A heard a story just last week about a cab driver and a nun. The cab driver picks up the nun. She gets into the cab, and the cab driver won't stop staring at her. She asks him why he is staring and he replies, "I have a question to ask you but I don't want to offend you." She answers: "My dear son, you cannot offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive." "Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me." She responds, "Well, let's see what we can do about that: #1, you have to be single and #2 you must be a Catholic." The cab driver is very excited and says, "Yes, I am single and I'm Catholic too!" The nun says, "OK, pull into the next alley." He does and the nun fulfills his fantasy. But when they get back on the road, the cab driver starts crying. "My dear child." said the nun, "Why are you crying?" "Forgive me sister, but I have sinned. I lied, I must confess, I'm married and a I'm a Baptist." The nun says, "That's OK, I am on the way to a Halloween party, and my name is Kevin."

Tonight, in the United States, we celebrate Halloween. Children – and adults, too – don masks and costumes for parties and to go door to door, trick or treating. But Halloween is not the only time we wear masks and costumes. Lots of time, in real life, we don masks to hide our real self from other people. We bury ourselves in our jobs, or in an addiction, or in the pursuit of material or sensual pleasure – and we drown out our real selves and try to hide behind our masks.

Some of us think we are too fat, and others think they are too skinny. Some think they are too short, while others think they are too tall. Some think they are too old, others think they are too young. Some of us worry because we are losing our hair – others worry because they are too hairy. When I was a teenager, I had really hairy arms, and this little kid started to tease me – “Fuzzy bunny, fuzzy bunny!” Now, I worry that I am losing all my

A survey a few years ago showed that 58 percent of all men are unhappy with their weight, 36 percent want more hair; 32 percent would like to change their height; and 19 percent would like a new nose. For women, 78 percent are unhappy with their weight, 48 percent want to hide wrinkles and other signs of aging; 37 percent would like to change the appearance of their teeth, and 34 percent would like better looking legs.

On your sheets, it says, “No More Masks! Climbing Down from the Tree and Embracing God’s Love.”

Our story in today’s gospel is about a man named Zacchaeus, who for years had worn a mask of sorts, and it was making him miserable. This is one of my favorite stories in the entire Bible. I think of Zacchaeus sort of like this … [Show short clip of Danny DeVito]

Zacchaeus was short – “vertically challenged” – so people probably made fun of him. He was a tax collector, so that made him very unpopular, because he collected taxes for the hated Romans – the oppressors – and he also was probably dishonest and stole from people, which is why he was rich. But this gospel today is really a love story – God’s love story toward us – because God is madly in love with us – and it doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor, tall or short, fat or skinny, handsome or beautiful, or ugly or a 90-pound weakling. In God’s sight, we are all beautiful – because God made us. Let’s get this into our heads. Repeat after me: “God… is madly in love… with me!”

On your sheet, it says that God has a plan for each of us. God wants what is best for us. In our first reading today, Paul tells us as much in his Second Letter to the Thessalonians. Let’s read it together: We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a powerful verse, packed full of lots of truth from God. Paul prays that we might be worthy of the calling we have received from God. Did you know that God calls each and everyone of us? Paul says we are to fulfill every good purpose, and every effort of faith. God has a plan for us. And we are to do all this in order to glorify God. Paul tells us that the name of Jesus is to be glorified in us – we are to show forth to the world the love of Christ.

I heard a funny story recently of an elderly pastor who was lying in the hospital, sick and dying. A chaplain came by, offering to read to him from the Bible. The elderly man who was sick asked that he read from the 1st chapter of the 1st book of Chronicles. A section of that chapter is on your handout:

Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The descendants of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, and the Rodanim. The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mesraim, Put, and Canaan. The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raama were Sheba and Dedan. – 1 Chronicles 1:1-9

That long list of names goes on for 53 verses altogether! The poor chaplain! But the sick man said, “That really gives me lots of comfort!” Finally, the chaplain asked, “Why did you select those Bible verses to give you comfort?” The sick man replied, “Because it reminds me that even though all those names are hard to say and pronounce, God know each of them by name, and loves them!”

God knows each of us by name – and loves us!

There’s a second message from Paul: Fear can rob us of enjoying the fullness of life that God has for us. At the end of our second reading today, Paul tells us: We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. The people of Paul’s day thought the end of the world was just around the corner, about to arrive at any moment – but Paul urges them to stay calm and not let fear or alarm shake them.

