Mary did you know

In today’s mass, we sang a beautiful Christmas song, “Mary did you know ?” The version I like the best is by Clay Aiken - it is simply beautiful and worth listening to all year round.

Undoubtedly, Jesus is great, but one thing is certain: even if her baby boy couldn't make the blind see, make the deaf hear, make the dead live again, make the lame leap, make the dumb speak, Mary would have still loved him.  It wouldn’t make a difference, him being divine or mortal.

Mary did you know by Clay Aiken

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Did you know

That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know

That your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered

Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Did you know

That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know

That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little boy

You've kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know?

The blind will see

The deaf will hear

And the dead will live again

The lame will leap

The dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Did you know

That your baby boy will one day rules the nations?

Did you know

That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding

Is the Great I Am.

EX-MAS vs XMAS

Have you ever wondered why ‘Xmas’ is used instead of ‘Christmas’?  I have: Is it to dilute Christianity by using Xmas instead of Christmas, or rather, to convert Christmas into a secular day?  Perhaps it was to promote the commercialism of the holiday season. Also, should it be pronounced “ex-mas” or “Christmas”?  Prior to the weeks of Advent, it’s just the right time for me to learn about it today.

Its origin is thoroughly rooted in the heritage of the Church.  It is simply another way to say Christmas, In fact, as with other abbreviations used in common speech or writing (such as Mr. or etc.), the abbreviation "Xmas" should be pronounced "Christmas" just as if the word were written out in full, rather than saying "ex-mas." (Hahaha, I always make this mistake, so dumb!!!) 

The spelling of ‘Christmas’ as ‘Xmas’ actually comes from an ancient Greek practice - in the Greek language, the letter ‘x’ – shi – was the initial letter of Xristos, meaning Christ.  Early scribes were busy people and parchment was costly.  They often shortened words to save time and money, and that is how they came to use just the letter X.

‘Xmas’ was retained even when these practical considerations no longer applied.  Not only had it become traditional, but people believed, wrongly, that the ‘X’ represented St Andrew’s cross.  An even more significant reason, perhaps, was that Jesus Christ’s name was regarded as too sacred to be written in full.

Merry Xmas !