Luke 2:15-21
"Holy Name" of Jesus - Years A, B, C
Named before conception, it took 8 days after birth for the name/life of Jesus to be confirmed.
There were good biologic reasons to be wary of a child surviving. Life can be brutish and short. There were also good political power reasons not to trust whatever Pharaoh was on the throne to not decree death for newborns.
Life can be capricious.
To claim some prior value to an intention to conceive, to a time of gestation, or any period of time hence that elevates it over every other consideration is very artificial. This is evidence of our desire to make meaning even if it doesn’t necessarily correspond with the realities of life.
Naming adds to our signifying but also bears a cost—gain a name and lose a foreskin.
Shifting gears, it would be interesting to have listened in to the shepherds returning to their sheep and whomever had been left behind to protect against lions and tigers and “Oh, my”. How might they have glorified G*D without the name of Jesus? We have so ritualized this name we have made it into a magic token. Consider how a congregation might glorify G*D today without the name Jesus being used.
To take part in this experiment puts one in solidarity with the shepherds of old and the “nones” of today. This may be an important step to more effective mission.
To honor life as Life is as critical an issue as any in a world in transition, going through a growth spurt.
As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience
Let’s go see about what can be trusted in life. Hearing angels is one thing; finding a promise is quite another.
What needs checking on to see whether it holds up or not? We all carry old promises along. Sometimes we think a promise is the reality, when it has actually become a shield against what can be experienced. Sometimes we need to say, “I think we heard it wrong. Life isn’t over there in Bethlehem, but right here in the field. The angels hearkened unto us about us, about what is born in us this day.”
After eight days we can say, “Yes, the baby is still alive and ready for a name”. Until this marker of viability is present, there is no reality to a baby. For some preemies this takes a year or more. In today’s medical world eight days can be reduced, but not always. Life takes testing to see if this is something that is going to last. The same is true of relationships. Some form quickly; some take longer.
Let’s not be too quick to claim the fulfillment of a promise. Let’s not be too slow to claim there is more community available than we now have. With these two processes we can both treasure and ponder. Both are important; treasuring what has come forth and pondering what else is on the way.