Finally, we have the wonderful story of Zacchaeus. I often use this story at house blessings. I tell the people at the home that this is the first time in the Bible when Jesus blessed a house. We usually reenact the story with a little kid – [invite a child forth, put a mask on their face] and their dad [invite a dad forward, who plays the tree. Ask the child to climb up on the shoulders of his or her dad as you retell the story]

On your sheets are some things we can learn from Zacchaeus, and also, some things that we learn about Jesus:

1. Zacchaeus was rich.
a. And Jesus didn’t care. You see, for God, it doesn’t really matter. Rich or poor, God loves us and accepts us as we are.
2. Zacchaeus was criticized and misjudged – probably because he was short, but more importantly, because he was a thief and a tax collector. We too may face criticism and teasing in our lives – sometimes for things we can’t do anything about, like being short or tall; and other times, because we do something wrong.
a. In either case, Jesus always extends a hand to us – a hand of acceptance, a hand of forgiveness, an invitation to trust and follow Him.
• Criticism is part of life! Have you ever been misjudged? I was reading last week about some of the great misjudgments and blunders of recent human history. Here are a few:
o 1842 – Samuel Morse – telegraph
o 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone “useless toy” – President, Western Union
o 1878 – Thomas Edison’s lightbulb “unworthy of scientific study” – British Parliament
o 1908 – Car will never replace horse and buggy
o 1940 – Helicopter will never have practical military use – military experts
3. Zacchaeus is enthusiastic and curious. He ran ahead to see Jesus, and when he discovered that he could not see Jesus because of the crowd and his shortness of height, he even climbed a tree.
a. Jesus refused to listen to the crowd, who criticize both Jesus and Zacchaeus because Jesus was eating at the house of a sinner.
4. Zacchaeus is ready to change. He wants to get rid of the mask, to climb down from the tree.
a. Jesus, our gospel tells us, always seeks after the lost and wants to bring salvation to all.

And this is the good news. Jesus doesn’t judge or point fingers or listen to what the crowd is saying. Jesus doesn’t lay out a bunch of preconditions – “I’ll go to your house IF you sell all your possessions or return everything you’ve stolen…” Jesus takes us as we are, and loves us and invites us to embrace life.

The last verse in today’s gospel is the clincher – the good news. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost. – Luke 19:10

Salvation is when we discover and live as our true and authentic selves, as we discover God’s plan and purpose for our life, and start to live according to that divine plan and purpose. Salvation is when we start to really believe that we are loved.

I want to conclude with a story about a little boy who was burned severely in an accident and taken to the hospital, where doctors and nurses felt that he surely would die, because his injuries were so serious. The little boy himself gave up on life and thought he was about to die. But then one day, his teacher came to visit. She brought him his homework and told him that he would have to start working on his verbs and nouns and adjectives, as well as on his mathematics. The next day, the teacher returned to the hospital to visit the little boy. The nurse asked her, “What did you do to that little boy on your last visit?” At first, the teacher was frightened. She thought she had said or done something wrong, and that the little boy had taken a turn for the worse, as a result. But the nurses reassured the teacher, saying, “After your visit, the little boy make a complete turn around, and he now is getting better by the hour.”

What happened? Before, the little boy had given up on life and thought he was going to die. But after the visit by the teacher, he began to believe that he would live. After all, what teacher would waste time giving a homework assignment, if she thought that the boy was going to die?

The last thing on your handout is a simple question -- Us?

This final question is all important. Do we believe that God wants to give us fullness of new life? Do we believe that we are loved by God? And what are the masks we need to remove? What are the trees which we need to climb down from?

Are we willing to accept Jesus’ offer of a new life, and to realize that we are loved by God beyond anything we can every fully imagine? No more masks! Let’s climb down from our trees and embrace God’s love!

On your handout, we see the same commitment and faithfulness in Saint Paul, who writes: All the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. -- Philippians 3:8-10 (Message)

Giving our very best to God is a way of life. God doesn’t want us to give unless it is from the heart. Generosity is not about rules and regulations and obligations. Faith is about trusting Christ and going all the way with Him and giving him the very best because we love him and want to give, not because we have to give! Paul didn’t want to settle for second best, some inferior form of faithfulness and righteousness. He wanted to be sold out for Christ, 100 percent.

