“Lord if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” (Mt. 14:22-33)

When we read Matthew’s account of Jesus walking on the water and Peter’s attempt to get out of the boat and walk toward him, we tend to dwell on Peter’s apparent lack of faith which resulted in him sinking until he called out to Jesus to save him. 

Still, of all the disciples, Peter was the only one who had the courage to get out of the safety of the boat and walk toward Jesus.  It is normal for us to seek safety and comfort, but sometimes the Lord calls us to step out of our comfort to do something for him or others.

Several years ago, I signed up for Catholic jail ministry under the auspices of Catholic Charities in our diocese.  The experience took me way out of my comfort zone.  A jail, by necessity, has very strict security with lots of rules administered by sheriff deputies who are trained to control the movement, actions, and very lives of the inmates.  They also strictly control the movement and actions of any visitors regardless of their purpose. 

There are mandatory orientation and periodic training required of all visitors who provide educational or ministry assistance to inmates.  On my first visit to the cell and classroom area, I was struck by the slamming of three heavy steel doors behind me as I proceeded to the classroom.

In spite of the strict environment, the prisoners love coming to learn and share their faith.  This past Saturday provided one of those instances when the positive responses from the inmates more than offset any discomfort I may experience being in a jail environment.

Our usual practice is to say a rosary with the men and then review the scripture readings for Sunday’s mass and invite them to discuss what the readings say to them.  All of Sunday’s readings were about persistence.

Some of the men shared how important it was for them to persist in reading scripture and have fellowship with fellow Christian inmates so that they can make changes in their lives never to return to the jail again.  What a testimony it was to us and their fellow inmates!

Is the Lord calling you out of your boat of comfort in some way to serve him? 

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak.” (James 1:19 NIV)

If we calculate the amount of time we talk versus the amount of time we listen, what would be the ratio?  Would it tilt toward talking or listening?  A good friend of our family had an uncanny ability to listen.  If you would ask her how she was doing, she would quickly turn the conversation back to what was going on in your life.

On a Sunday morning a few years ago, I experienced the blessing of taking communion to a 95-year-old gentleman, a widower who lived alone in the house that had been his for more than 40 years.  In response to my question of “How are you doing today,” I heard about his wife of 52 years who died a few years previously; about his son who is a priest; about the many missions he flew in World War II and the Korean War; how he was a consultant to Congressional committees overseeing the Air Force, and finally, about his current health issues. What a blessing it was not to talk for more than 30 minutes, but just listen.  

We have the opportunity to listen wherever we are — at work, at home, or social gatherings. If our desire is to learn and grow in each of these venues, we soon realize that we don’t learn much from talking, but we do from listening. As an attorney, I found that I was able to better serve my corporate clients when I listened more.  At home, I serve and love my wife and children better by listening more. At social events I honor our guests by listening more.  While my efforts are sometimes spotty, I try to change course as soon as I realize that I am talking too much.   

We can also listen even when we are alone.  The Lord loves to put thoughts in our minds about various things going on in our lives so long as we are open to listening.  I have often allowed the noise of everyday life to drown out God’s voice, but the psalmist says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10 NIV) 

Are we listening to the Lord and others, or to our own voice and noise?          

“But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.” (Matthew 6:5 NIV)

When I pray in the morning before breakfast, I go into my den to pray.  While you might think this qualifies for the kind of room Jesus is talking about, St. Ambrose, a fourth century theologian and doctor of the Church,  said, “But by ‘room’ you must understand, not a room enclosed by walls…,but the room that is within you, the room where you hide your thoughts, where you keep your affections.  This room is always with you, wherever you are, and it is always a secret room, where only God can see you.” 

A room of our thoughts can be wherever we are physically present.  It might be in our car, at our workplace, in a restaurant, or any number of places.  Most of the time when I am someplace other than church or morning prayer, I am not thinking about the Lord.  Nor am I necessarily trying to engage the Lord in my thoughts on these occasions. 

I may pray at the beginning of the day that the Lord will be present in my thoughts throughout the day, but I get caught up in whatever I am doing and forget entirely that the Lord’s presence is available to me if I simply ask or remind myself that he is there. 

Several years ago, I read a book entitled Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.  He said we should think about God all day regardless of what we are doing.  As we do our daily chores, help our kids with their homework, and even do our work, we can think of the Lord and bring his presence into every activity.  Unfortunately, I must confess that most of the time I am focused on whatever I am doing and not remembering to bring the Lord into the moment.   

But we can take solace in Jesus’ last words before his ascension, “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20) We just need to acknowledge his continuous presence in our mind and thoughts, and in whatever we are doing. 

Do you remember to bring Jesus into your thoughts throughout the day?

“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16 NIV)

All scripture in the Bible is from God, confirmed by his son, Jesus Christ, and validated over time by the Church fathers.  Scripture instructs us about life, existence, purpose, truth and all that is important. 

