Don't Do It Yourself

Kate Taliaferro shares a parenting lesson she learned in an unexpected place: a study about Mary in the Scriptures.

Recently, I helped to pilot a new VLCFF (Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation) course on Mary in Scripture. We spent a fair amount of time studying typology. Typology, or the study of types, analyzes Old Testament persons, events, themes and motifs that can be seen as prefiguring New Testament counterparts. Some examples would be Jesus as the New Adam, Mary as the New Eve, the Eucharist and the Passover, and so on. In this course specifically, we were focusing on Mary and Marian types.

We spent quite a bit of time looking at the Gospel of John and how he used types to demonstrate Mary’s role within salvation history. The Wedding at Cana featured prominently in our discussions. We used an excellent resource by Scott Hahn, Hail Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God, which I highly recommend if this topic is of interest to you. In it, Dr. Hahn goes into great detail going through the types found within the Wedding of Cana scene.

Below is part of a comment I shared within our group discussion:

It is enlightening to consider Mary as the New Eve, and how both had a choice to make. Eve, to take the fruit or not. Mary, to try to solve this problem on her own or to hand it to her Son. As a mom, I know how easy it is to “just do it myself.” To let my kids help, each in their own way and according to their abilities, means that often, things aren’t necessarily done exactly to my specifications or perceived correct manner of doing things. Instead of trusting God to reveal knowledge and His plans for the couple, Eve “did it herself.” Mary, on the other hand, turns to her Son and provides Him the space to do and reveal as He wished.

Ever wonder what it’s like to have the Holy Spirit speak to you through your own words? That was me as I finished writing this. I wonder if I got the smallest taste of what it was like for the Gospel writers or other biblical authors. To have written something not totally of your own inspiration. The words were yours, but somehow, they came from someone else.

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This upcoming school year is going to provide me ample opportunity to put Mary’s way into practice. Up to now, we have always homeschooled our children. However, after much discernment and consideration, we are placing our older four children in our local Catholic school.

I want things to go well for them, of course. But there is so much I will not be able to do for them, perhaps things I might have had more control over while homeschooling. I will not be present with each of them throughout the day like I am used to. I will have to rely on their interpretation of events. I am confident they will each have their own unique struggles, as all kids do, and I won’t always be able to fix things.

Click to tweet:
As much as my heart tugs toward Eve’s desire for self-sufficiency and control, I know this will not serve my children’s best interests. #catholicmom

As much as my heart tugs toward Eve’s desire for self-sufficiency and control, I know this will not serve my children’s best interests. As the school year approaches, I continue reflecting on Mary’s attitude of humility and trust. She knows Jesus can fix any problem and she trusts in His ability. She believes in His generosity and love for His people.

My prayer for myself, and for you, is that we can mirror Mary’s attitude in any situation the new season brings.