GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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

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. In this issue, she borrows from another site she found, a beautiful touching story that should put all in the proper spirit of Advent in preparation for the coming of the Son of God on Christmas morn in her column IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE.

     Her column, along with columns by Father Stephen Valenta, OFM Conv., provide 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.

IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE

      In this Advent Season, as we prepare our hearts for the Birthday of Our Savior, it would be a blessing to recall that unselfishness and thinking of others is a true act of love. The following is a beautiful story that would be good for us to bear in mind throughout this Advent which I found at a site called Silent Night Holy Night and want to share it with you it is called "A Brother Like That" and should bring a tear to the heart as we all prepare for Christmas.

      Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.

      "Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

      Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.

      "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

      Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?"

      "Oh yes, I'd love that."

      After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

      "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."

      Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

      That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said: "It is more blessed to give..."

      My Holiday Wish for the World Is That We all Could Be Brothers Like That.

      My prayer for all you dear readers is that you, too, will begin a memorable holiday ride through Advent by remembering those simple words "it is more blessed to give." If we remember that, we can't help but have a blessed Christmas and give Jesus the best present He could receive on His birthday. God bless you!

December 4-6, 1998       volume 9, no. 236
GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER by Sister Mary Lucy Astuto
DAILY CATHOLIC