Not everyone gives God their very best. I jokingly say at Mass that I am sometimes envious of the ice cream truck driver who parks in front of the church every Sunday morning after Mass. It’s because I see people at Mass put in their dollar bill or their 50 cents into the collection plate, then go outside to the plaza after Mass and pluck out $5 or $10 for ice cream for themselves and their kids! That ice cream truck driver doesn’t even attend Mass, but he gets more than we do here at church in terms of the collection!

On your sheet, it says, “My Way or God’s Way.” “My Way” – the way of many, many people, when it comes to their money, goes something like this: We earn our paycheck every week or 14 days, we pay our bills, we spend money on things we want, then if there is any left over, we try to save a little bit for a rainy day, and then, if there is still some leftover, we put it into the collection plate on Sunday at Mass. But look at the way that God really blesses: We earn our wages every week or two weeks, we then give God the first part – just like the fisherman gave his first fish – then we save for the future, pay our bills, and enjoy what remains.

Why this order? First, it shows that we are putting God first in our lives. Second, just like the fisherman who trusted that God would provide him with nine more fish, we are showing that we trust God to meet our needs. Third, we are showing that we are thankful to God for all that we have – that we are aware that we have nothing at all, apart from God, and that we are called to be grateful for God’s many blessings on us.

Faithfulness is not about feeling guilty. It’s not about how much we have to give. A poor widow might only be able to give one dollar, but it comes from her heart. A rich person might be able to give much more, but he or she is not really sacrificing much when they give. A Bill Gates who has billions of dollars probably should be giving away 99 percent of his income – he can easily live on the remaining billion dollars he has left! Some can give more of their time, others more of their talent, others more of their treasure – but God has provided a way for everyone to give something back. Here at this church, we’ve suggested in the past that people start out by giving one hour of their weekly salary. That’s 2 ½ percent of their wages. But after some time goes by, maybe the next year, they can give a little bit more, sacrifice more, stretch a little bit more, grow a little deeper in their faithfulness. Take it to prayer. Go home and ask God for guidance on how to use your time, talent and treasure. Then be obedient to the leading of God, be joyful in your faithfulness, and watch as God repays your faithfulness with joy and blessing in your life. God looks at our heart. Are we giving God the full apple, our very best? Or just the core and the leftovers?

On your sheet, I’ve listed two challenges. The first I’ve called “Ten Percent Sunday.” This is an invitation, not meant to cause in guilt. But as a community, let’s try this out. We did this about five years ago, and it was very successful. For one week only, next Sunday if possible or the following Sunday otherwise, we ask every family that is able to try to give a full 10 percent of their weekly earnings to God. Just for one week. Why? For two reasons: (1) We will see just what the giving capacity of our community is; and (2) this will help us whittle down our parish debt, which is now at about $20,000.

The second challenge, for those who are able: Increase your weekly gift to the church by $1. Not everyone can do this, but hopefully, many can. We’ve noticed that our church is growing. More people are using the facilities. Yet we’ve never had a paid janitor to help keep the church and facilities clean. Our volunteers are wonderful, but we are finding that is not enough. The building and church are dirty, but we’ve not had enough money to hire a janitor. But if just 500 families give $1 extra a week, we will have enough money to hire a janitor to keep our facilities clean and in better repair. Also, we have more kids here than ever before, and more programs for children and youth. We want to expand those programs, but we need some extra money to do it.

I’m trusting God. This is God’s church, and God will provide – if we are faithful, if we are giving God our very best.

We have a very wonderful church, full of very dedicated and faith-filled people who give and give and give, over and over again. All it takes is for every single one of us to do our part and try to give our very best to God. About two weeks ago, I was at a conference with other priests, and I was talking about this parish – its many activities and all the wonderful ministries and activities of our people, and also about our weekly tithing using envelopes. Some of the wealthier parishes have more money than we do, but percentage-wise, we were outdoing almost every other parish in terms of numbers of people who contribute in some way of their time, talent and treasure. I am very proud of us as a parish. And today, I want us to give an applause to ourselves and to the faithfulness of the people of this church. [Applause] We just need to keep marching forward!

Turn to the back of your handouts. This is the last thing for today. It says “Stewardship – Setting the Table for a God Visit.” Image that tonight, if you are a Republican, George Bush says he wants to come over to your home for dinner. Or if you are a Democrat, John Kerry wants to dine with you. How many would simply rush out to Jack in the Box and buy some hamburgers for the dinner? Of course not! You’d prepare carne asada, enchiladas, tacos – if you invite me along, too, make sure you also prepare some chile rellenos! We’d give it our very best!

