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Opportunities for practice

Hope and trust in God are two hallmarks of our Christian faith. Yet these virtues are not something that we always “have” but rather are virtues that need to be practiced. And for most of the residents of the United States, we are in the midst of multiple opportunities to practice them.

Last week started for me with a winter storm that left me without power for most of the afternoon. While I did my best to grin and bear it, using the opportunity to say a rosary and do a little bit of weaving, as what little daylight faded, I started to get anxious about when power would be restored. With temperatures much below normal, in the 20’s, my home was getting considerably chillier. I was relieved when it finally came back on and I could heat up leftovers for a late dinner. Unbeknownst to me, other areas of my region were suffering from a lack of water when the water treatment plant lost power that morning. It took about a week to get everyone restored back to normal. This is just one little incident that was affected by the cold weather and frozen precipitation from a storm that went through numerous southern states, from Texas and Arkansas all the way through to Georgia and up through my state of Virginia. 

If vicious cold and wintery weather did not affect folks, then it was the strong winds in California that spread the flames burning whole neighborhoods to ashes. Each hour that goes by seems to have another movie or TV actor announcing that their home has been destroyed. While it can be helpful to have familiar names and faces associated with the tragedy, it can be very easy for us to shrug off the impact since they have the money to rebuild. What about for all those who support the entertainment industry and the people who work within it? It’s also the non-famous people who are part of the community that have been affected. It’s the local business owners who not only lost their home but also their livelihood. Natural questions that arise in this devastation include: why did this happen, how will I recover, and what happens next? Not all of these questions come with satisfying answers.

One might turn to the book of Job for comfort. Job lost everything and though he complained to God and asked for why he was being thus punished, he never cursed God. There will always be periods of suffering in our lives and when we are in the depth of misery during these times, it can be hard to see that brighter days will come. Like the three friends of Job who try to comfort him, many will try to speak words of comfort, yet the pain of suffering continues. However, we are all called not to focus on our earthly lives, but in all our actions to desire the kingdom of heaven and what will lead us there. When we are struggling, we both seek the assistance of God as well as offer the fruit of the struggle for His will to be done. “Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father, the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire.” (CCC 1820)

When life seems to be favourable to us, it is easy to say that our hope and trust is in God and His will for us. Yet in the face of hardship and suffering, it is then that we illustrate our hope and trust in God. It doesn’t mean we face it all with radiant joy, it means that we ask for His help. It doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing, but that we pray for guidance and take action. It doesn’t mean that we focus only on our needs, but look around to those going through the same suffering and ask how we can help others and to share the burden of the ordeal. 

January certainly seems to be giving us many opportunities to practice hope and trust in God. Let us pray for all those who continue to suffer the consequences of the various weather events and seek ways to help them recover. 

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Welcoming what’s next

January seems like a time for new beginnings. We seem eager to make resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, spend time with family, and pray more consistently. But are we really open to what’s next?

As human beings, we exist in a realm of time. We mark the passage of it and make plans for what will come. From seconds to hours, days to centuries, no amount of time is too small or too big for us to track, or at least we try to do so. Yet, we really don’t have any control over time. We can’t slow it down or make it go faster. Neither can we control what happens at any point in time. We can make the most perfect plan, and circumstances outside of our control render a whole timetable… useless. No matter how many times this happens to us, we keep making plans. Perhaps this is a reflection of the deep-seeded hope we all have as children of God. We don’t know what will happen next, so we broadly choose to be hopeful and optimistic. There may be circumstances when this is difficult, like when dealing with a health crisis. However, our Catholic faith encourages us during these difficult moments — even when facing the possibility of death — that not only is God with us, but that the end of earthly life is not the end of our existence. 

At the start of the year, time has so much potential and promise. We may have a long-awaited trip that suddenly seems imminent. Perhaps there is a new job or a new home that we’re preparing for. There is a sense of excitement about what’s to come. Usually, though, these are all plans that we have made. We are ready and looking forward to them. But what about all the things that happen that are unexpected? Are we looking forward to them? Are we ready to welcome surprises in our lives? For some, the answer is an easy yes, no matter if it seems to be a positive change or an unpleasant challenge. Many will have some level of struggle, depending on the unanticipated result. 

