Words of Faith: Were you named for someone special?

When I was 9, I made a startling discovery in my dresser drawer. My sister’s cat, Honey, had delivered her litter of three kittens in the middle of my clothes.

Now, Honey may have thought the kittens were hers, but my siblings and I quickly adopted them as our own. And I remember naming them – Sweetie Pie, Sweet Pea and See Wee.

See Wee was so named because he was the first to open his eyes and he could “See We.” Though Honey was my sister’s cat, I named them. I must have assumed that because I was the oldest and because the kittens were born in my drawer, I had the right to name them.

Names are powerful. We belong to those who name us. Usually we receive our names from our parents. These names tell us something about who we are. We all have a family name which reminds us that we belong to our parents. These names carry identity. I am a Franklin. This name not only tells me who I belong to, this name also reminds me what my family values.

This name gives me identity.

In the gospel of Luke, we learn Jesus’ identity at his baptism. Following his baptism, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus. Then a voice from heaven speaks: “You are my Son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” In this event we learn Jesus’ true identity. The voice of God calls him “my son, the beloved.” In a sense, these titles are names. They tell us who Jesus is. They describe the relationship between Jesus and his Father. We know that Jesus is deeply loved and cherished.

We also are named by God. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of this in the Old Testament. “Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

The Lord created us. The Lord formed us in his image. We belong to him. He knows us intimately. He calls us by name. We belong to God.

Sometimes, though, it’s hard for us to accept this name. Sometimes we don’t believe that we are worthy of this name. We know the ways that we have failed. I know when I hear this gospel, it’s easy for me to attribute the name “beloved” to Jesus, but it’s difficult for me to accept that name for myself. And yet the Lord says “Fear not, ...you are mine.” We belong to God.

We are beloved.

This name is given in baptism, when we are named as God’s child. When we claim this identity, it shapes us. This name tells us who we belong to. We belong to the one who loves us, the one who created us. We belong to God. This name gives us value. We are valuable because God loves us. This name provides direction. As God’s beloved, we want to please God. We want to shape our lives to look like our Father’s life.

But Jesus’ baptism wasn’t just about revealing his identity. It was also about empowerment for ministry. At his Baptism Jesus received the Holy Spirit to empower his to do his Father’s work in the world. The Holy Spirit worked through Jesus’ life to accomplish his Father’s will. After Jesus ascended to His Father’s side, God gave the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers, so that they could continue his work in the world.

In baptism, we also are given the Holy Spirit. As God’s children, we are empowered with God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift for his children. God invites us to participate in his ministry. God empowers us to do his work in the world. We are called to allow the life of God to live through our lives. When we do our lives will reflect our father’s life. Our lives will reflect our father’s values. This is what it means to be children of God.

When we do, God will be present in his world through our lives. We will begin to show forth the light of Christ in our world. We are invited to be participants in the ministry of God. What an exciting invitation.

Perhaps you were named for someone special. I was named for my mother’s favorite aunt.

This story was originally published February 1, 2016 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Words of Faith: Were you named for someone special?."