God is here in our midst, dining with us today. God deserves our very best. And when we are faithful, he will repay our faithfulness with lives that are full of God’s abundant life.

On your sheet are five simple steps as we prepare for a banquet with God:

First, look back. Remember God’s many blessings in our lives during the past.

Next, look forward – celebrate the future. God has wonderful plans for us, even in eternity.

Next, look around – at the needs of the poor, at the needs in our church and in our community. Let’s be generous is sharing of what we have with others.

Next, look inward – am I preparing myself spiritually? Is God No. 1? Am I giving God my very best and being a good and faithful steward of the time, talent and treasure that God has given me?

Finally, look up! Rejoice, for each of us is a beloved and precious child of God.

Faithfulness! Let us always strive for the maximum, not the minimum, giving God the whole apple, not just the core, giving God our very best.

Children: Do you pray? Good. Last week, I came across these prayers by children (Saturday Evening Post, March/April 2006, p.48):

♣ Dear God, If you give me a genie lamp like Aladdin, I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set. -- Raphael
♣ Dear God, We read Thomas Edison made light.  But in Sunday school they said you did it.  So I bet he stoled your idea. -- Sincerely, Donna
♣ Dear God, If we come back, please don’t let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her. -- Denise
♣ Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I get big, but not with so much hair all over. -- Sam
♣ Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying. -- Elliott

Prayer is important. It’s what connects us to God. But there are right ways and wrong ways to pray. And that’s what our gospel is about today. Before we turn to our text in the Bible, let’s look at a more contemporary example of right and wrong ways to pray. Many of you know that I grew up in Indiana. People from Indiana are called “Hoosiers.” This is a clip from a movie entitled “Hoosiers.” It’s about a basketball team, because in Indiana, basketball is the sport. Gene Hackman plays a high school basketball coach, and the team prays before its game. But as you watch this short video clip, think about this one simple question: Who in this scene is praying correctly, and who is praying incorrectly?

[Show clip of praying before game, at about 0:58 into the movie. The coach and most the players are not really paying attention to the prayer. Gene Hackman is putting on his coat while the pastor prays! But one young man stays on his knees even after all the others have left. He is the only one who puts God and prayer first, before playing the game. Briefly discuss the video clip with the congregation, to illustrate authentic vs. inauthentic prayer.]

Too often, prayer is just superstition to win a game, magic when we need a special divine favor from God, self-centered rather than God-centered. Now, let’s look at today’s gospel. We have two characters, the Pharisee and the tax collector. First, let’s read together, out loud, the prayer of the Pharisee: “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” (Luke 18:11-12, NAB)

Is it a good prayer or a bad prayer? Of course, for us, we’ve heard this story a zillion times, so we know the punch line. But put yourself into the shoes of those 1st century Jews who were hearing Jesus tell this story for the very first time. In their day, the Pharisees were the spiritual super heroes, the guys in white who truly loved and followed God sincerely and with passion. This Pharisee, as he prays in the Temple, is probably not lying. He’s not greedy or dishonest. He hasn’t committed adultery. He fasts twice a week and tithes his 10 percent. Our church probably needs more of these “Pharisees” as members – especially that part about faithfully tithing a full 10 percent! So what’s wrong with his prayer, if he is telling the truth? Answer: His attitude. Notice his focus. Count the number of “I’s” in his prayer: “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” (Luke 18:11-12, NAB) His focus is on himself – “I”, “I”, “I,” me, me, me.

Now compare the Pharisee’s prayer with that of the tax collector. Let’s read this together: “The tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13, NAB) Where is his focus? Right – on God!

On the screen, there are two images: A magnifying glass and a mirror. Some people, when they pray, are “magnifying glass” people, like the Pharisee. They are scrutinizing everyone else, judging, comparing – “I’m not a sinner like Mike over there, or like Susan!” – “I go to church EVERY Sunday – look at me!” Their focus is on themselves, puffing themselves up, trying to show off and impress everyone else. But the tax collector is a “mirror” person – he isn’t looking around at everyone else, judging and criticizing them. He’s just looking at himself in a mirror, honestly, humbly – admitting he is a sinner and crying out for God’s help and forgiveness and mercy.

