Heart to Heart

JMJDFC

Heart to Heart

Program 7

Welcome to our broadcast of Heart to Heart. It's a great pleasure to be sharing the faith with you. This is our first half hour program. We're so glad you could join us. We have a full house with us today: Father Michael Novacki, OP, and Father Ralph Townsend, OP. Both of whom are Dominican Friars from Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Philadelphia are here. Mrs. Diane Curran, a lay Dominican who, along with Mrs. Shirley Martin, assists the St. Martin de Porres Young Dominican's Chapter is here as an observer. Since we are in the studio today we will be available to take your phone calls. You may dial (609) 962-8178. Also, you may write to us at: Heart to Heart, P. O. Box 11431, Philadelphia, PA 19111.

Father Michael, will you please read the passage for us from today's Gospel according to St. Matthew [Mt. 7:21,24-27]

"Jesus said to His disciples: 'None of those who cry out, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.

"Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock. When the rainy season set in, the torrents came and the winds blew and buffeted his house. It did not collapse; it had been solidly set on rock. Anyone who hears my words but does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on sandy ground. The rains fell, the torrents came, the winds blew and lashed against his house. It collapsed under all this and was completely ruined."

Thank you, Father. These words, that our Lord Jesus has spoken, have a bit of a sting to them. They serve as a wake up call for many of us. So often, we go around claiming to love and serve God when all we really do is serve ourselves. We think that just by calling out, "Lord, Lord," the Lord will be at our side. While God's grace is always there to help us, God looks at what is inside a person. He looks at the depth of love within our hearts. Love not just for him, but love for our neighbor as well.

Calling the Name of the Lord and acknowledging Him is not enough. We are to listen to His words and put them into practice in our lives. Why do we expect God to come to our aid, if we don't make a valid attempt to live our lives the way our heavenly Master directs.

Many of us find it hard to follow the way of the Lord. We feel we don't know what God is asking of us. We don't understand His will for our lives. The only sure fire way to know what God is asking of us, is to be obedient to our spiritual director. A good spiritual director can be a holy priest, a religious sister who is living her commitment, or a pious lay person.

Sometimes our Lord speaks clearly to us. Though it is not very often that our dear Lord speaks in a way we can understand immediately. He knows well how hard-headed and slow to learn we are, yet, our dear Lord treats us the same way He treated the Jews. Our loving Savior expresses Himself in veiled language; using signs and symbols to get His message through. Very often we don't take the time to pray, then listen quietly to see where the Will of God may be, in any given situation. That is where the insight of a spiritual director comes into play. For me, Father Michael is that voice of God, which I cannot always hear myself. It may seem funny, but even if the spiritual director is wrong, the Lord allows things to turn out right. My belief is that the obedience alone is enough to gain the necessary graces. To bend our will, no matter how easy or hard that may be, brings a flood of grace and light into our souls. This is building our house on solid rock.

Most of us though, feel we have to be in charge. If we try to run things ourselves; if we think we know what is best; if we live our lives, our way; then our houses are built on sandy soil. Our spiritual life, if not our natural one, will collapse and be ruined.

Just a reminder, we are in the studio today and you may call us at: (609) 962-8178 if you would like to talk with Fr. Michael, Father Ralph or myself. We will stay at the studio for a few minutes after the show if you would like to talk off the air.

We are in the first week of Advent. This is the beginning of the period of waiting and watching, leading up to the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have heard at times that a religious vocation can also be a period of waiting and watching. Father Mike has been an ordained priest for 61 years: Father Ralph for 46 years. So between them, there are 107 years of priesthood sitting in this studio today. If we add the years of study leading up to ordination, there are about another sixteen years that can be added. Father Michael enjoyed the privilege of attending a Dominican High School in preparation for the seminary. Fathers, it truly is an honor to talk with both of you today.

