Do you have trouble starting conversations with people you meet?

In the Gospel of John, Jesus and his disciples are traveling through Samaria and stop by Jacob’s well.  While Jesus waits for the disciples to go into a town to get some food, a Samaritan woman comes to draw water.  Though it was not Jewish custom for a man to speak to a woman in public and Jews did not usually engage with Samaritans, Jesus asks her for a drink and starts a conversation. (John 4:1-42)

The conversation leads to Jesus telling her about her life and that she has had five husbands, and that the man she is living with is not her husband.  She acknowledges that he must be a prophet to know these things, but then says that when the Messiah comes, he will explain everything.  Jesus replies, “I who speak to you am he.” (vs. 26) This is one of the few times in scripture that Jesus acknowledges that he is the “Christ.”

The woman leaves her water jar and goes back to the town and tells people, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?  Many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the women’s testimony.” (vs. 39) 

It appears that Jesus was quite intentional in starting a conversation with the woman that led not only to her conversion, but also many in the town who heard her testimony about Jesus.

How often do we miss opportunities to be or bring the Lord’s presence into a person’s life by not starting a conversation?  Maybe it’s just sharing how God’s presence has impacted our lives in various ways?  Sometimes just mentioning a story will plant a seed that may affect some future belief or action toward the Lord.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” (1 Co. 2:9-10)

What a beautiful promise from God!

As we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit this coming Sunday on the Feast of Pentecost, let us reflect on the importance of the Holy Spirit in experiencing the fullness of our Christian faith.  The Bible sets out the benefits of the Holy Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments.

In Isaiah 11, the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord are set forth.  In 1 Corinthians 12, St. Paul mentions wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophesy, discernment of spirits, varieties of tongues and interpretation of tongues.  St. Paul goes on to say that we can have the mind of Christ in living out our lives through these gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

Many years ago, my wife and I were prayed with for the release of the power of the Holy Spirit and these gifts of the Spirit.  Over the years I have experienced many of these gifts in action.  I believe God’s wisdom, understanding and counsel have guided me through several life and career decisions that appear to have borne fruit in my faith life, marriage, and family. 

I have experienced a wife that has loved me for 63 years and I her; seen our four married children raise Christian families; watched a child born with Down syndrome light up a room with her smile and hugs; experienced Christian community through our church and the People of Praise Christian Community; enjoyed meaningful work that provided but did not consume; witnessed physical healing in our family by the laying on hands, and experienced an ongoing relationship with Jesus through daily prayer, scripture, and the sacraments.   

Yes, I am still cable of messing up and still do, but I seek the Lord’s forgiveness which he freely gives.   

As we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, let us remember to seek these gifts of the Holy Spirit.  

“This is my commandment: Love one another as I love you.” (John 15:12)  

In business, athletics and other endeavors in life, we often set goals for ourselves that exceed anything we have done before. Whether they include increased sales or production, running faster and longer, improving our grade point average in school or job performance measures at work, we refer to them as stretch goals.

Jesus set a stretch goal for the disciples and us with the above commandment.

How did Jesus love the disciples?  He called them.  He taught them with his words, stories, and example.  He empowered them and sent them out to serve the needs of others by healing, casting out demons and proclaiming that the kingdom of God had arrived.  And in a crowning illustration of love, he freely laid down his life for them and us to reconcile us to the Father and provide a means to overcome sin, death, and Satan’s hold on creation.

He simplified all the commandments into the love of God and neighbor, and said our neighbor is anyone we encounter, even a stranger as in the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

How do we love as Jesus loves?  The opportunities are endless.  The key principle in most situations is to think of others over ourselves.  Some examples might be letting go of career ambitions for the sake of family; accepting that someone else’s idea is better than ours; letting love rather than judgment be our first response to another’s difficulty; or simply stopping and listening.

A few years ago, I participated in a gathering where we were praying with individuals for physical healing, reconciliation of broken relationships, and other needs.  At one point as I was standing to the side of the room observing all that was happening, the words came into my mind, “It’s all about love.”  People were caring for one another, showing mercy, and humbly and faithfully interceding with God to be and bring his presence to bear on others’ needs.  It was a stretch goal, but that did not deter those who were praying. 

Are you called to stretch in your love for a family member, friend or colleague?

