You. Christ of the mysteries I trust in You to be stronger than each storm within me.
I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hands.
Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,
and somehow, make my obedience count for You"
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