Feast of the Holy Name, Jan. 1, 2006
BCP: Exodus 34:1-8, Psalm 8, Rom. 1:1-7, Luke 2:15-21
RCL: Num. 6:22-27, Psalm 8, Gal. 4:4-7 or Phil. 2:5-11, Luke 2:15-21
“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” So go the lyrics of the theme song from the television show “Cheers.” There is power in naming. We may hear on the news that two American soldiers and 17 Iraqis were killed in Baghdad this morning. Eventually the names of the Americans will be honorably enshrined. However, the Iraqis remain nameless. We also hear of people dying from AIDS, hunger, malaria, earthquakes and hurricanes. What are their names? Are they not holy names?
The most holy name for God is YHWH or Yahweh (translated as LORD.) One explanation of the name is that it means “the one who causes things to happen.” Psalm 8 says this name is exalted in all the world. In Exodus, when God stands with Moses in power and might, the first thing God does to express his merciful power is to proclaim his own name, “the LORD the LORD.” How awesome! Awesome enough that the Hebrew people dared not say the name. However, the unspeakable is not distant but shines upon us (Num. 6:25).
The most holy name in Christianity is Jesus. However, instead of refraining from ever mentioning it, we call on this name. Luke tells us that eight days after the birth of Jesus, his parents took him to the temple for circumcision and naming. They named him Jesus, the name given by the angel. Jesus in Aramaic is Yeshua and means “God saves.” And Paul in Romans calls Jesus “Son of God.” Paul does not hesitate to pronounce the name “Jesus” wherein he finds God — so intimately that we now call God “Abba” (Gal. 4:6).
Besides the names Yahweh and Jesus, there are countless other holy names such as Emmanuel, God with us. Calling on the holy names puts us in the family that enables us to name each other, holy people with holy names. “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”
Look It Up
Do we know the names of our neighbors? Let’s look them up by walking across the street, and call them by name.
Think About It
If the New Testament calls the people “saints” (i.e. holy ones), do we not then have saints’ names, holy names?
Next Sunday
The First Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 8, 2006
BCP: Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:20-29, Acts 10:34-38, Mark 1:7-11
RCL: Gen. 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11
