WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
Apart from Jesus and Mary, John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death we celebrate. The Church considers him a large figure and he looms large
as we near the days of our Savior’s birth. We are reminded of the joy
of John the Baptist’s birth. What a great blessing to his parents. John
will be the great precursor to Jesus and we see him out in the desert
preparing the way for the people to receive a baptism of repentance.
In this Gospel story, we see the horror on the part of the people as
they seek to name the child. Traditionally, names were taken after the
father in the Jewish custom, or at least from significant figures in the life of the child.
The dilemma, then, is that no one in the family has the name John. This
name was given to Zechariah by the angel in the Temple. His
name will be John, meaning God’s gracious gift. His name signifies the
mission he will fulfill as he seeks to call people into the grace and
mercy of God —
ultimately leading them to Jesus.
Have you ever thought about the significance of your name? You have
a name! You have an identity! You are known by your name. How wonderful
is your name, known to God and those closest around you. A name
is significant; it evokes security and identity. Look upon your name,
find its meaning. Many of us have been called by other names that can be
offensive. God loves you and calls you by name: “You are mine,” says the Lord.
The people who witnessed the birth of John wondered what he would turn
out to be. God’s hand was indeed upon him. The hand of the Lord is upon
our life, too. Let us rejoice in our names and seek to live up to the
names we have. Even more than that, our collective name is Christian and
we are disciples of Jesus. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your name? Find out the meaning of your name. Who are you?
Lord, You have redeemed me and called me by a new name. I belong to You. Amen.
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