Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel has a lot to unpack — the foreshadowing of the crucifixion and resurrection; the disciples caught in a moment of pettiness and pride; Jesus’ teaching on the holiness and importance of children. But it is this last lesson that resonates with me today, as my current ministry is working as a kindergarten aide and religion teacher at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School here in Dayton. With my first year of teaching coming to a close, I find myself nostalgic and hanging on to all my favorite memories and moments with my students. They have taught me more than I could ever teach them, and in echoing Jesus’ message for today, they have taught me what it really means to be holy.
For me, this lesson has manifested itself through the lesson of patience. As a Marianist sister still in formation, I’m asked every year to evaluate myself on my strengths and areas of growth. The evaluation I just did for myself on the past year included a deep reflection on how teaching has taught me where and when I need to grow in patience. Some days I spend all my patience and energy on the kids and, by the time I come home to my community, there isn’t much left. Other days, I’m not my best in the classroom, so when I come home I feel refreshed talking to adults and have all the patience in the world for my sisters.
This imbalance of my patient energy has caused me to reflect on important questions such as “If I can have patience for this five-year old who is throwing a tantrum at 7:30 in the morning, why can’t I have the same amount of patience for one of my sisters during a long, late-night community meeting or during a difficult conversation?” and “How can I be more present to my students on my worst days in the same way I’m present to my community on my best days?”
I don’t have the answers to these questions. All I know is that working on myself and where I put my patient energy will get me a little bit closer to Heaven. And will hopefully make me a better educator and fellow sister. At the end of the day, I’m comforted by the disciples’ bickering. If Jesus’ inner circle could be petty and impatient and still become saints, there’s hope for me yet.
—Sr. Rose Rucoba, FMI