Names

January 1, 2017

Helen Jacobi     

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus     

Numbers 6:22-27     Psalm 8     Philippians 2:5-11     Luke 2:15-21

New beginnings today; a new year; a baptism.

Annabelle was born just before the beginning of Advent, which is really the beginning of the church’s year; and she is baptised today on the feast of the naming of Jesus.

She clearly already has an instinct for liturgy and the liturgical year!

As Mary and Joseph named Jesus on the eighth day as was required by the law so Annabelle is named in her baptism.

Jesus was the name given to Mary and Joseph by the angel.

Jesus is the Greek version of Joshua or Jehowshua, which is what his name would actually have been!

Joshua, meaning God saves.

It was unusual for Jesus not to carry his father’s name, Joseph.

The power of naming was important; with naming came blessing. With naming came destiny and identity.

So the angel’s choice of name brings the power of God’s blessing.

Tom and Emma have chosen their daughter’s names carefully – Annabelle means loving, and Elise means consecrated to God.

With baptism she too has received the blessing of God and been welcomed into the family of Christ.

In our OT reading today from the book of Numbers we heard one of the most ancient blessings offered the people.

The people of Israel are in the middle of their 40 years in the wilderness and are getting ready to leave Mt Sinai. [1]

Yahweh (God) gives the words for a blessing to be said by Aaron to the people:

“Yahweh bless you and keep you;

Yahweh make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

In this way God says, I will put my name on the people.

God is naming and claiming the people as God’s own.

Yahweh bless you and keep you – keep you – keep you safe and sound; look after you – the people might need this as they are about to set out again across the desert

Yahweh make his face to shine upon you – it was said that you could not look on the face of God and live; Moses when he went up Mt Sinai and received the 10 commandments spoke with God and when he came down his face shone and he put a veil on his face (EX 34:35). But now God says – I will look at you and you will not die.

and be gracious to you – grace – another word for blessing really. God’s grace is offered to all of us all the time – love, forgiveness and presence.

Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you – again God is looking at the people and they can see God and not die.

God is getting up close and personal.

God is present, active, walking with the people.

And last but not least – give you peace – shalom – the deepest of peace – not just the absence of war – although that is a good place to start – shalom – peace, wholeness, being in relationship with one another and with God.

“Yahweh bless you and keep you;

Yahweh make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

All of these things Jesus also came to show us – the words given to Moses and Aaron needed some more unpacking in order for us humans to really get them.

We continually refuse to believe and accept the graciousness of God’s love.

We deem ourselves and others unworthy of that love.

Here is a new year’s resolution for you – say ten times a day – or more “I am worthy of God’s love”.

This is what God has promised and what God has shown us.

Baptism shows us God’s love and blessing, and we respond by declaring our faith – did you notice that in the baptism service – the parents and godparents make their faith statement after the baptism, not before; our faith is a response, not a test.

As we begin this new year we are offered the opportunity to claim afresh the blessing of God for God has promised us naming and blessing (Num 6:27).

And then in turn we can offer a blessing to others.

Jan Richardson who writes blessings as poetry puts it like this

“Ancient One

who makes all things new,

may we receive with gentleness

and touch with hopefulness

and protect with fierceness

and love with tenderness;

and may we celebrate with gratefulness

and welcome with humbleness

and tend with gracefulness

all that you give into our care.” [2]

And the people said “Amen”.

[1] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1096

[2] p 97 Night Visions – searching the shadows of advent and Christmas 1998