Sales Resistance, Advanced Course

Pesky telephone salespersons, who usually call at dinnertime, can be dealt with creatively. Agree to buy whatever they're selling, but say that you must first check with the executor of your bankruptcy case. Or ask for the caller's number, saying that you'll call back a little later. When you have the number, tell the caller to expect your return call sometime after midnight.

Intrusions into our daily plans seem to be an unavoidable problem for most people, But not all intrusions are obnoxious. We want to be notified when there's a family emergency, or a change of a schedule appointment. And one form of "intrusion" we should never resent is a silent nudge of grace through which God often manifests his will for us. Such "nudges" are called actual graces - as distinguished from "sanctifying" or "habitual" grace, which is a holy sharing by which we "participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (2 Pt 1:4).

Actual graces, theologians tell us, are intended to enlighten our mind about spiritual or moral matters, or to strengthen our will to do good and avoid evil, Thus, the Holy Spirit "intrudes" in our prayer: "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (rom 8:26).

Holy Spirit, if you call at dinnertime or any time, it's OK.

This excerpt is from the book One-Minute Meditations for Busy People, by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/video recordings can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408 or www.Catholicbooks.net