Jesus told this parable to help us become “mirror” people, not “magnifying glass” people. Our gospel today starts off with this explanation: Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. (Luke 18:9, NAB) Jesus ends the parable this way: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14, NAB)

Are we humble? Do we focus on God or on ourselves? Are we trying to do the Lord’s will, or just trying to manipulate the Lord to do our will? The Catholic church teaches that there are seven deadly sins: Pride, Envy, Anger, Avarice, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth. It seems that the real “felony” on this list is pride. We live in a very selfish, egotistical “me-me” society. Everyone is focused on what gives us happiness, pleasure, contentment, joy. We are focused on avoiding pain, hardship, sacrifice – and settle for a life of blandness, instead! We play God and want to be in control of our own lives and our own destinies, instead of allowing the Lord to be in control and to guide us in the ways the He wants us to go.

I read a funny story last week of a little boy, 7 years old and just a few days shy of his 8th birthday. Grandma was visiting, the family was sitting around about to eat dinner, and dad asked his little boy to say grace. The boy began his prayer with great fervor, in a very loud voice: “Dear Lord: Thank you for this food! Thank you for the gift of life! Thank you for my birthday, which is coming up in just a few days. Thank you for knowing that I want a new bicycle, and a new Nintendo, and a new skateboard, and a new TV set, and…” His dad interrupted him: “Son, that’s enough. Don’t forget, God’s not deaf!” The little boy replied, “I know God’s not deaf, but grandma is!”

Two men went into a church to pray. One owned a large business but was going bankrupt and needed %4 million. The other needed $500 to pay his rent and put food on the table for his family. The poor man started to pray fervently and in a loud voice for $500 for the rent and food. The rich man, overhearing and unable to concentrate on his own prayer, finally told the man, “Be quiet! Here’s $500. Go on your way. God has answered your prayer!” Once the poor man had left, the rich man turned in prayer, “Dear Lord, now that I have your undivided attention, what about that $5 million I need?”

We’re all a bit deaf and blind, spiritually. We lack humility. We pray to God for what we want, rather than what God wants.

(Two other optional stories to use in place of the ones above)

♣ A rather self righteous, pompous man went to the doctor and demanded that the doctor treat him for his pain. The doctor began, “Do you drink?” The man replied indignantly, “I’m a follower of Christ – a drop of liquor has never, ever touched my lips!” The doctor asked, “Do you smoke?” The man replied, “My body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit. Cigarettes do not contaminate this Temple!” The doctor asked, “Do you sleep well at night?” The man replied, “I sleep like a baby, with a clear conscience, for I have never broken even one of the Ten Commandments!” The doctor asked, “Then what’s your problem?” The man replied, “I have this terrible headache.” The doctor smiled: “I know exactly what is the cause of your problem. Your halo is on too tight.”
♣ A couple left Mass. The wife asked her husband, “Were you paying attention?” He replied, “Of course! They talked about that Pharisee and that tax collector. The Pharisee really was a pompous, self righteous guy, wasn’t he? Thank God I am nothing at all like him!”

On your handout, it says, “Humility is not putting yourself down. Humility is lifting God up.” There is this false sense of being humble – we bow our heads low, act weak and defenseless, beat ourselves up, pretend that we are unworthy, and we use that as an excuse for not getting involved or not doing anything. That’s false humility. We are adopted children of God, and so, we must hold our heads high, proud to be God’s children, brave and strong to do the Lord’s bidding. But there is a big difference between being a child of God and pretending to be God. We are not God. True humility is not tearing yourself down, but neither is it trying to pretend that we are God. True humility is lifting God up, opening ourselves to do God’s will, seeking after what the Lord wants us to do, willingly sacrificing and dedicating ourselves to the Lord’s purposes and the Lord’s mission in our lives.

I came across a humorous prayer a few years back: “So far today, God, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, haven’t lost my temper, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I’m really glad about that. But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed and from then on I’m probably going to need a lot more help.” (Anonymous)

We are not God. We need God’s help. We are called to do God’s will, not our own. Back on September 11, 2001, a Catholic priest named Mychal Judge, a Franciscan, worked as chaplain for the New York City fire department. He was called in to help rescue the victims in the World Trade Center towers, and he was killed from falling debris from those twin towers. Later, when his body was recovered from the rubble, they found a piece of paper in one of his pockets. On that piece of paper was a handwritten prayer that today has become known as the Prayer of Father Mychal Judge. Let’s read it together: “Lord, take me where you want me to go. Let me meet who you want me to meet. Tell me what you want me to say. And keep me out of your way.”
– Fr. Mychal Judge, O.F.M., New York City fire department chaplain, killed on 9/11/2001

A good prayer or a bad prayer? Why? Because it focuses on God. “Lord, take me where you want me to go.” That’s the kind of prayer of the tax collector, but not the Pharisee. That’s the kind of prayer that is pleasing to the Lord.

