Naming Day

In Jewish tradition, a new born son is given his name on the seventh day, the day he is circumcised.

So, here we are one week after Christmas.  Guess what Jesus is going through today.

Of course, we are all a bit squeamish about the topic, especially us Christians, for whom the tradition did not require subjecting the child to such pain, but as Western Tradition goes, many doctors performed the procedure anyway, ceasing to make the mark a unique distinction of Jews, of God's chosen people.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. - Matthew 1:21

Girls are named at the first reading of the Torah following the birth.  Some wait until Shabbat, since there will be more members of the community there to hear the name.

We celebrate this day as The Holy Name, but because we are not children of the tradition, we tend to lose the significance of this day.

Names are important and it is the father's job to name the child, so in today's reading, Joseph is given a vision so that he will accept the child that has been given to Mary without his involvement.

The ceremony is a public one.  People would be invited to come and witness, feast together and accept the child into the community.  For Joseph to buck up and stand before all claiming this child as his own took guts.  If any knew he had not been with his wife, he would have been a laughing stock.

We are a lot more liberal in our society, and ours, the Episcopal Church, is among the most liberal, accepting without judgment many who had been turned away (believe it or not) from other churches.
We see it as commonplace for couples to have children out of wedlock, for husbands to accept and raise the child of another, for families to be hybrid compilations of multiple contributors.

Often, when we have a Baptism, where the child is officially "named" before God and receives the Holy Spirit, I see how proud the Parents and Godparents are, and I wonder what they are thinking at that moment.

A lot of what the priest tells them about their responsibility to raise the child in his or her faith can easily slip right over their heads as they hold the wriggling little one in their arms.

Some leave with smiles and never come back.

All of us in attendance, all members of the community, pledge to help the child grow in faith within the church, and yet, when the parents don't chow up the following weeks, months, years, what do we do?

On this day, as we remember the naming of Jesus, I would like us all to remember our own commitment to help those who have been baptized into Christ.  Reach out to them and wish them well in this new year, and offer them a place to come to join together in worship and joy.

It is not just a nice thing to do.  It is what we promised God we would do.

So, I invite you.  Come.  See you Sunday.

More to come...