I have been reviewing some modern worship songs, but I’ve taken a break to explore some Advent and Christmas hymns. 😀. Just when you think Christmas is over, you remind yourself that December 25th is the first of the 12 days of Christmas. So, I’ll wait until January 7th to go back to normal hymns.
Today I’ve chosen The Wexford Carol.
I only discovered this one this year. It’s nice to think that there’s still much to discover. Being Irish, you’d have thought that I’d have heard it before. Musicologists believe it was most likely composed in the 15th or 16th century based on its musical and lyrical style.
Good people all, this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born
Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God's angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
'Prepare and go, ' the angels said
'To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you'll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born
With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went, this babe to find
And as God's angel had foretold
They did our saviour Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of life
Who came on earth to end all strife
Good people all, this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved Son
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas day
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day
I like the fact that it encourages us to pray to God, rather than to Mary. I much prefer to think of Mary as a godly person rather than treat her as a goddess or something like a goddess. The last mention of Mary in the New Testament is as part of a Christian congregation around the day of Pentecost.
Acts 1:14
14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
So many doctrines surrounding Mary in later years emerged from pagan tradition or theological speculation. And in Ireland, it’s common for Roman Catholic churches to be named after such doctrines, such as the assumption (the legend that Mary went body and soul to heaven and didn’t die), the immaculate conception (the notion that Mary was conceived without sin), and the notion that Mary remained sinless and a virgin all her life. In the New Testament, mention is made of her having other children, though Roman Catholics classify these as cousins. And none of us are sinless apart from Jesus.
But, if Mary could speak to us, I think that she would encourage us to pray to the Father, as Jesus did when asked how we should pray.
Someone once said to me that we should follow Mary’s example and advice:
Mary’s Example
Luke 1:46-47
And Mary said “My soul glorifies the Lord47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
Mary’s Advice
John 2:5 (Speaking about Jesus at the miracle of Cana)
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
So, like us all, Mary needed a Saviour, and she availed of his offer of salvation. And at Cana, she knew that only Jesus could work miracles, so she pointed people to him. Sometimes people say that you should pray to Mary because she’ll speak to Jesus on your behalf. But even Jesus told us that the Father himself loves us, so we can approach him and pray directly through Jesus.
John 16:26-27
26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
There’s no evidence in Scripture that we can communicate with anyone in heaven other than God himself. If he doesn’t answer in the way that I hope, I try to ensure that I’m going to him with the right attitude. And I might assume that whatever I’m asking for might not be his will for me right now. Even Jesus didn’t get his prayer answered on the night before he died:
Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Here are some interesting versions of the hymn:
Hibernia Gospel 