[Interviews follow]

We are planning the reception of the members of St. Martin de Porres Young Dominican's Chapter into the Dominican Family. This special event will include Mass, the ceremony of reception for about sixteen youngsters, ages nine to seventeen: and a banquet for them and you. This banquet will be a fund raiser to provide bibles for the teens, and continued air time for the "Heart to Heart" Radio Ministry. Live music will be provided at the banquet by, "Turning Point." Your presence at this banquet would mean a lot to Father Novacki and myself.

Joining Father Novacki, OP, and us for this special occasion, will be Father Joseph Allen, OP, the Provincial Promoter for St. Joseph Province. Father Ralph, we are hoping you will join us too! Father Joseph Griffin, O.S.F.S, from the De Sales Spirituality Center will be with us. Also, Joe Veltri from "My Jesus Mercy Ministries," a Dominican, will be on hand to greet you. Cardinal Bevilacqua has extended his regrets. Due to prior commitments he will not be able to join us for this special day. He has assured us of his prayers for this ministry.

Our banquet will be held at Holy Name of Jesus Church, in Philadelphia, on January 26, 1997, at 1:00pm. The cost for this banquet will be $20.00. If you can join us for this very special occasion: Mass, reception ceremony, and dinner, write to us. If you need a ride, we may be able to arrange one for you. We ask that you make your reservations as soon as possible to allow us to arrange seating.

We will be preparing a booklet to commemorate our first banquet and we will be able to accept ads. The requested donation for these ads is: $100.00 for a full page; $50.00 for half a page; $25.00 for a quarter page. The ad can include a message and/or picture or memorial to your loved ones. Our mission at "Heart to Heart" is: "All for the glory and honor of God: and the salvation of souls." This includes souls in this life and the next. Your purchase of an ad will enable this ministry to continue.

The bibles we ordered for the youngsters have arrived and are waiting for us to get them. The good Sisters at the Daughters of St. Paul, have given us a discount. The cost of the twenty bibles should be $159.00, but they will charge us only $143.10. God is so good to us! We do need to get the funds into the account however before we can pick up the bibles for the ceremony next month. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to marking your calendar for January 26, 1997, you may want to mark February 8, 1997. This date will provide you with a safe family night out. Our Lady of Calvary, on Knights Road in Philadelphia, is the location for a chastity dinner and dance. Refreshments, hot dogs, soda etc. will be provided. You may want to make a donation that night before you leave. Music for the evening will be provided by, "Turning Point." This is a great opportunity for your family to spend some quality time together in a safe environment. That's February 8, 1997, a chastity dinner and dance at Our Lady of Calvary, Knights Road in Philadelphia. Call us at (215) 743-8332 for further information.

Just a reminder about the other fund raising effort that we shared with you last week. We have a beautiful picture of the Blessed Mother and Pope John Paul II in a loving embrace. This picture is beautifully framed and glass covered. Anyone who has or will send in a donation, either for the ministry, bibles or pins, will have their name entered into a drawing for this picture. Extra chances may be purchased. The drawing will take place at the banquet following the January 26th ceremony.

Another endeavor we would like to undertake is to visit shut-ins within the Delaware valley area. If you would like us to visit you, please let us know. Also, we could use some volunteers for various projects we would like to begin. If you have some time on your hands and would like to put that time at our Lord's disposal, drop us a line or give us a call. God rewards everything we do for Him or for the least of our brothers and sisters in Him.

The financial donations you make to this program may be tax deductible; the IRS has given us eighteen months to file our application. I have been assured that we are tax exempt by the IRS agent due to the works we have undertaken of evangelizing, assisting youngsters and the elderly. Please make your tax deductible donation to "Heart to Heart." May God reward you, my brothers and sisters, for the assistance you give to keep this program on the air. To make a donation, ask a question or bring up a subject that you would like discussed on this program, write to us at: Heart to Heart, P. O. Box 11431, Philadelphia, PA 19111. You may call us at (215) 743-8332. The ministry phone line is back in operation.

God Willing, we'll be with you again next week at 2:15pm. Remember: God's power is in your hands when you pray the Rosary. May God bless you and protect you.

Fathers, will you please grant our listeners a blessing?

May the blessing of Almighty God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit fill your hearts with peace, joy and happiness now and forever. In the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.