- Feb 5, 2002
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But rather than bringing Mary down to our level to make her more relatable, let us instead remember who she is – The Immaculate Conception – so to be reminded that we too are called to live lives of perfect humanity.
I love Christmas music so much, it’s hard to force myself to wait to listen to it. I make myself wait until at least halfway through Advent, but after that you’ll find me listening to it into January. Of course, there are several Christmas songs that I could do without, and a few that make me want to turn the radio channel or switch to the next song as soon as they begin. But there are two in particular that are among my least-favorite not because of tune, style, or subject, but because of content.
One is “Mary, Did You Know?” My apologies if it’s your favorite Christmas song, but in light of today’s feast, I feel the need to explain why I think this song needs a second look – and why it shouldn’t be played at your local church this Christmas.
The song is filled with nice pious thoughts, of course. It could be a very beautiful meditation, entering into the thoughts of Mary, as she “kept all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:19). It’s important to put ourselves in Mary’s position during these days of Advent.
Part of me marvels that a song about the Blessed Mother has become so popular and beloved amongst non-Catholics. I’m a frequent guest speaker for parish RCIA programs, and I always like teaching the topic of Mary around Advent. It’s a time when non-Catholics seem to be perfectly fine with statues of Mary all around. Even if those statues are plastic and light up at night in someone’s front yard, I’ll take what I can get. Christmas is a time when we can talk about Mary, simply because we come face to face with Baby Jesus. And every baby has a mom.
Therefore, you might be thinking I should be grateful that groups like Pentatonix and people from CeeLo Green to Kenny Rodgers are singing about the Blessed Mother.
Continued below.
I love Christmas music so much, it’s hard to force myself to wait to listen to it. I make myself wait until at least halfway through Advent, but after that you’ll find me listening to it into January. Of course, there are several Christmas songs that I could do without, and a few that make me want to turn the radio channel or switch to the next song as soon as they begin. But there are two in particular that are among my least-favorite not because of tune, style, or subject, but because of content.
One is “Mary, Did You Know?” My apologies if it’s your favorite Christmas song, but in light of today’s feast, I feel the need to explain why I think this song needs a second look – and why it shouldn’t be played at your local church this Christmas.
The song is filled with nice pious thoughts, of course. It could be a very beautiful meditation, entering into the thoughts of Mary, as she “kept all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:19). It’s important to put ourselves in Mary’s position during these days of Advent.
Part of me marvels that a song about the Blessed Mother has become so popular and beloved amongst non-Catholics. I’m a frequent guest speaker for parish RCIA programs, and I always like teaching the topic of Mary around Advent. It’s a time when non-Catholics seem to be perfectly fine with statues of Mary all around. Even if those statues are plastic and light up at night in someone’s front yard, I’ll take what I can get. Christmas is a time when we can talk about Mary, simply because we come face to face with Baby Jesus. And every baby has a mom.
Therefore, you might be thinking I should be grateful that groups like Pentatonix and people from CeeLo Green to Kenny Rodgers are singing about the Blessed Mother.
Continued below.
This Beloved Christmas Song Has Mary All Wrong
What is distinctive is not if Mary needed salvation (she did) or what she needed (salvation by Jesus Christ), but how she received it.
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