There we were, the two kids and I, ready to get some pizza in the little outdoor place at Costco, when a big burly bearded dude wearing a long black robe approached the order window…around his neck was a huge wooden crucifix, the vampire-repellant kind. Obviously this guy was a faker or a too-hip-post-modern-hippie making a statement.

Just who is this guy anyway? Halloween is over two months away! Hmmmmm. What should I do?

I know. I’ll ask him if he’s going to Heaven or Hell.

“Excuse me sir, may I ask you a question?” I didn’t wait for him to respond. “If you were to die right now, would you go to Heaven or Hell?”

“Heaven,” he said in thickly accented English.

“Why is that?”

“Because I love Him.”

“Who?”

“Jesus,” he replied confidently.

“All right. Good answer. Bye.”

Who was this guy? What’s up with the robe thing? At Costco, even. I had to find out. There he was again, standing in line waiting to order.

“Excuse me? What’s your name?”

“Padre something or other.” (I couldn’t understand him for the accent).

“Huh?”

“Father blah blah blah.” (I still could not understand him.)

“Oh! God Bless you.”

I gave up. We sat down to eat.

By: Pastor Steve Sanchez