For many years I have made scripture a part of my daily prayer time with the Lord at the start of the day.  After experiencing a renewal of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life more than forty-five years ago, I had an intense desire to read the Bible.  I started to read it from cover to cover as I commuted on the trains in and out of New York City each day.  As with many people who have experienced the Holy Spirit in a new way, the words seemed to leap off the page with new meaning.

Psalm 119, the longest of the psalms, spends its entire length extolling all that God’s word is and does for us. “Your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors.” (v. 24) “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” (v.105) “Through all generations your truth endures.” (v. 90)

Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is flawless.”  James exhorts us, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only…” (James 1:22) Finally, the Gospel of John tells us that God’s word became flesh in the person of Jesus “and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14)  

God’s promise is indeed to dwell in us if we invite him in.  “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14:23) Amazing!  The God and creator of all that exists, and his son want to make their dwelling in us!  Wherever we may be with God’s word, we can go deeper!

Do you want to get to know God and Jesus better?  God says read his Word.

Dear Christ in Life and Work Readers,

I am excited to tell you that my new book, A Friendship that Transcends, Experiencing a Personal Relationship with Jesus is now available at https://www.billdalgetty.com  Sixty-five stories illustrate passages from scripture and various experiences encountering God’s presence in all kinds of circumstances.  Here are just a few examples:

1. Praying with an employee planning to have an abortion
2. Experiencing God’s voice after a child is born with Down syndrome
3. Declining a career advancing promotion for family considerations
4. Experiencing physical healing of a child’s heart after the prayer of friends
5. Praying with people who are dying.
6. Seeking God’s will impacting decisions of a large multi-national oil company 

This book has received a Nihil Obstat from Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Arlington, Virginia Diocese as well as an endorsement from Bishop Peter Smith of the Portland, Oregon Diocese, and words of encouragement from Father Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa of the Vatican. 

Father Jack Peterson, former Director of Youth Apostles of the Arlington Diocese, said, “While this book speaks from a Catholic perspective, it will appeal to all Christians because of Bill’s passion for inviting everyone to know and love Jesus with all their hearts.”

Thank you for considering. 

God bless you,

Bill Dalgetty

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt. 23:12)

In spite of Jesus’ admonition, many of us struggle with the desire to be recognized and honored.  While I may try to be humble, there is an unspoken desire in me for recognition that has been a weakness in my character for most of my life.

This can manifest itself in various ways — being disappointed when we don’t receive compliments, experiencing jealousy over another’s success, allowing ambition to crowd out other priorities in our lives. There was a time earlier in my career when I allowed the desire to move up the corporate ladder to shortchange other responsibilities in my life.  Fortunately, the Lord opened my eyes to this reality and gave me the grace to bring better balance to both family and work. 

Still, I quietly desire recognition for things I do.  St. Gregory of Nyssa said we should “openly despise the accolades of the world and reject all earthly glory.” He suggested seeking God’s will instead of our own as a true act of humility and self-denial.   

St. Paul has one of the best statements about seeking recognition.  He says, “Do nothing out of selfishness or vain glory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.”  He proceeds with one of the more eloquent statements in scripture when he declares that our attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.”  (Philippians 2:3, 6)

If Jesus, the Son of God, did not seek recognition for who he was, why should we? Confident in his relationship with the Father, he was content with the family who raised him, with his likely carpenter apprenticeship to his earthly father and the evolving revelation by his heavenly Father to teach, to witness and eventually to sacrifice his life in a tortuous death for the rest of us.

St. Peter in his first letter encourages us to “clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: ‘God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble.’” (1 Peter 5:5) Our pastor once told me that the recognition we receive from God in being loved by him is all the recognition we need. 

Do you seek recognition in the world’s eyes or is being loved by God sufficient for you?  

Announcing a New Book

Dear Christ in Life and Work Reader,

I am excited to tell you about a new book I have written that will be published in the next couple of weeks.  It is A Friendship that Transcends, Experiencing a Personal Relationship with Jesus.  Sixty-five stories illustrate passages from scripture and various experiences encountering God’s presence in all kinds of circumstances.  Here are just a few examples:

• 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
• Experiencing physical healing of a child’s heart after the prayer of friends
• Praying with people who are dying.
• Seeking God’s will impacting decisions of a large multi-national oil company 

This book has received a Nihil Obstat from Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Arlington, Virginia Diocese as well as an endorsement from Bishop Peter Smith of the Portland, Oregon Diocese, and words of encouragement from Father Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa of the Vatican. 

Father Jack Peterson, former Director of Youth Apostles of the Arlington Diocese, said, “While this book speaks from a Catholic perspective, it will appeal to all Christians because of Bill’s passion for inviting everyone to know and love Jesus with all their hearts.”

