Nicknames that Stick

Jan. 4: Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Naming someone is an important responsibility. You’re giving them an identity, something to live up to. We take naming our children very seriously.

But would you accept someone changing your name when you’re an adult? Maybe if it was Jesus.

Reading 1

1 Jn 3:7-10

Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

This is an easy reading to get wrong. It sort of sounds like if you sin, you belong to the Devil; if you belonged to God, you simply wouldn’t sin.

If that were true, everything would be pointless. It’s obvious that everyone sins, so are we all just children of the devil?

No. “No one who is begotten by God commits sin.” We were made, not begotten. Jesus is the only one who’s sinless. We aren’t born children of God the Father. But we can choose to be adopted, through baptism, and by acting in righteousness and loving our brothers and sisters. It’s a constant choice, and therefore a constant struggle.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 98:1, 7-8, 9

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD comes;
he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Jesus has won the victory over death, and that’s worth singing about. Even the rivers and seas clap their hands. But it’s not over yet. There’s still work to be done on Earth, which is why we’re here and the Church continues under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will come, and we have to be ready.

Alleluia

Heb 1:1-2

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets:
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia

We’re blessed. We not only have the prophets as guides, but we also have the Word of God Himself as well.

Gospel

Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter. 

Recall in yesterday’s reading, John had said he didn’t recognize Jesus, but now he does. So much so, that he basically sends his own disciples after him.

John the Baptist truly wasn’t in it for his own glory. It wasn’t fake humility that caused him to wear animal skins and live in the desert. He really was announcing the Messiah, and when he saw Him, he gladly pointed it out.

All these centuries later, we remember and honor him. How about that?

So, Andrew and John, son of Zebedee,¹ decide to literally follow him, and listen to him all day. (The 4:00pm note implies that the sun is going down, and they have to stop for the night.)

Andrew tells his brother Simon he’s found the Messiah. Jesus only has to look at him to know him. Remember, John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, admits he didn’t recognize Jesus as Christ at first, but that doesn’t happen both ways.

Jesus just knows. He has plans for Simon Peter.

And Peter accepts it. Jesus must have been a powerful presence for Peter to accept a name change like that, from a near-total stranger. I can picture the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, or the calming of the sea, or any number of miracles, but I genuinely have a hard time imagining the level of charisma that it would’ve taken to enrapture people in such a short time.

But we have faith that we won’t have to imagine it, eventually.

1. A third John!!!