DAILY CATHOLIC FRI-SAT-SUN-MON July 2-5, 1999 vol. 10, no. 123

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to
SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO and SECTION THREE

INTRODUCTION

"Getting to the Heart of the Matter" is what Sister Mary Lucy Astuto pinpoints in every issue when she takes a common sense approach to living our faith with her practical columns.

Today Sister relates in her column What if God had an answering machine? how blessed we are that God does not have one of those nagging automated contraptions where one can never get through to someone, causing constant frustration as we shout and stew waiting to talk to someone, anyone. God's line is never busy and we need no technology to reach Him. He'll always answer immediately and we need not shout, a whisper will do for He hears us before we speak. She points out that many of us haven't been calling Him enough and as we enter the second half of this final year before the new millennium - in the Year of the Father, we should make a concerted effort to realize His availability and dial Him up with our soul in simple prayer at every opportunity we have.

Her column provides effective, vital insights into our faith and ways of fulfilling God's Will every day in every way. You can visit Sr. Lucy at her web site for Heart of Mary Ministry at http://www .heartofmaryministry. com or you can reach her at Srmarylucy @aol.com by e-mail.

WHAT IF GOD HAD AN ANSWERING MACHINE?

      We have all made phone calls wherein an automated voice informs us to press a series of numbers to receive a particular answer or person. Suppose we had to reach God via such phone connections. Perhaps the call would go something like the following ... (which was sent to me by a friend)
      + + + Thank you for calling My Father's house. Please select one of the following four options: Press “1” for requests; press “2” for thanksgiving; press “3” for complaints; and for all other inquiries, press “4.”
      What if God used the familiar excuse: “All of the angels are helping other customers right now. Please stay on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received.”
      Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call on God in prayer ... “If you'd like to speak with Gabriel, press “1” For Michael, press “2.” For any other angel, press “3.” If you'd like King David to sing a psalm for you, press “6.” To find out if your relative is here, enter his/her date of death and listen for the list that follows. For reservations at My Father's House, simply press the letters J-O-H-N, followed by the number 3-16. For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah's ark is, wait until you get here!
      Our computers show that you have called once today already. Please hang up immediately. This office is closed for the weekend. Please call again Monday. + + +

      We can thank the dear God, that we don’t have to go through those trying calls to reach Heaven. Actually, each of us has a straight line to God and to each of His angels and saints.
      A modern mystic has said that as soon as we call God’s Name, He answers “I Am!” and presses His Ear to our lips. God sees us and loves each one of us as though we were the only person living. Isn’t that marvelous? God gives us His total and complete attention every minute of every day of every year of our lives. We are not a stranger to God. As Scripture says: “You have knit me in my mother’s womb.” He knew us before we were born. He knows every fiber of our being and He LONGS for us to talk to Him which IS prayer.
      We don’t have to light fire crackers to get God’s attention. A mere whisper ... a thought in our mind catches His awareness.
      We are entering into the second half of this year of 1999. If we have not been praying as we should, let’s begin now. Let’s call on our Eternal Father even with the call of His Name. Let’s tell Him we love Him and ask Him to help us know and do His Will.
      Happy 4th of July everyone! And God bless you!

DAILY CATHOLIC FRI-SAT-SUN-MON July 2-5, 1999 vol. 10, no. 123

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO and SECTION THREE

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IF GOD HAD AN ANSWERING MACHINE?

July 2-5, 1999 volume 10, no. 128GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER by Sister Mary Lucy AstutoDAILY CATHOLIC

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to
SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO and SECTION THREE

July 2-5, 1999 volume 10, no. 128
GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER by Sister Mary Lucy Astuto
DAILY CATHOLIC