We need to be humble. We need to seek the Lord’s healing and mercy. We need to learn how to pray, authentically. When Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, he gave them the prayer that we know as the “Our Father.” Notice how it begins: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Notice where it is directed: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Your will, not mine, here and now, in my heart and in my life.

A story is told of a guy who died and went to heaven. St. Peter met him at the Pearly Gates and told him, “You need a thousand points to get into heaven.” “No problem,” thought the man, for he went to church every day, prayed all the time, gave generously to the poor, severed in all the different ministries of his church. So as he recounted his good deeds to Saint Peter, Saint Peter kept count: “Fifty points; 55; 70; 73; 82; 300.” But the guy was running out of good deeds, and he only had 317 points. Finally, in desperation, he cried out to Saint Peter: “I won’t make it! I won’t make it! I’ll need the mercy of God to get in!” But at that point, Saint Peter smiled, said simply, “A thousand points it is – asking for God’s mercy!”

You see, we are called to be the disciples, the followers of Jesus, not the captains and the quarterbacks and the leaders of the team. Close your eyes for a moment. Just listen as I pray out loud, with you, the words of Psalm 51 in the Bible:

Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. Still, you insist on sincerity of heart; in my inmost being teach me wisdom. Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, make me whiter than snow. Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my guilt. A clean heart create for me, God;
renew in me a steadfast spirit. (Psalm 51, NAB)

Now, open your eyes. How do we become people of prayer? Here are some simple ideas:

Communally:

♣ We have a prayer box. If you know someone who is in need of prayer, someone hurting or going through a crisis, put their name in this box. Our parish prayer team will start to pray for them. You can join the prayer team, too. Just talk to me today after Mass if you are interested, or call one of the leaders of our parish Prayer Group/
♣ At meal time, in your family. Give thanks to God for your many blessings. Use the meal prayer cards we passed out here at Mass a few weeks ago.
♣ Show up to Mass each week. Don’t skip out. This is our spiritually family and we need to be faithful in joining together weekly to pray and to rejoice and to worship the Lord, and to grow and learn from him.
♣ Get involved in one of our small faith communities. This is where we connect with other Christians on a more personal level and pray with and for one another.

Individually:

♣ Carve out time each and every day in your schedule for prayer, for daily quiet time with God. Five or ten minutes is better than nothing. You don’t have to say anything. Just listening to God is enough. Or talk to God as a friend, in your own words. You don’t need memorized prayers.
♣ Read from the Psalms or from other passages of the Bible. The Bible is God’s love letter to us.
♣ Listen to spiritual music, maybe in your car as you are driving to work or on errands around town.
♣ Take a walk outdoors with God.
♣ Listen, listen, listen! Don’t do all the talking. Allow the Lord to speak to you in the inner, deepest recesses of your heart and soul.

I’ve seen miracles happen in this parish, through prayer. Ezequiel Barragan – a young man in our parish, shot in the heart at a party, doctors gave him no chance of survival. But this community prayed fervently for Ezequiel, and yesterday, he was here at church, walking around, healed. Doctors say it is a miracle. Or Saul Castro. Went to Mexico, contracted a virus, was in a coma, doctors said he would never recover, that he was doomed to live out the rest of his life as a vegetable. This morning, he was here with his family at church, walking and talking and on the road to recovery. Miracles, big and small, when we have faith and when we are faithful.

As a church family, we have a big, big project coming up – building a new church. Our goal is $6 million over three years. It’s a lot of money. Our Commitment Weekend is November 17 and 18. We are going to ask each and every one of you, each of our families, to make a pledge, a promise on Nov. 17 or 18 -- for the next three years, to sacrifice and to be dedicated and to be faithful in responding to God’s call to give financially so that we can build our new church. It won’t be easy, but nothing is impossible with God, if we are humble, if we are faithful, if we are obedient to the call of the Lord.

But it must start with prayer. This must be God’s work, not ours. Please go home and this month, pray and pray more for God’s guidance on how you and your family can help in this fundraising campaign. Before we give, we must all pray and discern, pray and listen, pray in humility so that the Lord would strengthen us to be faithful and to be obedient to his plan and his purpose in our life.

Now, I invite _________________ to come forward, who will share a few words of testimony about how prayer has been important to him/her in this effort to raise money for our new church here in Coachella. Please welcome ___________________ .