The gospel/homily at mass this morning was about traveling lightly. Fr. Rex, my pastor, talked about Jesus’ words to us on possessions. Fr. Rex framed his homily around things which DISTRACT us from being focused on the mission.

Distractions. I get distracted often—in prayer, while running errands, in remembering what is important to me. I know a lot of people are overusing the initals ADD and ADHD for the more common notion of being distracted.

I’ve taken some consolation in an insight that was given to me by Sr. Ruth Cowan SSND when I was making a personal retreat a few years back. I told her I get distracted when I pray (thinking of everything from the Cubs’ starting lineup to what home improvements I need to make). She basically said we shouldn’t let the guilt of being distracted keep us from seeing that moment of recognition (that we are”in” a distraction) as an invitation from God to re-join him, turn our minds and faces toward him once more, or continue our conversion to Him. That has been helpful to me in my prayer…

This morning’s homily got me to thinking in another direction.

Yesterday, Marlene, my wife, and other members of my family had a garage sale‘; return true;” onmouseout=”window.status='’; return true;”>garage sale. Man, I knew we were pack rats, but I never realized it until I saw all of the STUFF under my carport.

no this is NOT our garage sale but you get the idea. I think we had MORE!

I really do accumulate a lot of stuff. In college, my buddies called me the “trinket king.” Marlene calls me “gadget boy” sometimes. Gadgets, music, office supplies‘; return true;” onmouseout=”window.status='’; return true;”>office supplies, papers, e-mails, pictures, clothes, and the list goes on.

Jesus’ words and Fr. Rex’s homily made me think that sometimes my “stuff” might be (as the Act of Contrition says) “a near occasion of sin.” The way I use and hoarde these things often dis-tracts me from my mission of living intentionally (”on purpose”) “through Him, with Him and in Him.”

I invite you to join me in thinking about

• attitudes
• possessions
• habits
• relationships

that dis-tract us rather than attract us in our relationship with God. Maybe we need to sub-tract some things. I know I do.