May 11, 2014
Acts 2:42-47
John 10:1-10
Over the last few years numerous friends have had children. This life
shift has been so interesting in their lives and in our friendships. Many of
them found out the gender as soon as they could and picked a name for the baby
very soon after. Some of them had lists of names based on family members,
favorite books or TV shows, biblical names, or just ones that they as people
liked. While some held more stock in the naming process than others they all
put thought into it and it began to shape the identity of this little person.
When I was in 1st grade one of our projects
was to write about the origin of our names. We were supposed to interview our
parents about why they choose our names and then do basic research on the
meaning of them. While some of my friends were named after great-grandparents
or other family members I had hopes that I too was named after something
amazing! Maybe it was after Catherine the Great or a favorite childhood teacher
or some long-lost relative. I learned
that my mother just liked my name, and I was given the same middle name as my
grandmother in her honor. Boring! When my sister had the same project a few
years later it was even worse because she was given her first name because it
had the same number of letters as mine did, my mother didn’t
want us fighting over that, and her middle name was from our other grandmother.
We both also knew that if we had been boys we would be named Nicholas in memory
of our great-grandparents. Yet as time went on I realized how grateful I was
for the names I was given, names mixed with new and family history.
In our bibles we see the importance of names. What
you are called has a purpose, an intended meaning and a responsibility. Abram becomes
Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah, John the Baptist is named through his father by
God, Jesus means Messiah. In the book of Matthew we are even given a genealogy
of Jesus’ lineage in the first 17
verses. We see names from the Old Testament, important names of people of
faith. Yet even with this history and societal expectation of the Messiah we
see a man unlike any other, doing things never seen before, with a purpose and
a calling. The hymns during Christmas and Easter utilize the many names we have
given Jesus, names filled with hopes and fears and expectation; Emmanuel, King
of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, the Great Shepherd.
These names are reminders of the many facets that
make up Jesus and make up each one of us. As people of faith we come to this
place with our stuff, our dreams, ideals, and assumptions yet once here we are
united as one. Each of us adds something to this space.
In our New Testament lesson Paul shows us the
community of Christ, those who have heard the teachings and seen the signs
performed by Jesus and his disciples, those who have believed. Yet nowhere in
this passage is the name of Jesus mentioned. His guiding example is what we see
and what we are called to act upon. Paul shows us that the actions of the
faithful caused their numbers to grow and many to believe. In some way we are
also challenged-how have we brought others to know Jesus? What have we done as
individuals and in community to live lives of hospitality and example?
Our gospel lesson is another parable from Jesus.
Shepherds and sheep are examples we have seen since the Old Testament. There is
an intimacy in shepherding and a level of care that is seemingly uncommon in
our day to day. Many shepherds name their sheep based on their behaviors. When
an outsider looks at the sheep it can be hard to tell them apart because the
understanding of each sheep isn't as deep as the shepherd. It makes very little
sense how one person can lead a large group of sheep from spot to spot with
little wandering off. Yet when we examine this we see the control of the
shepherd is in his voice. The shepherds voice is stern and soothing. Only the
shepherd can calm a sheep who is hurt or trapped, only the shepherd can quickly
get the sheep in and out of their corral.
Friends, we are called to be shepherds working with
the great shepherd. This doesn't mean we are called to be authoritative or
bossy, rather we are called to be caring members who nurture and calm those
around us, a mothering of sorts. We are shepherds because we help to bring
others to God and the kin-dom in this world. As the living examples of God,
representatives of the holy community what names are we calling others?
When I held my godson for the first time he was a
little over a month old. His eyes were so alert and he kept turning his head,
trying to capture everything around him. All it took was his name in a quiet
voice and suddenly the most beautiful eyes stared at me. He knew his name and
he knew that he could trust that calming voice saying it. I wish that I so readily
turned to the voice of God.
As wanderers in this world the voice of god is
calling each of us by name. This voice calls us out of dangerous places, the
voice calls us to the greenest of pastures. When the voice of God calls us will
we answer? What will we say? I hope we can say something like:
“Here am I, Catherine, Child of God ready to do your
will in this world.”
But even as we answer the voice of God, as I declare my own name, as we claim our
identities, how are we helping others claim there’s?? How are we helping them
to embrace the paths God has set before them?
We must call each other by our names, not our
status, not our job, not our addictions, not our baggage, but by name. Jesus knows each of us is special, sacred
beings for Gods glory. When we answer the voice of God we become shepherds and
like Jesus we then see each of our fellow beings as sacred and special
On this mothers day I want to challenge each of you
to embrace the spirit of the shepherd and be a mothering presence in the lives
of all around you. Ask the names and use them. Each name, each person, has
history, has gifts that need to be shared. Our individual purposes and our
individual gifts are needed to bring new life to the world. Will you help Jesus
to feed His sheep?
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