Did Mary know?

Pastor Julianne D. Smith, Asst. to the Bishop, Northeastern Ohio Synod, ELCA

Every year at Christmas there is a hot debate over a song written by Mark Lowry, “Mary, Did You Know?” Lowry is an American singer, comedian, minister and songwriter. If you look for him on YouTube you can find a variety of videos from songs to humor. I’ve always enjoyed his comedy routines.

Lowry has sung with the Gaither Vocal Band. That was a surprise to me because I didn’t think about him being a serious performer. In fact, I didn’t realize he had written “Mary, Did You Know?” at first. The song asks if Mary knew that her baby boy was the Savior of the World. If you’ve never heard the song you can find it on YouTube.

As I said, there’s a hot debate every Christmas about this song. Scriptural purists point to Matthew and Luke’s gospels and declare that of course Mary knew because the angel had told her. Some folks say that Lowry is “mansplaining” to Mary about what she already knew. Others just find the song too syrupy.

I happen to like the song. I like the tune, I like the sound, and I like the words. Yes, the angel came and told Mary who this baby would become. Yes, Simeon and Anna also sang praises in the Temple that he would be the Redeemer of the world. Yes, I guess one could say this song is mansplaining to Mary.

However, Luke also notes that Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. And neither Joseph nor Mary understood what Jesus said to them when they found him in the Temple. This tells me that while they had been informed, it did not always make sense to them. They pondered these things because it was hard to imagine that this baby boy would become and do all that the angel Gabriel had said.

Yes, Mary “knew,” but did she know? When I think of all the times I’ve known things but still not been certain, I have no doubt that there were many things about Jesus that surprised Mary along the way.

“Magnificat” by M. McGrath

Plus, the singer of the song may be the one who doesn’t know. The singer may be asking if Mary knew these things, and was still willing to be the Theotokos, God-bearer, or Mother of God. We know that if Mary was given the chance to have her say in this song, she could only sing the Magnificat.

Did Mary know? I think we are dwelling on the wrong question. Maybe the real question is, “Do we know?” Do we know who Jesus is? Do we know Jesus? Do we love Jesus as much as Mary loved Jesus? Do we know?