Lorraine Curtin
wrote:
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Hi guys,
Our Catholic Church choir sings the song, Mary, Did You Know? at
Mass.
Are the lyrics to this song doctrinally correct?
One
of the lines, in particular says,
"Did you know that your baby boy
has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered,
will soon deliver you?"
It seems to me that this
goes against the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, in that,
she was already delivered from sin at her birth. Even though
Our Blessed Mother might not have known it, the song claims
that Christ will
deliver her, not has delivered her.
Thanks for taking the time to answer this question!
Lorraine
"Nobody is a Christian for oneself
alone. The gift of faith is given to us so that by word and
example we may become witnesses before others."
Pope John Paul II (1920 - 2005)
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Are the lyrics to the song, Mary, Did You Know? doctrinally correct? }
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Bob replied:
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Lorraine,
While Mary was indeed conceived without sin, it was the Paschal Sacrifice
of Christ that won for her the grace of the Immaculate Conception . . . which
indeed happened in time after her conception. From God's point
of view, however, time is irrelevant. We can afford the author of the song
some poetic license; it is not incorrect from a human vantage point seated
in time and space.
We do not have to conclude from the song that Mary was
defective prior to Christ's saving action. It is simply pushing us to stand
in Mary's shoes and ponder the significance of her Son's work. Furthermore,
Mary would be made new when she would be resurrected, like
her Son, to the fullness of the transformation that God has for us.
Lastly, keep in mind, a chief Protestant objection concerning Catholicism
and Mary is that they believe, we imply, that Mary didn't need salvation
because she was born without sin.
That is false; she was simply granted
the fullness of salvation. Mary was saved, in advance, but saved nonetheless.
This song reflects that reality in a different way.
Peace,
Bob Kirby
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Mary Ann replied:
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Hi Lorraine,
Well,
It's poetic license, but it means that the grace given Mary, in
anticipation, was because of the deliverance which would be won by Christ's
Life, Death, and Resurrection.
Mary Ann
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