Holy Name

​The psalmist sings: ”When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?
You have made him but little lower than the angels; *”


From the beginning we believe that we have been given the name Adam meaning Humankind. What’s in a name? We have been given a precious and amazing calling.


You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;
You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:


The name we were given comes with responsibility for the care and stewardship of the earth, all creatures, and one another.


This Sunday is called “Holy Name” Day; We celebrate the naming of God among us. One of the things the story reminds us of today, importantly, is that Mary and Joseph were a faithful Jewish couple. They were following the tradition of their religion, participating in the eighth day circumcision, one of the covenants God made with Abraham.


At a time when we are re-encountering Anti-semitism in our media feeds, in bomb threats and in shootings, it is important to remember Jesus, Yeshua was Jewish.


The book of Numbers this morning is also primarily dedicated to the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham and his descendants. And Mary and Joseph were, as we are, descendants of that Abrahamic faith.


A second important thing about the story is that Mary and Joseph do as the Angel Gabriel tells them to do. We have already heard from the Angel Gabriel that Mary and Joseph are to name Immanuel, “Yeshua” (Jesus) which means God Saves.


The story reveals that Mary and Joseph are a couple with deep faith. They practice their tradition while they are also open to this new mysterious blessing, the acceptance that God is breaking into this world accompanied through their confidence and faith. Surely they are familiar with Arron’s blessing: the blessing Priests are to give to the people (to put God’s name on them).


The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
If we had any doubt what God among us would be like, we are told right away that God is one who saves…


When I fell in love with Jesus as a child, it was not because I understood the concept of savior, or could wrap my mind around the resurrection, or even understand many of the parables. These were adult concepts wrapped in mystery, like most of the adult world, which was beyond my reach or understanding.


I fell in love with Jesus for a very simple reason. I fell in love with Yeshua specifically because, he named other people. Jesus let everyone he encountered know that they were somebody. They mattered. Everyone was someone and he cared for them.
As a child witnessing playground fights, games of choosing teams, winners and losers, bullying, children who had less than others, who were left out or made to be class outcasts; I already had been provided with another model. I already knew there was another way to operate. I knew Jesus.


I knew Jesus would call each one of those children into relationship. He would not put up with the clicks, the division, cruelty and the name calling. He would see them all as equally beloved individuals, children of God; Heirs of God (as Paul puts it).


And if that’s the only teaching our children get from church, frankly, it is enough because Jesus came to teach us that the nature of God is love. So Pass it on.


That’s the third lesson we receive in the Gospel today, that the shepherds heard this incredible message and passed it on. The message they received from the angel was from our Christmas story:
"Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 


It is a message for all people. God saves. And Jesus does this through recognizing us, healing us and naming us.


Jesus calls us by name. He begins with his very first disciples. Remember, Nathaniel asked, “how did you know my name?” And Jesus said, I saw you sitting under the fig tree. In the Gospels, Jesus is aware of a greater picture - and sees people for who they are.


When Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, climbed a tree in order to get a better look at him. And “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Remember: All of the people grumbled, because he was a sinner.


When he met the Samaritan Woman also known as the “Woman at the Well” their conversation was the longest recorded conversation Jesus had with anyone in any of the Gospels. Afterward she tells her townspeople, “he knew everything I’d ever done.” She may have meant that literally, but it primarily expressed that Jesus understood her very deeply.


These strangers were not people Jesus was running to for popularity, to fit in, to be accepted by the crowd.
No, Jesus sees them all as heirs of God; All as adopted children wrapped up into the one loving embrace of the father.
AND
Jesus also gives us another name:
Another name for God, “Abba, Father.”
“Abba:” It is an endearing word for father, like Papa. He wants us to know that no matter our circumstances, the ultimate father, the ultimate creator loves us intimately: has “made us but a little lower than the angels.”


And Jesus gives us names.
Peter: “the rock.”
Mary Magdalene: “the tower.” Later after the resurrection he again calls her by name when she doesn’t recognize him. Calling her back to herself: Mary!


All through the Gospels Jesus calls us by name, that life affirming gesture of welcome, that great belonging we all wish to have.


Jesus gives of himself to give us ourselves. He wants us to be known, individually affirmed, yet one undivided body, one family: the heirs of God.


Our own namesake, St. Paul was on the road to Damascus (on his road of wrath) chasing down followers of the way, capturing and killing followers of Jesus and is suddenly blinded by the light.


He hears Jesus say, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” He doesn’t say why are you persecuting “them” or “my followers.” No: he says why are you persecuting “me.”


Jesus the Holy One, with the Holy Name, offers himself to us so we can understand that we all may be one with him. God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!”


Jesus was born into the world to be Immanuel meaning God with us. But the Angel Gabriel said to Mary and Joseph to name him Jesus: God Saves.
The name Yeshua was actually popular at the time when our Holy Child was born. The first century historian Josephus lists many men with this name including ten that were his contemporaries.


The Hope of God was not just hidden in the lives of a young woman and her faithful fiancé, but God Saves was a name children and men were already bearing. It shows we already believed in this notion. We already had hope and faith that God would save us; that God would make his face to shine upon us and give us peace; to give us each names, and to put his name on us… to make us each just a little lower than the angels.


May we like Mary and Joseph have the faith, courage and confidence to allow this saving notion of God to break into our hearts and our lives, to be born again anew in us. Let us name it.


The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Amen