Make Me Magnanimous

Gospel of July 24, 2011 (Matthew 14:13-21)
Jesus Feeds the Multitude or The Story of Five Loaves & Two Fish

I still remember the time when I watched every show my little boy watched.  It was also the time when we read every book together, took baths together, went to school together – did practically everything together.  We did that for six whole years.

Those days seems so far away now.  Sadly, it also seems impossible for me to devote that much time to my second child now.  Lately, I often hear myself say to my older son, “Please leave mommy alone for a while.”  Now that he’s nine, there are many things that I expect him to do on his own.  Alas, this expectation that I have of him leads me to push him away whenever he turns to me for help.  And when I am stressed out, (which is often) all his jokes are not funny, his stories are uninteresting, his lingering beside me becomes annoying.  Sigh!  I sometimes regret raising this boy to speak out his mind and share everything with me.

But here is the story of Jesus who feeds the 5000.  His cousin, John the Baptist, has just died.  Jesus is sad and tired.  Like a modern day star avoiding paparazzi, he rides a boat to get away for a while.  But the people are persistent.  They went ahead of him and waited where his boat would dock.  In spite of his grief and stress, Jesus ministered to them and healed the sick.  What a magnanimous person!

MAGNANIMOUS  
loftiness of spirit enabling one to bear trouble calmly, 

to disdain meanness and pettiness,  

and to display a noble generosity, understanding and tolerance.   

from Merriam and Webster 

Magnanimous Mom!  Hmm...not bad for my new super hero name!  And so, I pray: 

Thank you for your example, dear Jesus.  Help me to be magnanimous as You are.  Let me be ready to respond whenever my children need me…no matter how petty their needs are.  Help me rise above my stress and set my woes aside for my child who seeks time with me.  As you have said, “Let the little children come to me,” open my heart to the occasion of spending time with my children even when time is seemingly not enough for me. 

Teach me to be genuinely interested in whatever my children say.  Remind me that what is trivial to me is of great value in their little world.  Admonish me to listen…listen NOW…because as their interests change, their thoughts may be lost and never again whispered.

Help me to encourage independence through modelling and gentle guidance…instead of acting like a troop leader who orders them to grow up.   My Lord, You are slow to anger and of great compassion – touch my heart that I may be more like You.  Amen.