A New Name

Learning the importance of bestowing a new name

12/18/2022

Mt 1:18-24 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Well, you will never guess what I did this weekend. Do you give up? I adopted a dog, and so I have become a “dog-dad”. I guess I miss having Fr. Daniel’s dog, Lola, around to go on walks with and watch movies with. And now I will also have someone to practice preaching my Sunday homilies on before I deliver them at Mass. And if my dog falls asleep, then I know my homily needs more work! He is a mix between a lab and a pit bull, which means he’s very loving but also very athletic and strong.

One of the most important things a dog-dad has to do is give his dog a great name. When I got the dog at the rescue, they said his name was “Presley.” But I am not a big fan of Elvis Presley, so I would like to give him a new name. And I would like a little help from our parishioners. I have a list of nine possible names on a sheet of paper in the back of church. There is also a blank at the bottom, if you would like to suggest another name for Presley. There is also a picture of me and Presley so you can see what name suits him best. I will tally up the votes and see what name the congregation likes best. And then I will give Presley whatever name I want, because after all the Catholic Church is not a democracy.

I mention all this news about names because surprisingly that is exactly what our Scriptures speak about today at Mass. For example, the first reading from Isaiah, the prophet tells King Ahaz: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” And six hundred years later we would learn that Virgin’s name was Mary. And we all know the name Emmanuel means “God is with us.”

In the gospel today, an angel appears to St. Joseph in a dream and tells him some news about a name. He says: “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home…She will bear a son and you are name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Now, unfortunately, an angel did not appear to me in a dream and tell me what to name Presley, so I need your help in our parish poll for Presley’s new name. In a sense, you will be my angel.

But names are not negligible or unimportant and they should be chosen carefully and lovingly. They are charged with meaning and over the course of time they carry historical and even cosmic consequences. For instance, the name Jesus (Yeshua) means “God saves” and that names touches the deepest core of Christ’s identity: he was born in Bethlehem to save us. The holy Name of Jesus is so sacred and singular that modern Americans would never think to bestow that name on their own children whom they love more than life itself.

At Mass, some priests and people slightly bow their heads whenever the name of Jesus is uttered in the liturgy. Why? Well, because St. Paul said in Phil 2:10: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” In other words, there is only one name that will save us, because that is what the name “Jesus” itself means, namely, “God saves.” And God the Father gave his Son that name with unspeakable love and tenderness.

My friends, today let me invite you to give a little thought not just to your dog’s name or even to Jesus holy name, but to your own name, and the names of others. Why? Well, because your parents chose your name as an expression of their love for you and all their hopes and dreams for what you might become. There is a lot of love crammed into that little word that is your name.

And that is why everyone has a right to a good name, a good reputation. That is, not only should we not take God’s name in vain, but we should also not take other’s names in vain, in the ways we speak about them and utter their names. Names should be treated with utmost respect and even with reverence.

But did you know that God also wants to give you a new name? Of course we are given lots of names over the course of our life, some good and some maybe not so good. But the name God wants to give us will also express God’s eternal love and hopes and dreams for each of us and everything we should become, like the name of Jesus does for God’s Son. We read in Rv 2:17, “I shall also give a white stone upon which is inscribed a new name which no one knows except the one who receives it.”

In other words, we will not know this new name until we get to heaven and God reveals it to us. So, all the names we are given on earth are only imperfect approximations to the new and perfect name God will give us in the end. That means that we really do not know ourselves fully yet, because we do not yet know our true name, which God alone can give us. But one day we will know it, and we will know the full extent of God’s love for us. So, in the meantime, let’s just work on a new name for Presley.

Praised be Jesus Christ!