It's Not Really About the Shoes

I had the opportunity to return to camp again last night as I drove our priest Fr. Staib out there to say mass for the teens. When we arrived, the work crews were just returning from their day out in Moore Square and on another work site where they cleaned up tornado debris. Standing next to Fr. Staib, I was struck at how people would smile and walk toward us to offer a greeting and relaxed conversation about the day. I don't know if you've ever been in the presence of someone who was a "high value" person or even been one yourself, but it is different to see how people acknowledge them and respond to them.

I wonder how the people we were serving in the square feel when they are around strangers? Are they acknowledged too? What kind of reaction do they receive from others and how does that make them feel about themselves?

When it came time for mass, I looked over the assigned readings and was struck by their appropriateness. This is all the more amazing when I considered that the Catholic Church designates the scripture readings in advance and randomly combines the daily mass readings over a two year cycle. The readings were 2 Corin 9:6-11 (God loves a cheerful giver) and Matt 6:1-6, 16-18 (Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.)

To prepare the space, tables in the mess hall were pushed toward the walls, and benches were placed in rows before the makeshift altar. Our priest brought a crucifix, two candles, vessels, unconsecrated hosts, wine, water, a book containing the order of the mass, a white cloth, and his vestments. Once the teens were gathered, Russ played an entrance song on his guitar and the room was filled with song.

As I reflected on the work of gathering and distributing shoes, the community of teens who came together to serve, and the people who came to get new shoes, I realized that what we were doing was not really about the shoes.  It sure seemed to be about them. There were months of planning that went into this trip, repeated pleas from the pulpit and bulletin for parishioners to donate a pair of new shoes so that we could reach our goal of having 500 pair to give away to the homeless in and around Moore Square. There were bins and bins of shoes that were sorted, counted, hauled, reorganized, and then searched through to find the perfect pair for each person who sat in one of our chairs in the park.

But as I watched the foot washing and exchanges between the server and client, I realized that many people came wearing shoes that were already pretty nice. What were they looking for then? A little human contact? A chance to feel special? A little understanding? A simple acknowledgement? I don't know about you, but that is something that I can use too. Please God, help me to remember to always treat the person who is in front of me with the status of "high value person". Amen.