I will let you know soon when it will be available. 

Bill Dalgetty

“Enlarge the space for your tent, spread out your tent cloths unsparingly; lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes.” (Isaiah 54:2)

The Prophet Isaiah is suggesting that we should enlarge the tents of our lives and work.  Whether as individuals or as a group, we tend to get comfortable with familiar friends, familiar routines, familiar work, and even familiar forms of outreach.  Isaiah encourages us not to fall into the bed of comfort but rather move the walls of our tents to include people who are not a part of our normal social patterns, people who may not necessarily share our background, beliefs and values.

Much of the Christian ministry that I have been involved in over the years has been peer related — young people when I was young; business people when I was in business; people who were part of my social patterns at the time. 

A few years ago I started volunteering in a local jail ministry.  It challenged me.  I was not comfortable and felt that I was out of my element.  God calls us to faithfulness, often without the benefit of a report card or feedback.  It is our presence and love that he wants regardless of our view of the outcome.

Enlarging our tents can also include how we relate to one another — family, friends and strangers.  Pope Francis encouraged us to engage in “little gestures” of love.  “Love is shown by little things,” he said.  In an Alpha outreach program at our parish, when we pray with people to experience more of the Holy Spirit, we often hear about their desire to love more.  Loving more starts with “little gestures” of love.  As the King said in the Parable of the Talents, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.”  (Mt. 25:21)  

Loving more starts with the little things every day.  As loving in the little things becomes a habit, God increases our capacity to love and sacrifice in the larger things.  A habit of love in the little things will open the door to people familiar and unfamiliar, and enlarge our tents.

How can you enlarge your tent to love in the little things?

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV)

Pick up any health magazine and you will likely see an article about the importance of exercise, diet, and eliminating stress to maintain a healthy physical heart.  But what about our other heart – the non-physical one that the Bible talks about so much?

The abridged concordance at the back of the NIV Bible shows 75 references to the use of the word “heart.”  The following are just a few examples:

• “Love and serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart” (Dt. 10:12)
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5)
• “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew: 6:21)

Some of these verses come from texts that may go back more than 3000 years.  None of them are referring to our physical heart.  All of them seem to be searching for a way to express that mysterious interior part of our existence that determines who we really are – our propensity to love or be selfish; our inclination toward joy or depression; our motivation and thirst for life; and the source for many of our daily choices. 

Since we can’t physically see or touch these non-physical aspects of our existence, we use words like heart, soul, spirit, and inner self to describe them. Although separate from our physical being, they take up residence there.  If our physical being is destroyed, God promises that our heart, soul and spirit live on.  That’s why St. Paul says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Co. 6:19)

Since our non-physical heart is so instrumental to all of the rest of our existence, are we treating it with the same care as our physical heart?  What are we feeding this other heart?  How are we exercising it? Is our diet primarily one of pop culture that includes R and X rated movies and comedians that love to use four letter words?  Is our life filled with busyness that leaves no time for daily prayer, the reading of God’s word or the serving of someone other than ourselves?   

Might we not fill this “wellspring of life” with a dedicated time of talking with and listening to God each day; reading the Bible and other spiritual books; serving a spouse, child, colleague or friend; and seeking God’s will in all things.  

How are you nourishing and exercising your other heart?

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb…so wonderfully you made me;” (Psalm 139:13-14)

Whether we recognize it or not, we all have the glory of God in us.  We are gloriously made in the image of God.  Our human body, with all its parts and a mind that combines instinct and rationality, is still not fully comprehended by medical science.  We are made up of millions of cells that work in unity to give us eyes to see, ears to hear, a mind to understand, along with coronary, respiratory and digestive systems to sustain our lives. 

We are at the top of the pyramid of God’s creation.  Genesis tells us that we are made “to work and take care” of the garden of creation. (Gen. 2:15 NIV) Jesus says, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,” and “you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” (John 15:16; Acts 1:8)The glory of our being combines with the glory of our mission. 

There have been times in my life when I had forgotten who I was, and the important work God had given me.  Early in my career I sought the false gods of recognition and position without regard to what God’s will was for me and my family. 

By God’s grace, the example of my wife, and the power of the Holy Spirit, God opened my eyes to see that I was wonderfully made in his image to work and take care of a piece of his creation that was all a part of something larger than myself. 

It is part of God’s plan, also called natural law, that most of us become co-creators with him.   We bring new life into this world, nurturing that life in the context of a family with a mother and a father, and teaching and demonstrating the truth of God’s word to the next generation. 

We are also called to work and take care of our thread in the larger fabric of creation, whatever it may be, so that both civilization and God’s kingdom are moved forward on earth as it is in heaven.  We are precious in the eyes of God. 

What are you doing with God’s glory in you?