A few days ago, I stopped to pick up some groceries at a
local store. When the checker saw the
name on my card she smiled broadly and said, “grrrr-ling-house... Is that right?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Yes.”
“I like trying to say long names.” She explained. “Yours is pronounced just like it’s
spelled!”
“It is.” I confirmed
as I picked up my bags.
As a child, I hated my name.
I took a lot of very unkind teasing about it. Some of the bullying I experienced was
directly related to it. Now, as an
adult, I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of my name. It stands out. People remember it. But, even more, it says something about who I
am and where I come from. It is
connected to the place my German, immigrant ancestors came from. It connects me to a culture, a family
tradition, and a way of being in the world.
Names are important.
In the ancient world, they were even more important. The naming ceremony for Jesus we hear about
in this week’s reading was no small matter.
Circumcision connected males to the covenant community of God’s
People. The giving of a name said
something significant about who a child was or would be.
The name “Jesus” or “Joshua” means “The Lord saves”. That name, along with the names “Immanuel”
(“God with us”) and “Christ” (“anointed”
or “chosen one”) sum up the mission and ministry of the child born in the
manger to Mary and Joseph.
The salvation Jesus brings to the world is more than just
the promise of eternal life (though it is that). Jesus came to bring healing, wholeness and
reconciliation to a world broken by death, injustice, violence and evil. Jesus came to reconcile both the world to
God, and people to one another. His
whole ministry, from the first day he came out in Galilee proclaiming the Reign
of God to the day he emerged alive from the tomb, embodied the saving love of
God. Jesus saves us -- that is, frees us from our brokenness, heals
us and makes us whole -- so that we can
join him in this holy work.
Those of us who name ourselves, “Christians” (“Christ followers”) are called to
participate in God’s ongoing work of reconciliation in the world. As the old Sunday School song says, “Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our
love!” More than ever, the world around
us needs Christians to live up to our highest ideals and values as followers in
the Way of Jesus. More than ever, the
world needs us to live reflecting the compassion, kindness, forgiveness and
mercy of our Lord. More than ever, we
need to be compelled by the love of God, which is a love big enough to include
all people.
As we begin a new year, we have our work cut out for
us! But, the promise of the Christ
Child is that God is with us, and that God promises to be with us, both now and
to the end of our days.
Peace,
Bishop Mike
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