b'In the entire history of Christianity, Mary, full fully human and fully divine. Trying to spell out how divinity andof grace, exercised freely the fullest and most humanity interact and shape the awareness of a single individual givesconsequential participation in the work of the me a theological migraine. I leave that question to better thinkersHoly Spirit. The Marianists helped me to under- than I. But I will argue that Mary surely taught him how to pray andstand this extraordinary relationship Mary has sing the psalms. Otherwise, he would not have been truly human.with the Holy Spirit. The title of a book by my I wish to make only one other point about Mary as the educatorMarianist colleague and Scripture scholar Father of Jesus: The angel Gabriel visited her and asked her to become theBertrand Buby describes Mary as the Faithful Mother of the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32), of the Son ofDisciple. One of the most important things that God (Luke 1:35). After asking for a clarification, Mary was over-disciples of Jesus do is to teach others about Jesus. shadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceived. As St. Augustine remindsBut who taught Jesus? Though he was the Son us, through a profound act of faith, let it be done unto me accord-of God, he was also fully human and needed to ing to your word (Luke 1:38), she conceived in her heart before shelearn. I want to imagine how Mary, under the conceived in her womb. There-guidance of the Holy Spirit, taught her religious fore, she was a faithful discipletradition to Jesus. even before she was a mother. At first, it seems odd, even sacrilegious, to say All of us, if we are faithful,that Mary taught Jesus. Who dares to teach God? also are formed in the ways ofWe dont have any texts in the Gospels that explic- holiness by the Holy Spirit. Butitly state that Mary taught Jesus. However, we more than any of us, Mary, ofdo read that at the age of 12, Jesus was in the all human beings, was the mostTemple listening to the teachers and asking them attentive (sinless) disciple of theFinding of the Childquestions (Luke 2:46). Once his worried parents Holy Spirit. She was the humanJesus in the Temple found him, they took him back to Nazareth where person who both educated Jesusby Margaret Werlinger. Jesus progressed steadily in wisdom and age and and became his most perfectWatercolor, 2007. grace before God and men (Luke 2:52). If he then disciple. On the cross, Jesus toldgrew in wisdom, not only before other people but also God, is it not us to accept her as our mother.possible to imagine that his growth in wisdom already was happening Indeed, she is our mother. Butbefore he reached the age of 12? And if it is possible, then we can ask who she is also our teacher. was involved in his education from the beginning of his earthly life.It took me awhile as a Biblical scholars tell us that in those days, the mother was prima- Marianist to grow into this "Mary, Model of the Church" holy card,rily responsible for the education of her children. There were prob- understanding of Mary. Iartist unknown.ably few, if any, local schools then, at least for ordinary people. Just assume that Mary also has about every child was, if you will, home-schooled. Of course, there been patiently educating me. I also see that from the very beginningwere no books thenonly parchments and scrolls. The local syna- of my life, the Holy Spirit has been working on me, despite my sluggishgogue had some scrolls, but they were too expensive for poor families. response. Article 6 of the Marianist Rule of Life states that Marianists,So, mothers taught children their culture and religion at home. When and I believe all Christians, dedicate ourselves to her so that thea boy turned 13, his father taught him a profession.Holy Spirit, in whose action she cooperates with a mothers love,Let us assume that when Jesus was 12, Mary was still Jesus pri- may form us more fully into the image of her Son.mary teacher. Again, everyone in the Temple was amazed by the Marys description of her transformation, the Magnificat (Lukeintelligence and answers of the 12-year-old Jesus (Luke 2:47). Does 1:46-55), helps us understand our mission as disciples of Jesus. Sheit not make sense that Mary taught him at least some of the wisdom exults in the power of the Holy Spirit who raises up the lowly andthat he displayed in the Temple? In the Gospel of Mark (6:2), the feeds the hungry, confuses the arrogant, banishes the high and mightypeople of Nazareth, after listening to Jesus speak in their synagogue, from their thrones, and sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:51-53).were amazed at his wisdom. They asked if he was the son of Mary If this description of the activity of the Holy Spirit sounds pretty they did not ask if he was the son of Josephsuggesting again radical, thats because it isprofoundly and biblically radical. Underthat her role as the educator of her son was the ordinary practice the influence and power of the Holy Spirit, Mary continues to teachthen, even if her son was hardly ordinary.and form us, as she did Jesus. Let us pray that we continue to growWe should not assume, as some early Christians did and some wise in the ways of the Spirit.Christians still do today, that Jesus was instantaneously wise becausehe was the Son of God. Surely, the child Jesus, sinless as he was, was Marianist Father James Heft is a religion professor and founder/presidentaware of God in his life in a special way. We believe that Jesus was emeritus of Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies (IACS) at USC.marianist.com/donate 5'