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?’  He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’” (John 21:15)

If Jesus asked Peter three times whether he loved him to redeem the three times Peter denied him, how many times would Jesus need to ask us?  Most Bible commentators seem to confirm that the threefold challenge to Peter was designed to counter his threefold denial.   

Jesus did not mince words on this subject. “Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.  But whoever denies me before others, I will deny him before my heavenly Father.” (Mt. 10:32-33)  

Denial can take many forms.  There is the direct denial like Peter’s, when we deny our Christian faith or that we are followers of Jesus Christ.  While this is not a circumstance that most Christians have had to face in this country historically, this could change in the future. 

There are more subtle forms of denial such as failing to speak up when our Christian beliefs are challenged or when explicit anti-Christian conduct by others is taking place in our presence.  When I used to attend receptions and dinners following day-long company meetings or conferences, the conversation during cocktails could often get a bit raw with off-color jokes, and stories of various exploits.  After experiencing a renewal in my relationship with Jesus Christ, I started to walk away from these conversations.    

Another form of denial may be the times when we fail to live up to Jesus’ commandments of love of God and neighbor.  While I hesitate to think how often I have failed to love according to this standard, we can thank God that we have just celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, and the promise of life with him forever.      

While we may not reach perfection in our love for God and the people in our lives, we should still strive for it, so we can say, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  

This past Friday, our daughter, Susan Rinaldi, was honored by Porto Charities in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, with their Catalyst Award for her work in Special Education.  Susan has served as Director of Expanded services at Bishop O’Connell High School for the past 10 years. 

Porto Charities’ mission is to build a culture of belonging for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by increasing their educational, employment and community engagement opportunities in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.   

In receiving her award, Susan brought our daughter Emily who was born with Down syndrome on to the stage, acknowledging that it was Emily’s birth and presence in our family that inspired her to go into special education.  It also happened to be Emily’s 40^th birthday, and the audience of 480 spontaneously sang Happy Birthday.

It was such a joyous occasion. Our other three children, their spouses and a number of our grandchildren were in attendance, along with neighbors and friends.    

“The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving to all he has made.” (Psalm 145:13)

“Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:13-35)

The resurrected Jesus meets two disciples on the road to Emmaus, but they don’t recognize him.  After hearing that they were talking about his death but did not yet understand his resurrection, he reviews all that was said about him in the Old Testament.  As they approached the village, they asked him to stay with them.  At dinner, as he took the bread, blessed it, and gave it to them, they recognized him.  He then vanished from their sight. They observed, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that Jesus had appeared to them.

One of the deacons from our parish observed this past Sunday that even though we may not recognize Jesus presence, he can speak to us, guide us, and open the meaning of scripture to us.

Last week I attended the funeral of Bud Rose, a dear friend and colleague who was the last of three founders of Christians in Commerce, now called WorkLight.  I can recall several occasions at Board meetings when we would be embroiled in a challenging discussion.  After a lengthy debate, Bud would ask a question or offer an observation that would lead us to an “ah ha” moment and solution.

I believe that Bud was responding to Jesus’ unannounced presence and guidance in those situations.  Sometimes our hearts “burned within us” as he spoke realizing that he was reflecting God’s will for the decision before us. 

Jesus’ unannounced presence is available to all of us at all times.  He speaks to us in our thoughts.  We can ask him, “Lord, what do you want me to do now?  Do you want me to speak or be silent?  Do you want me to act or refrain? 

Jesus says, “Behold, I am with you always.” (Mt. 28:20)

Do you ask Jesus what he wants you to do in challenging circumstances?

“I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father, I have made known to you.”  (John 15:15)

What an amazing promise Jesus offers to his disciples and to us.  He has made known to the disciples the wisdom of God.  Through the disciples and their gospels, he offers us this same wisdom and friendship.  If we seek his wisdom and try to live by it, he offers us friendship. 

Please read A Friendship That Transcends by Yours Truly at www.billdalgetty.com, which shares how this friendship is possible. 

Numerous passages from scripture are illustrated by personal stories encountering God’s presence:

• Praying with an employee planning to have an abortion
• Experiencing God’s voice after a child is born with Down syndrome
• Declining a career advancing promotion for family considerations
• Praying with people who are dying
• Seeking God’s will in business decisions 
• And many more. 

