Father Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit priest who founded and runs Homeboy Industries, an LA based gang rehabilitation and intervention center. His book, Tattoos on the Heart, details his work and all he has learned in his many years running this ministry. In his book, he writes the following:

“At Homeboy Industries, we seek to tell each person this truth: they are exactly what God had in mind when God made them — and then we watch, from this privileged place, as people inhabit this truth.” (192) “And so the voices at the margins get heard and the circle of compassion widens. Souls feeling their worth, refusing to forget that we belong to each other. No bullet can pierce this.” (212)

It can be so easy in our daily lives to get lost in the busyness and forget to look at what is going on around us. We can be blind to our neighbors who are living in poverty, going through mental or physical health challenges, or battling addiction. My challenge to you this week is to notice those around you, volunteer to serve, offer a helping hand or a listening ear, and remind those on the margins of their worth, just like Father Greg does in his ministry.