January 1st: The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Today's Scripture Readings

Numbers 6:22-27 (NRSV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them. 

Psalm 8 (BCP., p.582)


Philippians 2:5-11 (Common English Bible)

Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:

Though he was in the form of God,
   he did not consider being equal
     with God something to exploit.
But he emptied himself
    by taking the form of a slave
    and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself
  in the form of a human,
    he humbled himself by becoming
     Obedient to the point of death,
   even death on a cross.
Therefore, god highly honored him
   and gave him a name above all names,
  so that at the name of Jesus everyone
   in heaven, on earth,
     and under the earth might bow
   and every tongue confess
      that Jesus Christ is Lord,
        to the glory of God the Father.

 
Luke 2:15-21 (NRSV)

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Blog reflection

2013 was a year that I had a serious conversation with God, myself and my Abbot about what name I would take when I was Clothed as a Novice.  Indeed, Philip a nice name.   I wrote quite a bit about my reasons for taking the name Anselm in my blog post: The Prayer of St. Anselm: Why I Took His Name.

A name has a powerful impact on our lives.  Each of us are called by our name, by God.  There is a sense of identity and purpose.  Many of the authors who have written their autobiography, write about what pride they might bring to their families name. 

In the time that Jesus was born, the giving of the boy's name was at the circumcision of the son eight days after birth.  His name at that point, linked the boy to the covenant of Abraham.  It gave them a sense of belonging to the Jewish Faith.  Many who worship God through the Jewish Religion, still practice circumcision as an important part of their Faith.  Jesus identified as a Jew.  He was born of the House of David.

There have been many names throughout history that have been so influential to humankind.  Every American knows the names of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  The mere mention of Judy Garland brings back The Wizard of Oz and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  Say the name Angela Lansbury and we remember Murder She Wrote.  Whatever these names do to us, there is no Name that has shaped the course of Salvation History as the Name Jesus Christ.   The influence and use of that Name is so widespread, that it brings with it, any number of responses.

As Christians, the Holy Name of Jesus Christ is the human face of God in our world.   The Word Incarnate that we began celebrating eight days ago, came into our world as God made human.  The Holy Name should bring a sense of reverence, respect and acceptance of others in His Name.  His Holy Name should also make us pause in prayer, with adoration, praise and honor.  The Name in and of itself, however, should also make us stop with contemplation about the words from Philippians 2:5-11 that I took from the Common English Bible today.  He was equal to God, but "he did not consider being equal to God something to exploit.  But he emptied himself...."   He was God who came to serve us in Christ.  Not to exist as tyrant God who would judge us all for things we've done, said or thought.  The judgement of God through the Holy Name of Jesus Christ was the Cross by which our sins are forgiven, and all scapegoating in God's Name comes to an end.

There are many who continue to complain about others taking the Holy Name of Jesus in vain, every time they scream some horrible word after they accidentally slam their fingers with a hammer, or spill their coffee.  However, we seem to think nothing of using the Holy Name of Jesus Christ to oppress women, people of different races, sexual orientations, gender identities/expressions, diverse languages, religions, etc.  I think using the Holy Name of Jesus Christ as a reason to scapegoat any person for any reason is a far more severe misuse of His Name.    The difference is, one is used to express distress, human frailty and our clumsiness.   The other is a result of our human frailty, yes, but it is out of ignorance and a resistance to learn the truth about those who call ourselves Christians use the Bible as a means to hurt or dehumanize others.

Today is the beginning of 2014 on January 1.  The holidays end today. The Christmas Season ends on Monday, January 6th.  What will we take with us from this time of focusing on peace on earth, good will towards others, and good wishes and cheers shared with family and friends?   If we will let the love of God through the Name of Jesus Christ to open our hearts to see Christ in others who are different from ourselves, to show reverence and respect so that prejudices will end and the building of new and more inclusive communities can begin; then the meaning of Christmas will live past the taking down of the Christmas tree, and putting the candles away for another year. 

One more thing. 

In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, God shows us that changing our ways by God's help, so that there can be healing and reconciliation is more than possible.  Through saying our YES to the will of God the mending of the human community, and the reality of God's loving presence among us will finally be real.

Oh please, let 2014 be the Year that happens.

Amen.


Prayers

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name
of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart,
we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our
Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.213).

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of
your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our
hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Book of Common Prayer, p.213).

The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ: What are We Treasuring and Pondering?

Today's Scripture Readings

Numbers 6:22-27 (NRSV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Psalm 8 (BCP., p.592)

Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death--

even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Luke 2:15-21 (NRSV)

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Blog Reflection

My readers might recall my post on St. Thomas the Apostle at which I wrote about using the Common English Bible (CEB).  The CEB is said to be "A fresh translation to touch the heart and mind."

