Charlotte Collins Reed
Christ Church Episcopal
January 1, 2017
Holy Name
In my office, I have a photograph that I call the “Three
Charlottes.” The elderly woman in the
photo is my great-grandmother, whose given name was Charlotte but who was
called “Lottie.” She died at the age of
91 when I was in 7th grade, so I had the good fortune of knowing her
for a large portion of my youth. She was
a dignified but stern looking woman, born in 1881, whose favorite activity in
her golden years was to go shopping one day and return everything the
next. The woman in the middle of the
photo is Lottie’s granddaughter, Charlotte.
Charlotte is my first cousin once removed and my godmother. We saw her this past Thanksgiving, told
family stories, looked at old photos, and had a lovely time remembering family
weddings and other events. Even though
we rarely see each other-the last time was 2008-we have a shared family story
that binds us together despite the passage of time. The third Charlotte in the photo is myself. I am about two years old in the picture and I
obviously just want the photography session to end. I was oblivious to the fact that 5 decades
later I would treasure this photo that ties me to a story beyond myself.
Today is the Feast of Holy Name. Holy Name is always January 1, 8 days after
Christmas because, as we are told in the gospel reading, 8 days after Jesus’
birth, he was named Jesus as the angel had instructed. Holy Name, however, does not always fall on a
Sunday, which is why many of us have never heard of this particular feast day.
In a way similar to the way my name connects me with a
story that precedes me by at least two generations, we are reminded this
morning that Jesus’ name connects him to the larger story of God’s work in the
world. The shepherds have left Mary and
Joseph and returned home. Eight days
later, we are told, “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.” We are
reminded that the angel appeared to Mary to tell her of the child that would be
conceived in her womb. The angel said ‘Do
not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be
great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give
to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob
for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’
The name Jesus is the Hebrew name Joshua, which means
“Yahweh is salvation.” “Yahweh” is the
Hebrew name for God, so Jesus’ name itself connects Jesus with the larger story
of God’s people. The angel also connects
Jesus with the larger story when Mary is told that Jesus will receive the
throne of his ancestor David. David was the great king of Israel, when Israel
was a united monarchy and a military power.
David’s son Solomon managed to keep the monarchy united for another
generation, but when Solomon died, the kingdom divided into two kingdoms: Israel
in the north and Judah in the south. The
power and prestige of both declined rapidly as they became subject to foreign
powers and occupation. Kings put their
trust in alliances with foreign powers and their gods rather than trust the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for their safety and security. Those alliances might have brought temporary
security, but eventually both Israel and Judah fell to foreign powers. Even
though Judah would eventually be
rebuilt, the country was a shadow of its former self.
Hundreds
of years later, there was a great longing for the glory days of David when
Israel was independent and powerful. But
they also longed for the relationship with God they had once known, when they
knew who they were as God’s chosen people, and the people of the promised
land. The people longed for the messiah described
in the words of the Christmas Eve reading from Isaiah “Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow
continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his
kingdom. He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.”
Jesus’ very name connects him with that story and the
longing for a deeper relationship with God.
Yahweh is salvation. The story of
God’s people is the story of our constant need to be reminded that Yahweh is
salvation, not any earthly power, possession, or accomplishment. Over and over again, we learn from Scripture
and from our own lives, that when we put our trust in anything other than
Yahweh, we are disappointed. Today, on
the Feast of Holy Name, we are reminded that the power of God, in which we put
our trust, is different from the world’s power.
Today, the power of God is on display in an 8 day old baby, whose very
name connects us to a story that spans the generations and reminds us that God,
and God alone, is salvation.
Amen.
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