However, the song asks “Were you there”? The real answer is “yes”. At every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the veil between time and space is lifted and we return to the Upper Room, to Golgotha and to the empty tomb. In the Mass is encapsulated the Paschal Mystery, which we mark in a unique way during the Sacred Triduum.
Obviously, because the song is Protestant in nature, it does not take into account that fact.
**Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?**
The whole point is that “sometimes it causes one to tremble”. When we remember what Jesus did for us, we are immensely grateful.
So a Catholic couldn’t find this song beautiful? Is it contrary to Catholic teaching?