As we were waiting for Midnight Mass to begin on Christmas Eve, I took my CEB along with me to do some brief Lectio on some of the Christmas texts.   I was most interested when I came to Luke 2:19 that in the CEB reads: "Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully."  I began to think about the differences between the text from the CEB vs.the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)  which reads: "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart."   In my mind there was a big difference between "Treasured all these words" and "committed these things to memory and considered them carefully."   As I thought about this, I was more drawn to treasuring and pondering.   When we treasure something, it becomes so valuable, that we will do whatever it takes to protect it.   To commit them to memory is just not quite the same.  We can remember something, and when we do, we make it very present.  When we treasure something, not only do we remember and make it present, we never quite put it away.  If we do it is only in those safe places where we can "ponder" it and keep some silence about it.

On this New Year's Day, we are treasuring and pondering the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  We are bringing it to the forefront of our memories and making that Name especially present today.  It is very interesting to me that on this day, Roman Catholics celebrate Mary, the Mother of God.   We Episcopalians celebrate the Holy Name, while reading about Mary as giving Jesus that Name, as she and Joseph were instructed by the Angel who greeted them.   This Feast used to be called the Circumcision.  It almost appears as a Christening.  But, what is most important about this Holy Day during our celebration of Christmas, is that the Christ-Child's Name is Jesus.

What kinds of things are we treasuring and pondering as we consider the Holy Name of Jesus Christ?

I have spent much of my life in the various movements within Christianity.  I remember hearing the Name of Jesus Christ used by those who consider themselves Charismatic, to have the power to drive out demons and dark forces.  I have also seen this Name used to inflict the worst of spiritual and pastoral violence on people.  I know of one such instance in a Pentecostal church where a minister brought a 10 year old girl forward during the service and nearly beat her to get her speak in tongues in the Name of Jesus Christ.   Many who oppose lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people accepting and celebrating who they are, will invoke the Name of Jesus to try to change their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression and/or prevent equal rights from moving forward.   I remember while the health care reform bill was in debate a prayer service being held and invoking the Name of Jesus Christ to prevent it from being passed.

What are we treasuring and pondering in the Name of Jesus Christ?

At the 42nd Trinity Wall Street Institute on Radical Christian Living, Sr.Joan Chittister, OSB said: "What we believe about God is how we relate to God."   If we believe that the Name of Jesus Christ is about shaming people or preventing the sick from getting affordable health care, or Social Security benefits, then that Name has very limiting power.  It is only available to us to bully and hurt people who are different from ourselves.   The way we use the Name of Jesus Christ, is how we relate to who Jesus Christ is.   

The hymn from Philippians suggests that the Name of Jesus Christ was given to him, because instead of seeking equality with God, Jesus was a servant of humankind on behalf of God.  The honor and exaltation of the Holy Name of Jesus Christ is so, because he suffered along with suffering humankind, and sought to help the marginalized.  Jesus was a healer of broken relationships.  Jesus sought to include the outcasts and those suffering from prejudice and oppression, to help them know of God's unconditional love for all people.

What are we treasuring and pondering in the Name of Jesus Christ?

It appears to me that to use the Holy Name of Jesus Christ to invoke any kind of militaristic hate towards any person or group of people, is to use his Name in vain.  To suggest that God allowed twenty eight individuals, including twenty children to be shot to death was because we have forbidden prayer in our public schools, and that we should all invoke the Name of Jesus Christ is quite the misuse of that wonderful and glorious Name.

To suggest that it was through the Name of Jesus Christ, that natural disasters happen to certain parts of the world because of marriage equality or parties for LGBT people of any kind, is to presume things about Jesus Christ that do not exactly fit his description.

On the other hand, to suggest that it is because of the Holy Name of Jesus Christ that we need to pray and seek union with God, so that we might do what we can to alleviate religious based prejudice and violence; now that is really honoring the Son of God.   If we will carry the Holy Name of Jesus Christ by walking with those who suffer due to poverty, economic injustice and sickness; we are not only worshiping Christ, but carrying out his commandment to love others in his Name.

As we begin 2013, may we treasure and ponder the Name of Jesus Christ by looking at the example of Mary and Joseph, as well as many other Saints who have and continue to demonstrate what it means to serve on behalf of that incredible Name.  May we spend time in prayer to Jesus, as well as reading and studying the Scriptures, but also be willing to do some thing that makes Jesus Christ a good Name among humankind.

Amen.


Prayers

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name
of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart,
we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our
Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for the Holy Name, Book of Common Prayer, p. 213).

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).

The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ: In 2012 May that Name Be Used to Heal; Not Wound.

Scripture Readings

Numbers 6:22-27 (NRSV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them. 

Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death--

even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Luke 2:15-21 (NRSV)

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Blog Reflection

The Feast of the Holy Name brings a mixed emotions for me. 

