Meanwhile, the Holy Name remained on its feast day. A constant, yet unattended reminder that something even greater than the celebration of a New Year is upon us. A reminder that that name, given above every other name, not only has meaning in our lives, but has shaped our lives in infinite ways. Were it not for that Holy Name and its bearer, we would not be sitting in this building today. Perhaps we would be sitting in a synagogue, awaiting the Messiah, or a mosque, or one of the many pagan temples around the world. But we would not be sitting in church.

The church, or ekklesia, is a gathering of people under a common cause – and the cause of this church is wrapped up in the Holy name. The name of Jesus.

Names, whether we like it or not, become part of who we are. They can be used against us, in epithets hurled by our enemies, or they can be endearing terms for the tenderest moments.

Names in the ancient world had a power all their own. One’s name was a hallmark of one’s character; places were often named according to events that occurred. Biblical names were changed according to God’s work in one’s life. Jacob the Supplanter became Israel, prince with God. Abraham’s son was named Isaac, or laughter, because Sarah had laughed at the angels who came to tell her she was to bear a son in her old age.

Even today names and titles have connotations that aren’t forgotten. The Rose Bowl. USC. New Year’s Eve. Times Square. All conjure up instant images in our minds.

But for the image of God in the minds of the Hebrew people, there was no name that was sufficient.

In the days of Abraham, God was spoken of as El – a name associated with other gods worshipped in the region. Hundreds of years later, Moses asked the name of the voice of the one who spoke from the burning bush, and was given the name, "I am that I am." It became translated into Hebrew culture as an unpronounceable name – too holy to be spoken. By the time the psalmist was writing, God was often referred to as Adonai, or Lord – a term denoting God’s position more than personality.

Then the day came when a prophet spoke of a child that would be born, and called Immanuel – God with us. It wasn’t as though God had not been with humanity before – but in the word of the prophet came the promise of God’s accessibility – something which through the centuries of religious observance had been lost. Years later, an angel was sent by God to a young woman – and Mary was told that she would give birth to a boy named Jesus, meaning "God saves." In doing so, Mary became Theotokos, or God-bearer. Since that day, we have a name that is accessible to us – a name associated with the greatness of God.

Paul’s message to the Roman church points out that he was called to be an apostle for the sake of Jesus’ name. And in that name, Paul sends his message to those who listen – grace and peace be with you from God the Father, and that Holy name, the Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is an echo of the scripture in Exodus, where Moses, in obedience to God, went up on Mt. Sinai, there to be greeted by the Lord in a cloud, who shouted the Name: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love…."

It resounds again in the psalm we heard today – O lord our Governor, how exalted is your Name….

And with the greatness of this name comes the revelation that it belongs to a God who desires to dwell with humanity.

A god that is mindful of us
A god that made us just a little lower than the angels, and adorned us with glory and honor.
A god willing to come in flesh and dwell among us, as John writes – "we have seen his glory – the glory of the One and Only, who came from the father, full of grace and truth."

In the words of St. Augustine, "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee".

Not only do we serve a god who desires to dwell with us, but we also bear his name –
We are Christians – little Christs.
It is as though the church, in its wisdom, began to call its members "Jesus Junior."

We, like Mary, have become God-bearers, for we bear the Holy Name. And like Paul, we have been called for the sake of that name.

With that knowledge comes great freedom, and a great responsibility. Like anyone belonging to a long line of heralded ancestry, we have the responsibility to act in ways that bring honor to the one whose name we bear. At the same time we have the freedom to act as though the one we’re named after rules the universe.

Most of all, we have the opportunity to draw near to this one whose name we bear, the one who loves us and gave himself for us, who desired fellowship with humanity to such a degree that he was willing to become flesh and blood and dwell among us.

Therefore, in this New Year, let us draw near. Let us bear the Holy name with pride, and take up our call to be god-bearers in this world. AMEN