For several years there has been quite a bit of backlash for the use of an X when making reference to Xmas. It has everything to do with people believing that we continue to remove Jesus from the Christ Mass. However, I use Xmas as a part of reclaiming an earlier Christian practice (circa 1500). The X is not a real X it is the greek letter Chi. It was the first letter in Χριστός or Christ. The formation of the use of an X to represent Christ had been in use for several hundreds of years, dating back to the early Christians. And making sense of having X represent the one who has come to save us might be harder in a world that an X stands for so many profane uses. X is in Xray, usually for finding disease. Movies can be Xrated or even XXX rated. And what exactly does the X in Xbox stand for?
Reclaiming the Chi might help reclaim Christ in the Christ Mass (or Christmas). Instead of dismissing the use of Xmas maybe by reclaiming its use we can now have an automatic conversation starter, a kind of did you know moment. And as you start teaching the world about the X, help reiterate for the world, the mas part of Xmas is a worship event focused on the child who has come into the world so that we might have life, this life, abundant and eternal. X marks the spot for the child we name Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. An important reminder whether you write that out as Christmas or return to the more traditional Xmas.
Reclaiming the Chi might help reclaim Christ in the Christ Mass (or Christmas). Instead of dismissing the use of Xmas maybe by reclaiming its use we can now have an automatic conversation starter, a kind of did you know moment. And as you start teaching the world about the X, help reiterate for the world, the mas part of Xmas is a worship event focused on the child who has come into the world so that we might have life, this life, abundant and eternal. X marks the spot for the child we name Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. An important reminder whether you write that out as Christmas or return to the more traditional Xmas.
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