Who Took Christ Out Of Xmas? © 1984 Al D. Squitieri

 

Who Took Christ Out Of Xmas? © 1984 Al D. Squitieri   [Editor’s note: The following is a piece written by the author 18 years ago. It has been published in 12 newspapers, three magazines and half a dozen church bulletins and newsletters. It has had different titles: "The Ultimate Pornography" "Something Is Missing" "Christmas Without Christ is Not Christmas".] December 26, the day after. The shimmer and glitter are gone, garland hangs askew, lights no longer twinkle, and a slightly tilted tree has gone unnoticed. The rented Santa is back on unemployment, storekeepers are home counting the take, while shoppers are broke, overdrawn and over extended. It looks like an economic and spiritual battlefield, with the greater losing to the latter. It’s worsening every year. Long before Thanksgiving Day we are hammered with Christmas commercials every few minutes which, after just the first few weeks we have had more than enough. We have listened, watched, bought and surrendered to the power of commercialism. With passiveness and indifference, we watch mostly non-Christian, and a few professed Christian businessmen rewrite the story line, and yes, church pastors unwittingly doing the same through church bulletins and bulletin boards. I will not enter a church whose invite proclaims "Xmas" celebrated within. Something will definitely be missing. Merchants aren’t totally at fault since they give us what we want and accept. We utter not a word in protest by written or spoken word, but continue to mumble among ourselves that feeble cry: “Christmas has gotten too commercial!” Right. As Mark Twain once said: “Everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it!” In most cases, we speak not a word to our children about the true meaning of the holiday, passing it off as simply Jesus’ birthday. We have surrendered them to the jolly old giver of gifts. We may have a “cute” Christmas program at church crammed in between shopping sprees and Christmas parties, but if there is one at school, it’s not likely it will include a manger scene. Will your child bring home a picture of Christ Jesus? No. It is considered illegal to worship the personage of this celebrated holiday named for Him, but His substitute, given all His attributes and powers, is well accepted. The term Christmas is “the celebration of Christ”. He suffered and hung on a cross for six painful hours, yet we refuse to take six seconds to write “Christ” instead of “Xmas” in our rush to have a happy but not joyful holiday. Kids should see that same excitement and awe on parents' faces when entering church as they do when watching the Super Bowl. Is it a wonder the kids only speak of other superheroes as Spiderman, Batman and the Power Puff Girls? Our children can tell us more about the powers and wonders of these super heroes than they can about the One sent to a manger to “seek and to save they which are lost.” A babe in swaddling clothes is hardly the impact of a Superman costume. That’s the way His contemporaries thought He was coming – as a conquering hero to save them from the Roman yoke. But He came to save mankind from more than the tyranny of an earthly kingdom, and a greater form of bondage: Satan and his yoke of sin and guilt. "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) “Whom the Son sets free, he is free indeed!” (John 8:36) Freedom not only from sin, but freedom from drugs, alcohol, perversion, fear and loneliness, which is at its greatest this time of year, since many see gloom rather than glitter. Quite a story if it’s told. Much more impressive than the feat of the red-suited miracle worker who flies, slips down chimneys, sees all and knows who’s names are written in the book listing naughty and nice. Santa has become the patron saint of the Holy Day, stealing the glory due the True King of Glory. It is the ultimate offense to leave Christ out of Xmas. A violation to be undone only by those called by His Name who will stop using and accepting the Christ-less spelling. Take the time to give him that honor. Unlike Twain’s weather, we can do something about it by nurturing the true spirit of Christmas in our hearts, minds and our children. We can do so by the written and spoken word, and by putting Christ first in all ways and forms, preventing Satan from stealing mankind’s greatest day. Use that energy to help others rather then building stress through spending money most can’t afford, and missing the true Gift. Invite some lone person into your home and share the Blessed day. Put Christ back in your Christmas. Happy Holiday.
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