As one of the endorsers said, “This book will inspire you with wisdom, hope and spiritual insights.”

Read more at www.billdalgetty.com,

After the burial of my father, I was riding with my mother and brother out of the cemetery back to town, and I started to have this overwhelming sense of joy.  It was in the middle of January, on an overcast, cold day.  The snow drifts along the road were covered with soot from the windswept plowed fields of northern Iowa.  It was a bleak dreary day. 

Yet, here I was, inexplicably experiencing this heightened sense of joy.  I said to my mother and brother, “I know this sounds odd, but I have this great feeling of joy.”  They both looked at me as if I were crazy and said nothing.  We drove on, but the moment of joy in me remained.  The next morning while I was praying, the following words came into my mind,“The reason for your joy yesterday was because your father is with me in heaven.”  As I shared these words with my mother the tears streamed down her face as she rejoiced in knowing that her husband of 50 years was with the Lord. 

On Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ after his tortuous and cruel death, a turning point in human history.  The Creator of all that exists completed the loving and humbling act of becoming one of us, and then willingly sacrificed his life so that we might live forever.  I have no doubt that my father, and now my mother and brother are alive with the Lord Jesus in a way that we will never fully comprehend until we complete a similar journey.   

We may remember the words of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after Jesus appeared to them following his resurrection.  “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)  Although not initially recognizing him, they said that their hearts burned within them as he spoke.  My heart burned within me as I experienced that sense of joy and heard those words, “Your father is with me in heaven.”

Praise God for his plan of redemption!  Praise Jesus for his humility, love and sacrifice! 

Have you experienced the presence of God or his words that burned within your heart?

“’Crucify him.’  Pilate said to them, ‘Why?  What evil has he done?’ They only shouted louder, ‘Crucify him.’”  (Mark 15:13-14)

If you were present at Jesus’ trial, where would you see yourself?  Would it have been with the disciples who were absent out of fear?  Would it have been with Pontius Pilate who found no basis for the charges brought against Jesus, but did not have the courage to resist the crowd?  Would it have been with the crowd shouting, “Crucify him?”

If I had never met Jesus, I might have been with the crowd.  Have I not demonstrated my lack of support for Jesus in my sins?  Have I not denied him in my failure to love and serve others on various occasions? 

Even if I had met Jesus, I might have been no different than the disciples who were hiding, or like Pontius Pilate, going along with the crowd.  How many times have I failed to speak up for Jesus or my Catholic faith in a hostile environment? 

Unfortunately, the crowd seldom gets it right.  How often do we see conventional wisdom that is not wise, popular opinion that does not reflect the truth, and consensus that leads to the wrong result?  

So, how do we resist the crowd of our culture that is becoming increasingly hostile to the practice of our Christian faith? 

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the courage to resist both the crowd and sin.  It wasn’t until I personally experienced the renewal of the Holy Spirit in my life that I was given understanding, motivation and power that makes it now possible for me to resist the crowd.  I am still capable of stumbling if I don’t stay close to Jesus in daily prayer, the sacraments and surround myself with other like-minded Christian brothers and sisters. 

The crowd yelled, “Crucify him!” But the crowd got it wrong.  God redeemed the wrong and took the cross, a symbol of Roman cruelty and oppression, and transformed it into a symbol of love, sacrifice and hope.

What person would you be at Jesus’ trial?

Jesus often refers to himself in scripture as the “Son of man,” although the disciples did not understand what he was talking about.  “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of man will be fulfilled.  They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him.  On the third day he will rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33)

Luke goes on to say, “The disciples did not understand any of this.” (Luke 18:34)

Twenty-one centuries later, we as Christians have the benefit of scripture, the writings of the church fathers, and the teaching of the church to realize that Jesus was talking about himself.  For the disciples, it was not so clear.  So, when Jesus tells them that the Son of man will be delivered up to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged and killed, but rise on the third day, they did not understand him. 

As we approach the next two weeks, let us remember the humanity of Jesus who willingly endured being brutally beaten, forced to carry the instrument of his death, and nailed to a cross to die an agonizing death.  All this he did for us, to offer a path for us to seek forgiveness for our sins and our inclination to sin.

Thank you, Lord Jesus!