Draw near to your servants, O Lord,
and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness,
that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide,
you may restore what you have created
and keep safe what you have restored. (Roman Missal)

            Right after Pope Francis was elected in 2013, people zeroed in on his shoes. They weren’t the elegant and presumably very expensive red leather loafers that people were accustomed to seeing on the feet of popes but instead, a pair of well-worn black lace-ups given to him by friends in his native Argentina—the same shoes he wore before he became pope.  

           Think about all of the stuff we have.  Depending on our circumstances, we might have houses, furniture, cars, clothing, jewelry, computers, books, artwork, knick-knacks, toys, tools, souvenirs from our journeys—and, of course, money to buy more stuff.  It might have taken a lot of time and energy, even sacrifice, to acquire our stuff, and yet how necessary, how important, is it really?

            The lesson Jesus is trying to teach us today is similar to the lesson Pope Francis was trying to teach us: there’s nothing wrong with having stuff but let’s focus on what’s really necessary, what’s really important. What we should be working on is getting some things that I think we will all find in short supply in our homes and in our lives, things like compassion for people who are suffering; respect for those who are different from us; forgiveness for those who have harmed us; courage in standing up for what is right; generosity towards the poor; patience in dealing with those who cause us trouble; and, of course, a deeper relationship with God.

           Acquiring these things may be much more difficult than acquiring the things we already have or hope to have.  We’ll need God’s help.  But these are the things that are really necessary and important.  These are the things that matter to God.