The Race is On!

One of the things that hit me as I began the new semester last week was that it is only three months before the Race for Vocations MiniMarathon in Indianapolis! Needless to say, having spent most of January travelling (without running gear), I found it quite urgent that I get started on my training program right away.

It has taken a little over a week to get myself "broken in" again to running, but now I am ready to start training in earnest. The MiniMarathon website has a good training program laid out (I'm behind on it, but am catching up), and I am going to try and follow that as best I can. More importantly, however, is the real reason why I am doing this anyway: to pray for holy vocations to the priesthood, religious life, marriage and single vocations. I'll admit, in my earnest, I forgot to offer my first couple of training runs for vocations, but now I am remembering to do it on each run. I'm even offering when I run as a prayer. For example, last night I was not sure when I would have time to run, but I prayed that God would make time for me. When I woke up before my alarm this morning, I remembered my prayer and thought, "I'll bet I have time to run." Sure enough, it was 5:30, a half hour before my alarm would go off at 6:00 and I had a 30 minute training run to make today. So I got up, got dressed and did my run, offering it for those who are searching for their vocation.

I need more help! If you are reading this and feel called to do so, you can "pledge" to pray along with me as I train. This could be anything from an extra Our Father or Hail Mary for each training run I make to a Rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Perhaps you could offer to give something up (a fast or abstinence, like a cup of coffee or a dessert) on the days that I train. For those ready to go the extra mile (pun intended), you could offer to match, minute for minute, the amount of time that I spend training in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for vocations. The best part is that you will be doing something great for yourself while you are doing something great for someone else! That's how good God is!

Those who are interested in pledging prayers for vocations in conjunction with my training, send me an e-mail and I will keep you up to date on what my training schedule looks like week-to-week, so you can keep your prayers in line with my training.

(Perhaps even right now God is nudging you to step up and run, yourself. Don't be shy! Click here and find out how you, too, can join the Race for Vocations!)

Thanks in advance to all who will pledge their support. Verso l'Alto!

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us!