Since we are still in the Christmas season, the example of the Holy Family is one to keep in mind throughout the year, especially when we do face the unforeseen. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem may have been planned by God, but wasn’t expected when Mary and Joseph were initially betrothed. Another curve ball was thrown their way when the angel in Joseph’s dream told him to flee to Egypt. Neither event was easy for them and we will never really appreciate the strength of faith it took for them to participate in God’s salvific will. In our modern day of convenience, any interruption to ease is made into a catastrophe. We’re so accustomed to having things mostly go our way, that we struggle to imagine that the unexpected could result in something positive or will bring about a greater good than our initial expectation.

While it’s good for us to make plans for 2025, perhaps one of the improvements we can practice is to be open to the unexpected. Practice does not mean that we will respond immediately with gladness at every unplanned situation that occurs, nor should we. It means we will reflect on our responses and strive to have a peace-filled approach to future ones, remembering God is with us and allowing Him to bring the best possible outcome regardless of circumstances. And if the surprise is truly unwelcomed, it’s okay to ask God to help us through it. He may not remove the obstacle from our life experience, but He will assist us as we navigate through it. 

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Doors are open

Welcome to 2025, the year of being pilgrims of hope! This is a special opportunity for all Catholics to commit to improving their spiritual life by participating in the jubilee year.

Although Pope Francis announced the intention of a jubilee year way back in 2022, the official proclamation was through a papal bull — that is an edict by the pope — on the feast of the Ascension, May 9, 2024 along with the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. A jubilee year is a year set aside for the faith; it is a holy year. The roots of the jubilee lay in Leviticus, “You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.” (Lev 25:10) The first recorded jubilee year was 1300, although there is speculation/assumption that previous jubilee years were held but documentation has not survived for it. Subsequent popes called for various jubilee years and the formula, including the option to proclaim a holy year every 25 years instead of 50, developed over the centuries.

While Catholics are called to deepen their faith in the yearly celebrations of Advent through Christmas and Lent through Easter, the focus is often on preparing for the holy day locally at the parish. A holy year encourages each Catholic to go beyond their daily lives, to step out in faith and become a pilgrim to the Vatican. Special doors of the basilica are opened and pilgrims enter through these doors as a sign and symbol of a renewed faith and reconciliation with God. For those who are unable to travel to Rome, dioceses and specific shrines throughout the world designate special doors for the same purpose. A holy year is meant for Catholics to identify where they need to grow in their faith, especially in conjunction with the jubilee theme, to practice charitable outreach, and for reconciliation. 

The liberty proclaimed in Leviticus translates to liberty from temporal consequences of sin for a Catholic who participates in the requirements of a jubilee year. This year’s decree calls for pilgrimage, pious visits to sacred places, and works of mercy and penance. These activities should be conducted after a person has been “purified through the sacrament of penance, refreshed by Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.” The activities and requirements of a holy year invite us all to reflect on our lives and use the opportunity of the sacrament of penance to come closer to God and experience His mercy. God does not want to punish us for our sins, but in His justice He allows for us to turn away from Him and to indulge in our desires. When we seek reconciliation, we acknowledge the actions we’ve taken against God’s will and ask for both His forgiveness and help to avoid sin in the future. Thus, when we have celebrated both sacraments of penance and Eucharist, we are more open to the opportunities of the jubilee year and the graces it brings.

Pilgrims of Hope, the theme for this Holy Year, is a reminder that we are to be the light of Christ to the world. We need to take the time to have a relationship with Him, which is encouraged through going on a pilgrimage and piously visiting sacred places. These locations can remind us through their symbolism of how God loves and provides for us. By traveling to a holy place outside of our normal routine, we illustrate the importance of our faith in our lives and that we want a deeper relationship with the Lord. After soaking up and being rejuvenated by the spiritual, we will be able to look for opportunities to reach out within our community to practice the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy. While many may already participate in charitable acts, a holy year calls us to go deeper, to seek out new opportunities to bring the hope we have received in the strengthening of our faith. 

The website for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a page dedicated to information for the jubilee year. It includes a prayer for the holy year, a special hymn, and information on the shrines in the United States that Catholics can make a pilgrimage to satisfy a jubilee requirement. As the year progresses, dioceses and parishes may offer jubilee events. Our responsibility is to pay attention, be aware of these, and consider if God may be calling us to participate in these events.

