What’s In A Name

24 Jun

They made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.  (Lk 1:62-63)

“Hello.  My Name Is __________.”

We see those name tags at all sorts of places: orientation days at schools, at huge conferences, practically any place where a significant group of people gather together.  Wearing a name tag helps people to come to know each other quickly.

It always amazes me to see what name people put on their tag.

Some people are very stiff/formal.  They might put their full name: Mr. John Doe.  They might put their title: Doctor John Doe.  They might put their name without titles: John Doe.  They might just put their first name, John, or nickname, Jack.

What they write tells a lot about a person because, after all, the name we goes by reflect who we believe ourselves to be.

In today’s Gospel, on the feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, we hear about how the name of John came about.

Of course, we remember the story.  John’s father was serving in the temple one day when an angel appeared and told him that he and his wife were going to have a son and they should name him John.  Zechariah did not believe the angel and was struck mute until the day that his son was born.

When John was born, the crowd looked to his mother because she could talk.  She told the people that he should be named John.  No one believed her because John was not a name in their family.  Back then, the family name was extremely important to be carried on.

When Zechariah indicated that John, indeed, was the child’s name, his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak again.

Our parents put a lot of thought into our names and we carry them proudly.

We carry another name as well:  Christian.

Let us make sure that we represent that name well today!

FAITH ACTION:  In quiet prayer, ask God to give you the grace to live up to the name of “Christian”.