antonia's world: Mary Did You Know?

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Mary Did You Know?

POST REMOVED DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE NATURE OF THE SONG DISCUSSED. SEE SUBSEQUENT POST.

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Better go now as I am still trying to finish off my project on dolphins due in tomorrow!

-x-

5 comments:

Unknown said...: I heard that song for the first time last Christmas, I love it and it gives me goosbumps, I never thought of looking it up on the net so thanks!
I hope you do well with the dolphins project! And I love the italian Christmas wish :D
X; 12/22/2005 10:33 PM
antonia said...: If you click the pink link in my post above it will take you to my favourite version of the song!
-x-; 12/22/2005 10:44 PM
Unknown said...: That was beautiful thanx!!!; 12/24/2005 12:02 AM
Father Joe Jenkins said...: Dear Antonia,

Given that you define yourself as a 100% Catholic girl, I feel compelled to say something about the song, MARY DID YOU KNOW?

"Did you know" that the composer Mark Lowry deliberately inserted the following verses to repudiate the Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception? "This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you."

Mary was already delivered, as you well know, by the redemptive action of the cross reaching backwards into human history and touching Mary at the very first moment of conception and life in the womb of Saint Ann, so that the one who is the Holy of Holies could pass through a pure vessel untouched by sin.

Lowry had remarks against the Catholic dogma on a webpage some years ago, but I have noticed that he took it offline. No doubt he is counting on the general ignorance of "papists" and the sentiment of the Christmas season to circulate the song-- and even Catholics have money to buy CDs. What is worse is that Catholic churches and schools frequently have their choirs singing the song. Permission to requests for public recital and to recopy lyrics, is granted with the provision that the lyrics cannot be altered.

It is a pretty song, but it is also heresy.

One collegue of mine tried to defend the song, saying, "I noticed the words, but my theological take was along the lines that Mary was redeemed by Christ in the eternal dimension but that the act of her redemption is the same as ours: the sacrifice of Christ in the dimension of time." I saw what he was trying to say, but again, the meaning of the lyrics was clearly set in a temporal context, "... will soon deliver you." Lowry does not believe, as a Protestant, in the Immaculate Conception, and the song deliberately says this to malign Catholic teaching and to proselytize. While the redemptive power and grace of the Cross cannot be segregated exclusively to any one time or place, the passion and crucifixion are themselves posited in human history as are their immediate effects upon mortal men and women. God who is in the eternal now, enters into human history and touches us where we live, so-to-speak. Lowry would see this encounter with saving grace as something accomplished with a faith profession in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. He also views the work of Christ as accomplished and that we need merely acknowledge it. Catholics would normally see it as impacting upon us, not only with faith, but in a faith that is actualized by obedience and charity within the community of the Church-- particularly through baptism and the other sacraments. While Christ has died, once-and-for-all, his saving work is extended or perpetuated or re-presented through the sacraments.

The mystery of Mary's sinlessness is measured temporally, from the very first moment of her existence in the womb of St. Ann. It was not that she had original sin and that it was quickly stripped away; rather, at the very moment of her conception and personhood, there was no trace or stain of sin. Historically this takes place maybe 45-50 years prior to the saving event at Calvary. Just as the ripples from the Paschal Mystery touch us forward in time, it reached backwards and touched Mary.

As you can tell, I have talked myself silly trying to get churches and schools to either change the offensive lines (no matter whay the composer wants) or to avoid it altogether.

Take care and God bless,
Father Joe Jenkins; 12/24/2005 12:41 AM
antonia said...: Hi Father Joe,

Thank you SO much for writing that for me!

I was actually thinking the same thing last night about that exact phrase. I was thinking that it didn't quite fit with Catholic doctrine and I actually did feel kind of uneasy about it.

So thanks again for writing to me and confirming that! It surely was the Holy Spirt guiding you. THANK YOU!

God Bless you & I hope you have a very joyful & blessed Christmas!
You are in my prayers,
antonia
-x-; 12/24/2005 12:07 PM