The Church is giving us a special opportunity this year of 2025. How will you respond to the call to be a Pilgrim of Hope? 

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Christmas message

Merry Christmas! It’s finally here. The day we’ve been preparing weeks for has arrived. Now we celebrate by responding to the marvelous message God has given creation: His Son.

The past few weeks may have seemed overwhelming, not just in activities but all the directives that have come our way. It seems impossible not to be bombarded with announcements of the best gift to give loved ones, instructions on how to decorate, and setting expectations to party with family and friends. As enjoyable as gift-giving, decking the halls, and festive gatherings are, we can find ourselves feeling a bit “grinchy” this time of year. These messages, be it via television, social media, or even in movies and music, can feel like it’s too much noise for our brains to process. The remedy is some quiet reflection with God and His message at the birth of Jesus.

To the shepherds, it was just another day on the job. These men were the lowest rank of society and probably didn’t enter villages and towns very often. Did they own the livestock they were watching or were they hired hands? Did they like their job? We don’t know because those details aren’t important. The important detail is their response to the angel’s message. Were they afraid? Possibly, but these men spent most of the time on guard, watching for predators and ready to intervene for the flock.They must have been rather hardy men, so it may have been more of shock and surprise that they would be the recipients of angelic tidings. They could have ignored the angels, or listened to their message and thought it was interesting but since it didn’t affect their flock that it was of no consequence to them. Instead, they sought out the new family. They had nothing to offer, except for one of the sheep or goats they were caring for. We also don’t know what happened afterwards, but there is no doubt they were changed because of the encounter. Because of the message, they became seekers of God and truth.

The magi are also known as wise men. Why are they considered wise? Because they were seekers. They studied the stars and other heavenly bodies, but they weren’t just satisfied with a general understanding of which stars were found where and at what time of year. When the natal star of Jesus arose, they recognized this one was different and sought out its meaning. The star was their message and they responded as well — to seek out the King of the Jews. They followed the light of this unusual celestial orb, not just to Jerusalem, where they expected to find a Jewish king, but further out to Bethlehem where the Holy Family was residing. Were they surprised at the humble abode of this princely son? Did they feel like they had been duped when they realized the simplicity of the family? Given the detail in Matthew’s Gospel that they returned home by a different route after being warned in a dream, these men were changed.(Mat 2:12) What they did and said when they returned to their homes is unknown. The importance of the magi is that all are called to seek and receive the message of Christmas, God-becoming-man to save us from ourselves and repair the fractured relationship with God, so that we too can be called sons and daughters of Him who created us.

My Christmas wish for you is that you are able to take the time to be seekers of truth and respond to the message God sent us so many years ago. May the coming of Jesus into your hearts change you to become the best version of yourself in alignment with God’s will. Christmas blessings to you all! Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all mankind.

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Prepare for peace

Just one week left… until it’s Christmas. One of the titles of Jesus is Prince of Peace. In these last days, let our final preparations make us ready to receive peace.

Christmas can be a very hectic time of year, especially for parents with young children. Peace may seem like a far away dream. Yet even a solo person can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of decorating, baking, visiting, and just trying to make the most of the events during this season. It may be early mornings or late nights as we try and squeeze in as much holiday fun as we can. As wonder-filled as these activities are, they can also leave us drained and lower our ability to find peace. 

What is peace? One of the five definitions, according to Merriam-Webster, is freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. While there were others that referred to societal or relational states, I thought that definition was the best one to fit what Jesus brings to us. Out of our personal peace can we then have relationships and a society that can be at peace. Perhaps the best definition is the one we heard in last Sunday’s second reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians, “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7)

How can we prepare for peace? One of the best methods is reconciliation, not just the sacrament, but also to apologize to those whom we have wronged. Seeking forgiveness from others requires us to be humble, to be vulnerable to another while admitting our mistake. We can also choose to forgive those that we may be harboring hurt feelings against. Whether it’s an old hurt or a new, raw one, when we let go of the pain we are carrying, we can be open to the peace of God. We can’t seek or grant forgiveness completely by ourselves as it’s often a burden that is too hard for us to lift and we need to seek God’s assistance for the strength to do so. Passing judgements and holding grudges are both oppressive thoughts and disquieting emotions. Every time we think of whatever the wrong that was done is an opportunity to feed the negativity that builds up the burden and makes it harder to forgive or find forgiveness. 

