The Pope is driving a 5-year-old Ford Focus.

He’s traded in the Mercedes Benzs and Volvos of previous pontiffs and settled for a set of wheels that will help him follow Christ more nearly. In more ways that one, he has found focus…

Of course, Francis is still among the well-off, 93% of the world does not own a car. But in deliberately downsizing he is reminding us, like Jesus did, that the Christian life is about continually removing the obstacles that keep us from more completely following our savior.

In Sunday’s Gospel we meet a familiar character named Zacchaeus. Like you and me and Pope Francis, he is well off. We also relate to Zacchaeus’ deep desire, ‘he was trying to see Jesus.’

As the story unfolds, we see that Zaccaeus is willing to put aside his possessions, reputation, and respectability in order to get a clearer picture.

The story invites us ask: what’s getting in our way of seeking a clearer vision of Jesus? What changes is God asking us to make? What needs to stay? What needs to go?

The only thing wrong with well-stocked backpacks is that they can keep us from going as fast and as we want to go.