The 'x' in Christmas

We celebrate Christmas as a time to remember Jesus Christ's birth in our world. Jesus Christ is our LORD and Saviour. The Passover lamb sacrificed for us. Jesus has redeemed us by blood; we no longer belong to the world, although we live in it. As the redeemed of the Lord, we must stand out from the crowd in words and actions. Jesus Christ is our eternal salvation. John 3:16 reminds us of the love of our heavenly Father. Because of this love, he gave us his begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. As we celebrate Christmas Day, we rejoice in the birth of our Saviour, born from pure love. Christ has called us to live in love and to share the love with others. That is the love we share with our friends and families around our dinner tables every Christmas. We share Christ's love as we extend these greetings, "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Christmas", to one another.

The world, however, seems to give Christmas a different meaning by abbreviating the word "Christmas" to "Xmas". The world has a way of occupying us and creating images that take our eyes off our Saviour. The world has replaced Christ in Christmas with the letter 'X'. The 'Christ' in Christmas reminds us about the true meaning of Christmas and the reason for our joy. When Christ is taken away from the word 'Christmas' and substituted with the word 'X' to mean Xmas, it takes people's eyes away from Christ and allows people to focus instead on worldly things. Christmas is not about shopping for presents, adorning trees with ornaments and roasting turkeys. It is an opportunity to share our faith and put the spotlight on Christ. What is 'X'? It is just an alphabet, and what is 'Xmas'? Well, it has no meaning.

Keeping our faith circular is not an option. Unfortunately, some Christians now follow this worldly trend by abbreviating Christmas. Wishing people happy Christmas is an opportunity for us to spread the good news just as the angel shared the good news with the shepherds in the fields, but when we wish people happy Xmas, what message are we sharing? When we exchange greetings on Christmas Day, Christ must be first, and this is particularly important when we exchange greetings in written words with non-Christians. Jesus died on the cross for us, and we must not be ashamed to share him with others. Jesus Christ is our pride and joy and is the reason for our celebration. We must refrain from following worldly trends. He is not a fashion accessory that we replace or substitute. He is our LORD and Saviour, and his blood has redeemed us.

We must always remember who we are and the cost of our salvation. Let us say and write the word boldly 'Christmas'.

The Saviour—the Messiah, the LORD—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Luke 2:11

Let us spell it out – C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S

Lord Jesus, we thank you for coming into our world and dispelling every darkness that surrounds us. Please help us be bold so we may spread the good news about you to others.

Remi Dayo-Omole