“Jesus, carve Your heart into mine.”

 

Saint Mother Cabrini prayed these words each day to remind herself not only of the work she was doing, but also for whom she was doing it. That same prayer has become a cornerstone of my journey.

 

Growing up, my adoptive father often prayed with me that I would become “a man after God’s own heart.” For years, I was confused by this phrase because I wasn’t sure what God was asking of me. Now I understand: it means remembering who I am and where I came from. I was born into homelessness and poverty on the streets of Denver in 2004, into a broken family system surrounded by the pain of addiction, incarceration, abuse, and trafficking. For years, I avoided those who reminded me of my origins. I couldn’t even look at a homeless person because I only saw my own brokenness. But in my junior year of high school, I converted to the Catholic Church after a radical encounter with the Lord’s mercy. A year later, my parents became Catholic. Then, the year after that, my best friend entered the Church, and I had the honor of being his sponsor. Eventually, I chose to attend Franciscan University and am currently studying Social Work. After going on a mission trip with Franciscan University last spring, my eyes were opened, and my heart was crushed by the weight of how we treat our brothers and sisters on the streets. I saw my biological family in each of them, and I realized I couldn’t continue living my life the way I had been.

 

I had to do something.

 

In time, I came to see that the very streets I once feared are sacred ground. They are where Christ, the wounded outcast, walks among us, waiting to be seen, with eyes that love as He loves. Once I stopped running from my past, I began to embrace a call to love our brothers and sisters on the streets. Together with some friends, I started a small mission in Indianapolis inspired by the Catholic Worker movement. When possible, we walk the streets with our wagon, Julia (after Servant of God Julia Greeley), and give whatever resources we can afford through humble and informal begging. Doing this work has changed my life, and I look forward to whatever God has planned for me after college; for now, I do the work He has handed me.

 

I have chosen to serve with Source to grow in my knowledge of how to love and live for our friends on the streets. I’m drawn to work with them because of their deep devotion to the Eucharist, both in the tabernacle, on the streets, and in our hearts. To be honest, I’m a bit nervous for this new experience, as I have never been to Baltimore. I trust, though, that the heart of Jesus has guided me to Source , and I ask that you pray for me as I continue to do His will.

 

Jesus, carve Your heart into ours