Monday Morning Musing: Mary Knew

A Facebook friend (and a delightful person in real life) posted an invitation recently to comment with our least favorite Christmas song. She noted it was meant for fun and not the too-often over the top Facebook responses that can ensue at such a time.

I answered honestly: Mary Did You Know? is my all time, least favorite song at Christmas and maybe any other time. It's been described as the Mary mansplaining song. I mentioned this recently to a young woman in her twenties and she looked so hurt that I almost took it back. Almost.

Of course Mary knew the answer to every question the song has the nerve to ask. She engaged in a theological debate with the archangel who'd come to tell her the news. It was news of such importance that she set off with haste to visit Elizabeth, her "kinswoman". Mary knew.

Many of the Christmas songs and poetry we enjoy have problematic lyrics. Often it's just that they're so old they use male language to imply a wider audience ('sons of earth' comes to mind) and we can fix those pretty easily and have in many of our hymnals and song sheets. It matters what we sing because that is how the next generation will learn the story. Children who sing songs that specifically exclude a portion of the population in their language by today's standards will somehow learn that that is justifiable.

I went in search of the history of the song and to no one's surprise it has its roots in the conservative evangelical south, Lynchburg, Virginia and Jerry Falwell in the early 80's. Need we say more? Oh yes, we need to say more. Apparently the songwriter was also trying to affirm Mary's status as a "virgin". Trained Biblical scholars understand the problems with this - with a word that has multiple meanings and male scribes and a Church that needed to suppress any female agency. So this song has its genesis in the inclination to suss out Mary's sexual status. Oy.

The songwriter, Mark Lowry, alleges that his mother gave him this idea (blaming women takes all sorts of shapes) and that Mary's silence at the cross is proof of the virgin birth. I can't even make that begin to make sense.

Still, I don't think the song will go away any time soon, but thanks for reading my rant if you made it this far. Here are some alternative lyrics that capture the much more likely story of the young woman who was bold enough to be the theokotos, the God bearer.

Mary did you know

that your ancient words

would still leap off our pages?

Mary did you know

that your spirit song

would echo through the ages?

Did you know that your holy cry

would be subversive word,

that the tyrants would be trembling

when they know your truth is heard?

Mary did you know

that your lullaby

would stir your own Child's passion?

Mary did you know

that your song inspires

the work of liberation?

Did you know that your Jubilee

is hope within the heart

of all who dream of justice,

who yearn for it to start?

The truth will teach, the drum will sound, healing for the pain

The poor will rise, the rich will fall.

Hope will live again.

Mary did yo know

that we hear your voice

for the healing of the nations?

Mary did you know

your unsettling cry

can help renew creation?

Do you know that we need your faith,

the confidence of you,

May the God that you believe in,

be so true.

End Notes:

To read Mary's story, go to Luke 1: 26-56

For the story of the original song:https://www.forestbaptistchurch.org/the-story-behind-the-carol-mary-did-you-know/

Alternative Lyrics by Jennifer Henry (inspired by the popular song of the same name). Concerning copyright, it may be possible to claim these new lyrics as a “parody of the original, permitted under USA copyright law.