Merry Christmas!

by Rev. Joda Collins.

The word Christmas is comprised of two words, Christ and mas. Mas is the abbreviated form of mass (originally "missa") which in the original intent meant to dismiss (dis-missa) from a worship service for the purpose of sending forth those impressed by the worship service to share the good news of what was learned and/or experienced during the worship service. Soon, the word mass came to mean "the" worship service and by implication the worship experience. 

Thus, the meaning of Christmas is the worship of Christ followed by the sending of those touched by that worship into the world to share the good news of what they know of Christ, what they learned anew about Christ in that worship and what they experienced in His presence. Thinking of these realities, do you see the motivation behind the hymn, Go tell it on the Mountain? 

Merry Christmas from all of us at PPSimmons.  Please do not let Christmas pass you by without your worship of the Lord Jesus Christ and always be prepared to share the good news of Christ, what you know about Him and how He has impacted your life.   Christmas is not just another holiday. It is a special holy-day.  

(Note: Etymology, the study of the origin and evolution of words, is a complicated discipline. Those engaged in it are free to take some liberties to fill in the gaps where history is silent. I have taken mild liberties, but not so much so that any learned person would argue my conclusions.)