Learning the Name

The first thing we invariably do when meeting a new person is to learn their name.  We feel that knowing their name tells us something about them; our nicknames often reflect a physical attribute or a habit–there’s Frugal Fred, Curly, Stretch, and The Baron.  We name our pets and sometimes our vehicles.  We spend a great deal of anguished time selecting names for our children.  The Bible has many instances of special names, sometimes changed to denote an encounter with God:  Saul/Paul, Jacob/Israel.  It’s a great compliment–and responsibility–to be named by someone!  What will this mean for our lives?

Having safely delivered the Children of Abraham to Egypt, we resume the narrative some generations later, in Exodus 1:8-2:10.  The liturgist may well wish to summarize this story about the persecution of the Hebrews and the birth of Moses.  The verse which sprang out at me was the last, where the daughter of Pharoah named the child Moses, meaning that she “drew him out” of the water.  ‘Course, in later years YHWH drew him out of slavery, along with the other habiru/desert wanderers, and established the new community of God’s People on a long journey to the Land of Promise.

Naming is a process of discernment of just who this is, and Paul addresses this in Romans 12:1-8.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  The following moral expectations will help define the Person of God to the outside (Gentile?) world, and will also help the believer to bear the name of the holy.  We note that the “transformation” is not accomplished by our intent, but is an occasion of external Grace–a naming by God.  As Pastor Michelle asks during prayer-time, “Where have you seen God in your life this week?”

“Who do you say that I am?”, Jesus asks the Disciples in Matthew 16:15.  What do people call me?  and what do YOU call me?  Here is the ultimate identification.  The unclean spirits, John the Baptizer and the Samaritan villagers at the well all ascribed authority and right teaching to Jesus, but it remained for Peter to name Jesus as the Messiah, “the son of the living God”.  And then Jesus announces that this sort of inspiration is the true foundation of the Church which he himself will build!  (Whew, I’m glad that’s off MY shoulders!)  Later believers used such an affirmation, “Jesus is Lord”, as a password to their worship gatherings.  What name do we carry to others?

There’s a country-western song that says, “You’ll know you’re just a number if she never calls your name”.  In the Sacrament of Infant Baptism we announce what God has done/is doing in a particular and specific life.  In many rites of the Church we name the person, and thus value them.  In evening shadows, a respected Parent stands at the door and summons us by name to come into the light and warmth.  We long for a place Where Everybody Knows Your Name…

In the process of unfolding                              Horace Brown King

My search for meaning in scriptures assigned to the upcoming weekend can be observed every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com