What manner of man is this?

photo © 1929 National Maritime Museum | more info (via: Wylio)

"At that time, when Jesus entered into the boat, His disciples followed Him: and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but He was asleep. And His disciples came to Him and awaked Him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye a little faith? Then rising up, He commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey Him?"  Mt 8:23-27


This reading from the 4th Sunday after Epiphany gives us men a great deal to think about.  After all, we can each ask ourself, "What manner of man am I?"  

For us men that are blessed to be fathers, we can acknowledge those times where we are literally asleep during some familial "crisis".  It might be a sickness, an unfortunate bad dream, an impudent intruder of the rodent type, or at best - when your "woman-with-child" says, "Honey, it's time!"  Most of us are willing to spring into action when needed, and I would hope that most of us would have the will power and reserve to remain calm in whatever situation we find ourselves in.  This is that magnanimity of heart that Dr. Dilsaver speaks of in his book, "The Three Marks of Manhood".   "Magnanimity depends on the greatness of a man's concerns, which he can choose and develop, and upon his natural baseline aptitude."  Thus, Christ could say to the winds and sea to be calm, because His concerns were with the eternal, and in the "big picture" the storm at sea was a small matter.  Remember the parable of the mustard seed?

The the magnanimous man leading his family, the ebb and flow of life, the ups and downs, are met with a calm reserve and trust in the Divine Hand of God.  This man knows that God the Father is the ultimate Father from whom all other fathers get their name and calling.  He places his firm trust in God for all things and does not make a "mountain out of a mole-hill."  Dilsaver quotes Josef Pieper's explanation of magnanimity:

"Magnanimity is the expansion of the spirit toward great things;  one who expects great things of himself and makes himself worthy of it is magnanimous.  The magnanimous man is to a certain extent "particular": he does not allow himself to become concerned with everything that comes along, but rather only with those great things that are suitable for him....The magnanimous man does not complain, for his heart does not permit him to be overcome by any external evil.  Magnanimity encompasses an unshakable firmness of hope, a plainly defiant certainty, and the thorough calm of a fearless heart."  (cited from TMM)

Taking this manly spirit into consideration, one wonders how the fearful disciples could have been concerned with the tempest.  While us men may strive to be magnanimous and of a "stout heart" we may find ourselves, at times, confused, bewildered, fearful, and struggling under our weakness.  In these times we must, just as these fearful disciples did, "submit [ourselves] not to the confusion of feelings or to any human being or to fate -- but only to God." (Pieper)  By the very virtue of our calling to Patriarchal leadership, we must take our concerns to God the Father, and then, with our enlarged hearts, accept the burden of our cross.  At times this may be answering the call of duty at 3am with a sick child, at other times it may mean deciding to forgo some comfort for the sake of the Gospel and our family.


So what manner of men are we?