Viriditas2: Soul Greening
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
People often ask why I still run marathons in my 70s. They assume it’s about competition or staying in shape. While running certainly helps me physically, that is no longer the real reason I lace up my shoes.
Running has become one of the ways I pray.
As a child, I always loved to run. Later, as a priest, I discovered that long-distance running became a gift not only for my body but also for my mind and spirit. The farther I run, the quieter I become. My breathing settles into a rhythm. My thoughts become clear. Worries begin to fade, and my heart opens to God.
As I run, I pray for people.
Faces come to mind — someone who is sick, a family carrying a burden, a parishioner in need of hope. Each mile becomes an intercessory prayer. Instead of rushing to finish with a faster time, I have learned to let the pace come naturally. There is wisdom in finding your own rhythm.
Perhaps the spiritual life is much the same.
When we push ourselves too hard, we become exhausted. But when we learn to breathe with God, to trust his pace instead of our own, we discover a surprising peace. Running has taught me that lesson over and over again.
One of the greatest chapters of my priesthood came during the three years I served on Molokai through the COVID-19 pandemic. Like everyone else, we faced uncertainty and isolation. Churches closed for a time, visits became difficult and ministry looked very different from anything I had experienced before.
Yet those years became an unexpected blessing.
The people of Molokai taught me resilience. Even in the midst of hardship, they never lost their generosity or their hope. Living through those years also gave me something I had not expected: time for quiet reflection. Without realizing it, I was making an interior journey, learning more about myself and, even more importantly, about God’s faithful presence.
I also found myself surrounded by the spirit of St. Damien.
There were moments when I walked into St. Joseph Chapel in Kamalo and celebrated Mass at the very altar where Father Damien had stood more than a century earlier. Each time, I felt humbled. I often wondered, “Why me?”
To stand where such a holy priest once stood reminded me that every priest simply follows in the footsteps of those who have gone before us.
Like a marathon, faith is never about sprinting. It is about perseverance. It is about trusting God one step at a time, even when the road is long or difficult.
These days I still run, although not with the same competitive spirit I once had. I enjoy the rhythm, the breathing, the quiet and the people who cheer along the way. I have learned that the finish line is not the only goal. The journey itself changes us.
Life with God is much the same. We do not have to run faster than everyone else. We simply have to keep moving, keep breathing, keep praying, and trust that God is running beside us every step of the way.
Father Brian Guerrini is a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He entered in 1986 and served as a religious brother before being ordained as a priest in 2008. He previously served at St. Damien Church in Kaunakakai, Molokai.