Today is the Eighth Day of Christmas: Holy Name Day
Eucharistic Readings for Holy Name Day
Exodus 34:1-8; Romans 1: 1 to 7; Luke 2: 15 to 21
“After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2: 21)
I am very familiar with Luke 2: 1 to 20, in fact, I have written a poem about it. (See my Christmas Eve blog of 9 days ago) Verse 21 for today adds a whole new element. This goes back to the Angel Gabriel’s visit with Mary 9 months ago and that she is to Name him Jesus. This was said and done before she conceived. The naming is from heaven, the circumcision is from tradition.
It is the same way with you and me today. Our names are given to God in baptism and we are brought into this world because we are needed. We might not get the name that God wanted us to have but God will, at some point, call us each by the name prepared for us before the foundation of the world, and we will know it when we hear it, male and female alike.
If we are not given honorable names at birth, it becomes our responsibility to make our names honorable. You do this by living good and godly lives such that your offspring, or the offspring of your friends will want to name their babies after you. Jesus’ Name has come to mean love, healing, feeding, forgiving, and most of all, Resurrection.
Be you male or female, you were made as a gift to your community before you were born and so named at your own Christening. Merry Christmas: Day 8
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
Almighty and ever-loving God, as we are called by our names Christened on us at baptism, we pray you lead us and guide us in order that we will think, say, and do that that is pleasing in your sight. Pull us back on track Dear God when we stray, and help us to live into our own names given to us in Christ Jesus as He too was foreordained to be Jesus. Amen.
onewhoponders 