Ever since I fell in love with the Name of Jesus Christ I have never been the same.  That Name for me is comforting when I am a nervous wreck.  The Name of Jesus Christ for me means that the forces of darkness and evil in this world do not have the last word.  Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  I believe that I will have everlasting life some day, because of Jesus Christ. I believe that when I receive Holy Communion I am receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Bread and Wine.  I believe that Jesus Christ can and does forgive me when I sin forget to put God's will before my own. 

Yet, this Holy Day also carries with it some painful memories.  Throughout my time of being a conservative Christian; I remember how that Name was and still is used by fundamentalist and evangelical Protestant Christians to rebuke people who do not conform to their ideologies.  The Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians use the Name of Jesus Christ to perform their exorcisms, based on their emotional experiences and understandings of the Holy Spirit.  I once heard about a Pentecostal evangelist who brought forward a young 10 year old girl.  He attempted to use the Name of Jesus Christ to command this girl to speak in tongues.  He eventually got pretty violent.  I also remember many of the contemporary Maranatha songs for worship that romanticize the Name of Jesus Christ and so forth.

I am sure all of us have heard the Commandment in Exodus 20: 7

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who missuses his name.

The Commandment has otherwise been referred to as "taking the LORD'S Name in vain."

The common interpretation is that if you accidentally hit your finger with a hammer while using it and you scream out the Name of Jesus Christ or better yet God dammed, that you have taken the Lord's Name in vain.  Aside from the accidental use of the words in the scenario I have just mentioned, there are those who use those words very loosely in conversations with other family members and friends.  I have heard endless complaints by many fundamentalists and conservative Christians/Catholics etc who talk about people swearing and using vulgar language.  As with most things like this, I have come to the conclusion that the people who complain most about others swearing and the like; are often doing it to avoid not having to pay attention to their own weaknesses in these and many other areas.  There is a little hypocrisy in all of us.

My husband Jason on various occasions has said that he feels that when Christianists and others use the Name of Jesus Christ to defend callous and violent attitudes and behaviors towards LGBT people and others, it is also a wrongful use of the Name.  I think Jason is on to something there.

Just think about it. 

Every time the Name of Jesus Christ is used as a reason to exclude someone from the Church or violate another person's sacred worth, we are misusing his Name. 

When ever we say that the Christian religion is why we should target Muslims, Hindus or Atheists, we are defaming the Name of Jesus Christ. 

The Name of Jesus Christ is used over and over again to defend cruelty and oppression such as the Uganda Bill that would execute or put in prison known lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people. 

The Name of Jesus Christ is used in this country as a reason why LGBT people should be denied our rights to marriage equality, protection from discrimination in the work place, hate crime violence, financial and/or public assistance and/or housing. 

The Name of Jesus Christ is used to defend the use of ex-gay or reparative therapy to change one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression through the means of psychological, spiritual and social abuse.  

Jesus Christ's Name has been used to deny the rights of women, defend racism, deny health care and defend tax breaks for the wealthy, while middle class America continues to lose every hope for prosperity.. 

Our Christian Faith tells us that God perfectly revealed God's Self in the Person and Name of Jesus Christ.  The Name of Jesus actually means Joshua, which means "Savior."  Jesus came in the midst of our poverty and messiness as a helpless child.  Jesus spent his life reaching out to the marginalized, the sick, the poor, the widow and even the dead to give them a new life here on earth as well as in eternity.  Jesus praised the eunuch's, the homosexuals of this time (see Matthew 19: 10-12).  Jesus healed the Roman Centurions male sex slave (see Matthew 8: 5-13).  Jesus warned the arrogant and the self righteous.  The only time Jesus really uses the word hell is towards those who think they are above all simply because they follow the rules. 

My prayer for 2012 is that Christians will make a heartfelt effort to use of the Name of Jesus Christ to heal; not to wound.  I pray that Christians may understand that the Name of Jesus Christ is not a supercession of all other religions and philosophies, but that the life of the Name of Jesus Christ is about love and inclusion.  I pray that the Name of Jesus Christ will give us every reason to embrace others who are different; instead of being every excuse to exclude.  I pray that in 2012 Christians will proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive by our desire to be authentic in our relationships with God, others and ourselves.

St. Benedict wrote his Rule for beginners.  It means that every day; even after a day where we failed miserably to proclaim the Name of Jesus Christ; we get up and we begin again.  This is also why year after year, God gives us the 1st of January.  A New Year to begin again.

Amen.


Prayers

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name
of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart,
we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our
Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.  (Collect for the Feast of the Holy Name, Book of Common Prayer, page 213).

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully
restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may
share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our
humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Prayer of the Incarnation, Book of Common Prayer, page 252).

Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, page 816).

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, page 833).    

