Too Big for Britches

Seeing our own smallness and God’s greatness  

Matthew 14:13-21  

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”   

          I believe that it’s only when we see our own smallness that we can glimpse God’s greatness. Haven’t you ever noticed how easily small children believe in God, in miracles, in heaven, in angels? On the other hand, we adults need proof, we need hard evidence, we need scientific studies and focus groups before we will believe in anything. Spiritually-speaking we become too big for our britches and therefore blind to God’s glory.   

          For example, through the centuries nearly all apparitions of Our Blessed Mother Mary are to small children, or to those who are child-like. Just take the one we should all be familiar with here at Immaculate Conception Church – the apparition for which our church is named – when Mary appeared at Lourdes in 1858. Notice, she did not appear to a priest or to a prince or even to the pope, but rather to a 14 year-old peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous. She said to Bernadette, “Je suis l’Immaculee Conception.” That’s French for “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Mary simply spoke and Bernadette believed. You see, because of her smallness, Bernadette saw God’s greatness.    

          In the gospel today, Jesus is trying to help his apostles to glimpse their own smallness, so they can see God’s greatness. Thousands of people are hungry and Jesus asks the apostles to feed them. But they reply that they only have 5 loaves and 2 fish. Now, did Jesus know that’s all they had? Of course he did. So why does he ask them? He wanted them to sense their own insufficiency, so that they might better see God’s superabundance. In fact, in the gospel of John it says it is a small boy who brings the 5 loaves and 2 fish. In other words, Jesus is instructing his apostles not to be too big for their britches, but rather like the little lad. Only when you see your own inadequacy can you see God’s sufficiency.   

          Let me suggest to you a simple way to sense your own smallness and that is by complimenting others. And don’t just compliment your friends and the people you like and admire. Rather, compliment those you disagree with and even compliment your enemies. If you are a Democrat, try to say something nice about Donald Trump. Even some Republicans have a hard time doing that. If you are a Republican, compliment Hilary Clinton. Compliment your ex-spouse, say something nice about your boss, praise your pastor – especially the one you don’t like.

          When we see God’s grace working in others, especially in our enemies, then we are no longer too big for our britches; we humble ourselves; we become small. We become like little children, who easily see God’s glory everywhere, even in political candidates.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!