Naming

On the eighth day of Christmas....Jesus was taken to be circumcised and named with the name which the Angel had announced for him....Jesus. This name links Jesus right back the a Patriarchs, to Joshua and the salvation of the people.

Names are more important in some cultures than others. Over the Christmas Holidays we watched the animated film "How to tame your dragon" - the hero is called "Hiccup" and it is quite clear that throughout the film he has to work to live down his name and to overcome the expectations of smallness and accident which it brings upon him. Of course, in the best tradition of animated tales he wins through, but not by swashbuckling fervour (although there is some of that), but rather by bringing peace between warring dragon and human kinds.

In our culture names are given for all sorts of reasons, there are family names, names which celebrate memories, names which sound nice or unusual, hope for the one named. It is often important in our social context to understand our names and why we were given them in order to see where our lives fit into wider patterns of family and society.

But, as people of faith, we all bear a wider name - that of Christ. As we go into the New Year with fresh endeavour it is worth pausing to consider what bearing Christ's name as Christians might actually mean. We are given that name through God's love but do we really try to live into it or do we see ourselves as rather more accidental and hiccupy on the fabric of society.

Christ is, was and will be, fountain and author, deeply engrained in creation and creativity. To take the name of Christian is to join with energy into this action of making and re-making, this action of loving in which God is constantly engaged. The list of how is as long as the number of people on earth - we all have our own calling to interact with, to support and to rejoice in this great deed God has done and is doing.

As we begin again let us resolve to live into our name, into Christ's name and commit ourselves once again to His great love and service.