January 1: The New Year Begins with the Holy Name of Jesus: Savior and Liberator

Luke 2:15-21 (NRSV)

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The designation of this day as the Feast of the Holy Name is new to the 1979 revision of the Prayer Book.  Previous Anglican Prayer Books called it the Feast of the Circumcision.  January first is, of course, the eighth day after Christmas Day, and the Gospel according to Luke records that eight days after his birth the child was circumcised and given the name Jesus.

The Law of Moses required that every male child be circumcised on the eighth day from his birth (Leviticus 12:3); and it had long been the custom to make of it a festive occasion, when family and friends come together to witness the naming of the child.


The liturgical commemoration of the Circumcision is of Gallican origin, and a Council in Tours in 567 enacted the day was to be kept as a fast day to counteract pagan festivities connected with the beginning of the new year.  In the Roman tradition, January first was observed as the octave day of Christmas, and it was specially devoted to the Virgin Mother.


The early preachers of the Gospel lay stress on the name as showing that Jesus was a man of flesh and blood, though also the Son of God, who died a human death, and whom God raised from death to be the Savior (Acts 2:32; 4:12).  The name was given to Jesus, as the angel explained to Joseph, because he would "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).  (The word means "Savior" or "Deliverer" in Hebrew).


Then as now, people longed to be freed from evils: political, social, and spiritual.  The name of Jesus calls to mind the true freedom which is ours through Jesus the Christ. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 150).

I am particularly taken by the last paragraph above.  "Then as now, people longed to be freed from evils: political, social, and spiritual."  One of the biggest errors of conservative dogmatic Christianity is the idea of the Name of Jesus delivering us spiritually only.  One of the bigger errors of progressive Christians is that we risk advancing forward with excellent inclusive spiritualities, while forgetting that it is the theology of Christian history that allows us to continue to form and reform the diverse spirituality of our present time.  Progressive Christianity finds its fulfillment by using the best of Christian history with newer understandings of what we are learning today.  


The Name of Jesus Christ is so incredibly awesome that "every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11).  The Name of Jesus should do more for Christians that just make us all warm and fuzzy inside.  The Name of Jesus should also inspire us to a more inclusive and equal society and Church.  Ironically, a lot of Christ followers enjoy using the Name of Jesus to inspire fear, prejudice and an apocalyptic paralyzing of diversity and equality.  This is the kind of fear that is often used by Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics towards any individual who is not white, male, heterosexual, American/European, Christian, able to speak English/Latin or any other language, wealthy, orthodox/conservative and any of the above.  Even God fearing and Mary respecting Catholics love to use Marian Apparitions to scare women over the issue of abortion and LGBT people about same-sex marriage.   American Evangelicals with their anti-gay message have exported hate into the countries of Uganda and beyond suggesting that the creation and passage of a bill that would imprison and execute known homosexuals is somehow "better" than allowing their culture to create an equal and inclusive society for sexual and gender diversity.  These and many other examples hardly reverence the Name of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.  Instilling violence, panic and wide spread fear to any group of people is not what the Name of Jesus Christ represents.


As we begin the Year 2011, I want to call upon all Christians and individuals of good will to pray and work so that Christians will give the Name of Jesus Christ a good name among all the earth.   We need to call right wing Christians and Catholics on the carpet for using the Name of Jesus to scapegoat any person or group of people.  In 2010 we saw an unjust and evil assault on the Islam people waged by Christians.  We continue to see horrible acts of violent rhetoric and behavior towards women, LGBT individuals, couples and families, people of varying races, economic conditions etc.  If all Christians and people of good will would commit themselves to helping to advance a Church and society where we honor all individuals, and allow no person or group of people to be scapegoated without speaking up about it, we will see a change for the better.   We will have successes and failures.  There will be moments when speaking up on behalf of marginalized people will challenge our own comfort zones.  But because of the Name of Jesus Christ, being a voice for the socially and politically oppressed is the right thing to do, we will be doing the work and mission of Christ in our time and world.  


The Name of Jesus Christ is not only our Savior, but also the Liberator of all who are oppressed by political, social and religious individuals and groups.  We need to spend our own time with Jesus as our Savior to help liberate others.  Daily prayer and time with the One who came to change the world by reforming each of us from the inside out.  The Name of Jesus is an opportunity for us to rest in God's presence, while by the Holy Spirit taking Jesus to the world around us.  We do not transform our world and create a good Name for Jesus by spreading a world of darkness.  When we create a society that just cannot help the lowly, discriminated and the dying because it simply costs us too much money or too much of our reputation, we live in a world of darkness and wealth control.   Jesus Christ came to help recreate this world and call his followers to be part of that transformation.  We are called to transform our world from darkness to light, hate to love, exclusion to inclusion.  That is what the Name of Jesus Christ is suppose to do.


May 2011 be the year when Christians and all people of good will truly rise to be part of the transformation that the Name of Jesus Christ was given to do.

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for the Holy Name of Jesus, Book of Common Prayer, page 213).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).