Catholics should not be promoting "Mary, did you know?" on their platforms

Mary, Did You Know?

(Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby

You kiss the face of God

Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know? Did you know?

Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear

The dead will live again

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy

Is heaven's perfect Lamb?

That sleeping child you're holding is the great, I Am

Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?)

Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?)

Mary, did you know? Oh

Every Advent season of late, we have been seeing this song pop up in various forms.

Here is just one.

Before I state why it is problematic for Catholics to be openly promoting this song, let me first start with some very positive things I can say about it.

First, it is a very reverent song, as all truly Christmas songs should be.

Second, it does recognize and magnify the miracle of the Incarnation.

Third, it does, at least implicitly, promote Mary as the Mother of God which is a very good step that many protestants are not willing to fully commit to.

Fourth, it takes the exploration of Mary as a central figure in the Christmas story much more seriously than many protestants do.

These are all undeniable positives. It is a joyful thing to see protestants acknowledging the truth that is revealed in Revelation 12, that her child was caught up to God's throne.

Many Catholics dismiss the song by answering "Of course she knew!" and claim that that makes the song heretical. I think that is a point of conjecture because "Mary, did you know?" is, in fact, a question. The fact that he is pondering the mystery or artistically leading us to ponder it, could be a good thing.

Here's the problem. Two lines make the song heretical.

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Here the question is not whether Mary needed to be made clean (new) and delivered (Justified), the question is only did she know. Here, Mary's sinfulness is presented as fact and that is heresy.

To be honest, the song almost appears to be aimed at reaching Catholics, in good faith.

The song writer seems to openly concede to Catholics, the Incarnation, Mary's role in the salvation story and even her designation as the Mother of God with a caveat.

"Listen, Catholics", it seems to say, "All of those things you say about Mary are true but her sinlessness....her Immaculate Conception.... that's a bridge too far. Mary needed to be saved from her sins just like the rest of us"

Is this the hill to die on?

Well, yes.

Once you understand how salvation works by God's Grace (Ephesians 2:8-10), God saving Mary in a unique way is not a difficult leap. However, if you hold to the distorted view of an imputed righteousness, Mary's Immaculate Conception is not conceivable. Luther described salvation as being like a blanket of snow over a pile of dung. That's his image, not mine.

Once you understand that Jesus' blood removes sin instead of just covering it, that Grace works in us, not on us, that Jesus doesn't declare an unjust person justified, He makes him justified, then you understand Mary. The same one who pulls us from the pit, prevented Mary from ever falling into it in the first place. The only mystery that remains is why He didn't do the same for Eve.

The idea of a sinful Mary contradicts Scripture. The Ark of the Covenant was made of the purest gold, the most incorruptible wood. The Bible says that we were enemies of God in our sin, but the Bible says only of Mary, that She was created as the enemy of the serpent (Genesis 3, Revelation 12). We are drawn to do the enemies bidding. She came to stomp on his head.

God's home was a pure womb. God's little forehead was kissed by pure lips. To suggest otherwise, is to counter the gospel.