What’s in a name?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Icon of the nativity of St John the Baptist

Our liturgical cycle takes us tomorrow to the Sunday commemorating the nativity of St John the Baptist- the forerunner of our Lord. We celebrate this event as the liturgical children’s day.

Wishing all a very happy liturgical children’s day in advance!

“Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.  His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”” – St Luke 1: 57-60 (Excerpt from the Holy Gospel reading for the Sunday commemorating the nativity of St John the Baptist- the forerunner of our Lord).

Your name holds a very important part of your identity. One could imagine the joy of Zecharias and Elizabeth when Elizabeth gave birth to a child in their old age. It was God’s gift to the pious couple. The child’s mother filled with Holy Spirit named him “John” -which meant “Yahweh’s gift” or “God is gracious”.

St John Chrysostom (~AD 347- 407) advises the parents that the names bestowed on their children is no small concern. He counsels thus:

“Let us afford our children from the first an incentive to goodness from the name that we give them. Let none of us hasten to call his child after his forebears, his father and mother and grandsire and great-grandsire, but rather after the righteous — martyrs, bishops, apostles. Let this be an incentive to the children. Let one be called Peter, another John, another bear the name of one of the saints…

How great is the virtue of which this is a token, this naming and calling by name, seeing that we shall find no other reason for the change of name save that it brings virtue to mind. “Thou shalt be called Cephas,” says Christ (John 1:42), “which is by interpretation Peter.” Why? Because thou didst acknowledge me.

And thou shalt be called Abraham. Why? Because thou shalt be the father of nations (Genesis 17: 4). And Israel, because he saw God (cf. Genesis 35:9-10). And so let us begin the care and training of our children from that point.

So let the name of the saints enter our homes through the naming of our children, to train not only the child but the father, when he reflects that he is the father of John or Elijah or James; for, if the name be given with forethought to pay honor to those that have departed, and we grasp at our kinship with the righteous rather than with our forebears, this too will greatly help us and our children. Do not because it is a small thing regard it as small; its purpose is to succour us.”¹

I wanted to also share some thoughts about one more spiritual child; the beloved child in Christ of St Paul- Timothy.

Let us contemplate on the following Scripture verses; “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I may also be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state”. (Philippians 2: 19; 20, NKJV).

The name ‘Timothy’ means ‘in God’s honour’/ ‘honouring God’. St Paul could only think about Timothy when he needed someone who would let go of his/her own needs and work for the cause of our Lord in the lives of Philippians. Not only to Philippians but whenever St Paul needed a selfless helping hand to send across a word of comfort, encouragement or rebuke to any church wherein he himself couldn’t go- therein Timothy offered his service. We see Timothy being sent to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:6); to the province of Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:17) and of-course to Philippi.

Many of us are so concerned about own list of needs and demands (which are never-ending!) that serving the Lord is often the last thing that would feature in our minds and to-do lists. What is God’s will for us, we never bother to ask or pray about. For Timothy- serving his Lord, doing His will and obeying his spiritual father -St Paul was most important and he was very content with his second position as long as he got a chance to serve.

Timothy lived upto his name. He ‘honoured God’ through his selfless work and Christ centred life.

We have been given meaningful names during the time of our Baptism- let us spare some time to reflect on whether we have lived upto our name or

….does the world entice you to say- What’s in a name? 

Let us spare a moment and pray:

O St John the Baptist, fore-runner of our Lord and Saviour-Jesus Christ and the preacher of repentance, pray to the Gracious Lord that He help us- the weak and sinful beings, to renew our spirit through the gift of repentance. We remember with thanks the day of our holy Baptism; help us by your prayers, O St. John the Baptist, that we may keep the light of Christ burning within us always. Hear our prayers, O Lord, and to thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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By the intercessions of St John the Baptist, Lord have mercy upon us.

In Christ,

Rincy John

¹(Ref- St John Chrysostom, “An Address on Vainglory and The Right Way for Parents to Bring Up Their Children”, Page 16-18, Translation by Max L. W. Laistner, (Christianity and Pagan Culture in the Later Roman Empire), Cornell University Press.)