Daily Reflections - January 3,2013

Reclaim and Proclaim His Holy Name

 

In one homily, I shared this text message that I received. It goes: “I love Facebook. It is the only place where I can write on a wall and not be charged with vandalizing.” Understandably, the young people immediately laughed. Understandably, too, the not-so-young ones wondered what was going on. If you’re not laughing, you know what group you belong to.

The digital world has changed so much of our vocabulary. The digital generation understands Apple, mouse, notebook, tablet, application, pad and many other things differently from the previous generation. This is true not only in the digital world. The following story will explain what I mean.

Once, in church, a child asked his mother who the man on the crucifix was. The mother, quite surprised, plainly said, “Jesus Christ!” Then the child replied, “Shhhh, Mom, we’re in a church. Don’t say that word!” The boy, in all innocence, thought that “Jesus Christ” were actually bad words.

This is not a funny story. It is a sad commentary on how our world has morphed the Holy Name of Jesus into a meaningless expression of surprise; more sadly, an expletive of ill intention. So fitting is the diagnosis of today’s First Reading: “The reason the world does not recognize us is that it never recognized the Son” (1 John 3:1).

Today, the liturgical calendar celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. It calls to mind the circumcision of the Infant Jesus and His naming as Jesus (see Luke 2:21). But more than the naming of the child, this feast is a call for all of us to celebrate our own naming as Christians. We bear the name of Christ. In Christ, the First Reading reminds us, “we have become children of God… that is what we are” (see 1 John 3:1).

Today, let us make it our aim to reclaim and proclaim the beauty of Jesus’ name and the dignity of our calling. Make a special effort to show to the world our gratitude for being able to share in the name and in the life of Christ! Let us do this, in Jesus’ name. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Does your life reflect that you are a Christian?

 

I humbly ask for pardon, Lord, for the blasphemies committed and uttered against Your most Holy Name. Make me a worthy bearer of the name Christian. May my life be a sweet perfume, spreading far and wide the fragrance of Your message. In Jesus’ name. Amen.