Keeping Our Eyes Fixed

As the training gets more intense-- I ran 17 miles on the 17th--it's easy to get caught up in getting the right gear, eating the proper nutrition, and finding the time to run; all of which are important to avoid injury and make it to the starting line properly prepared, but also very "me" centered. Thus, when I heard the reading from Hebrews 12 from this Sunday's mass, it was a helpful reminder to keep these concerns in perspective and focus on the larger picture-- running for those who I have the honor of working with each day: 

Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith...Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. 

One of the reasons I believe so much in the work at Taller de José is the way we frame our work as a "ministry," not just a job that pays the bills. While we don't explicitly share our faith with clients (unless specifically asked to), most of us see our presence there as a way of living out our faith. My personal faith compels me to minister at Taller de José because I believe that Christ is in each one of my clients. So I "keep my eyes fixed on Jesus" by helping my client effectively communicate with his lawyer, or by teaching another client how to navigate the train system. And when I can't directly resolve my clients' most pressing needs, I do my best to "keep my eyes fixed on Jesus" by simply being there with them when they need the presence of another human to reassure them that they're worth something to someone. 

And trust me, there are days when my own exhaustion or my clients' struggles seem like too much. There are days when I want to "grow weary and lose heart." But a combination of my faith, the support and example of my fellow ministers at Taller, and the love and support of family and friends helps keep me focused and "running the race." As I head into the second half of my training (I'm officially half-way done!) I hope to rely on those sources of support and the immense gratitude I feel for the those who have joined me on this journey through their financial and prayerful support to keep my focused on the real reason for all the miles-- Taller de José. 

(And this was the point in my post where I was going to bring it all together and say that I'm focusing on running for the name on the front of my jersey and not the one on the back, but, unlike last year, our individual names are on the front of the t-shirts (see below). Great for getting lots of encouragement from race-day spectators, not so great for trying to make cliché blog post endings :))

Team Taller de José: Fr. Bob, myself, Danny, Lisa, and Daniela