We can learn to better our Faith from Special Needs Mothers. How so?
They believe without seeing.
Let’s start with Mom’s in general. How important is a Mom? Is it any surprise that Jesus performed His first miracle based on His mother’s request? She had seen no miracle from Jesus prior to asking, why would she ask?
She believed.
This is extremely symbolic and speaks to the role mother’s have in our children’s lives and how critical they are to development. There are millions of mothers who are deserving of our respect. However, the mother of a special needs child can teach us unique skills to be parents and better individuals. This category of mother can show us the next level of how to live in Faith and strengthen our Faith.
These moms truly believe without seeing even in the face of adversity and facts that point the opposite way.
Let me pose the following question. Would you want to be a Mom if I laid out the following parameters?
You will never get one day off from the time you have your child? Not one.
You will fight tooth and nail for your child and their needs EVERY day for the rest of your life?
You will be your child’s only human friend in life? Forever. Till the day you are no longer there.
You will be still be looking for “baby” sitters even when your child is an adult so you can go out?
You will never be an empty nester?
When a child is born we believe certain milestones by default. Children will learn to tie their shoes, ride a bike, figure out how to interact with others around them making key attachments, perform in school, they will drive, have a job, take care of themselves, they may even get married and give you grandchildren. As a mother, you are there every step of the way guiding and teaching.
A special needs mother believes these truisms. But she is faced with the adversity of doctors, teachers, psychologists, learned professionals telling her that her child will never do any of these things. What makes it worse is that the mother has to watch her child measured against “normal” children and NOT accept defeat in the face of overwhelming facts. I have seen first-hand that these mother’s do not buy into others limitations and prejudgment.
They advocate, promote, teach their children through persistence, creativity, and sheer will. They believe. This is how our Faith should be characterized. These mothers lead the way and show us the map to believing. Every advancement their children make is a miracle. I do not use this word lightly because the “experts” said it could not be done. They “experts” have no tangible way of explaining how their special needs child makes steps.
As said in John 20:29: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” I consider myself fortunate as I have had the gift of watching first-hand a special needs mother. I will not sit here high and mighty and say I have always considered it a gift – I have not. I am human and thought at times I was cursed. Prayer, writing, reflection and my wife have taught me otherwise. She has brought my Faith to another level.
One other trait Mary and special needs mothers teach us is to never abandon Faith. Mary willingly followed her son all the way to the cross (John 19:25). Special needs mothers need to care for their children every day of their lives until death. In both cases, Faith in the countenance of agony must survive.
We all struggle at some point with believing, man or woman. The good news is that God has provided a map to our Faith. To being a strong believer. One map is found in reading the Bible and look towards Mary’s strength and leadership. In everyday life open your heart and life to mothers who deal with the adversity of having a special needs child. If you are open, they will teach you to be a believer.
Happy Mother’s Day to all.
© Peter Serzo, 2017
Peter Serzo
Peter Serzo, observer, listener, author, speaker, and blogger. Visit him at Dotirome.com where he shares practical stories on being Catholic and listen to his popular Priest Podcast. The Priest Podcast is an environment where we have an enlightening conversation with those that lead (Not a theology conversation but a conversation on being a Priest/Leader/Human). Peter travels visiting different Catholic Churches satiating his curiosity and desire to spread each parish's uniqueness though his blog and presentations.
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