A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas
OH! TO KISS THE FACE OF GOD
The first time
I heard, “Mary, Did You Know?”
is permanently etched in my mind
I was folding clothes in the bedroom
listening to “Let It Grow”
Pastor Charlie Rizzo’s
Christian call-in radio program
At a break, he introduced a Christmas song
by Mark Lowry, written by Lowry in 1984
Immediately, the music and lyrics
drew me in and I visualized
the young virgin-mother, Mary
cradling baby Jesus
as Lowry sang of wonders
her boy would grow to perform
wonders, like walking on water
and saving us, and even
…this child that
you delivered
will soon deliver
you
Oh! I broke out in goosebumps—
Mary did you know
that your baby boy
will
give sight to a
blind man
…calm a storm with
his hand
and when Lowry sang
…And when you kiss
your little baby
you’ve kissed the
face of God
that did it—
Tears welled in my eyes
and trickled down my cheeks
Mary kissed the baby face of God!
Then he went on singing, Mary did you know…
that your baby boy
is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child
you’re holding
is the great I Am
Oh! What an awesome privilege
to be the mother of the Savior
It was a few weeks before Christmas
Pastor Rizzo aired the song
a few more times
Each time, tears flowed
Soon music stations began playing the song
Sometimes it was performed
by other recording artists
The business manager where I worked
knew the song was meaningful to me
One day he surprised me with a gift—
the song on CD by Kenny Rogers
Then my daughter-in-law-to-be, Omayra,
aware of how much I loved it
arranged to have it sung
at their wedding
That was special, indeed!
Never has a song
touched me as that one
has touched me—
Never before have there been lyrics
I wished I’d penned myself
It thoroughly blesses my heart
to imagine the virgin
holding her swaddled son in her arms
oblivious to what their future would hold
putting tender lips to his tiny cheek, and
kissing…softly kissing
the holy face of God!
Maude Carolan Pych