Just like joy and needing a savior, peace is also something that we need to be open to receiving. We can say we want it, but if we build walls of resentment  towards others, peace is not something that can find a home in us. Taking time for quiet contemplation and prayer can help us identify where we need to address the hurt that we caused or that was directed towards us. In the quiet silence, yet another definition of peace, we can encounter the mercy of Jesus, allowing it to be both a balm for our hurts and the strength to seek forgiveness from others. 

Peace is not something we can take, rather it is something we receive. If we can receive it, does that mean we can give it? Only when we are at peace ourselves can we share it with those around us and in turn welcome their peace into ourselves. Thus we can only welcome Jesus as Prince of Peace when we have prepared ourselves to receive and share peace. May we all be able to find a moment each day to prepare to receive the peace that only God can give us at Christmas. 

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Prepare for joy

As we approach the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, we are reminded that we are to rejoice, the translation of gaudete. How can we prepare to be full of joy?

There can be many reasons why it can be hard to be joyful, even during the Christmas season. Perhaps it’s the recent loss of a loved one or the anniversary of their passing. Perhaps it’s physical ailment that’s hampering your preparation. Sometimes it’s circumstances that we find ourselves in that make stress and worry seem to be more plentiful than joy. God knows all that we are going through, but He does not want us dwelling in what is holding us back from experiencing His love, peace, and joy. He knows that we each need a little joy in our life, not just at Christmas, but every day. At Christmas, however, we are called to be joyful through the hope-filled faith in the Baby Jesus. 

One breath. One heartbeat. Sometimes in order to find joy, we need to look at the smallest things. As overwhelming as life can get, we can find joy in the moment when we take in a deep breath, or listen to our heart beating. I may not be able to thank God for the struggle, but I can thank God for allowing me another second, another minute, another hour, or another day. Perhaps joy can be found in the presence of a loved one, in a smile on a child’s face, or just the beauty of nature in your community. If we look for things to rejoice about, we will find them. Instead of focusing our attention on what ails us, this season we are called to focus on the joy God has given us in this world. We can choose to be joyful, even if it is for a fleeting moment of the day. 

The Gospel reading for the third Sunday of Advent gives insight to ways that can lead us to be joyful (Lk 3:10-18). John the Baptist counsels the people to share the food and clothing they have, thinking of others’ needs rather than themselves. If we are having trouble finding joy in our lives, sometimes helping others, donating our time or money, can give us a boost to find joy this season. While John the Baptist tells the tax collectors not to take more than prescribed and the soldiers to be satisfied with their wages, we can interpret that for our age of being satisfied with what we have, rather than being jealous of others. This is a great reminder that when we receive a gift this season, that we appreciate whatever the giver has gifted us, rather than complaining or rejecting the gift. When we rejoice over what we have, and share with others who are in need — and share the joy of our plenty — we will find the peace of the Spirit in ourselves.

If we want to rejoice this Christmas season, we do need to prepare ourselves to receive the gift of joy that God wants to bestow on us. We need to be open to whatever manner that joy will come into our lives. Let us use this third week of Advent to pray each day to be a willing recipient to the joy of Christmas.  

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Preparing for a Savior

In our fallen world, we all need a savior, and that’s what Jesus is. But how do we prepare for being saved?

Before all the holiday festivities start, we take the time of Advent to prepare. As we approach the second Sunday in Advent, we are reminded of Jesus’ immediate forerunner, John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who called people to repentance through baptism. John was not baptizing to forgive the people’s sins, only a sacrament instituted by Jesus would be able to do that. The baptism John provided was a sign, a symbol, an acknowledgement that a person was taking accountability for the sins they committed. They were being baptized to turn a page in their book of life not to fall back into the same sins they had been committing. The waters of baptism were like a rebirth, a new starting point, and a new way to live. 

Like the people in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, we too are especially called in Advent to acknowledge our sins. Only instead of being submerged in water, we humbly seek God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation. In order to be saved, we need to identify what is keeping us from a close relationship with God. While God loves us at every moment of our lives, that does not mean He wants us to continue our sinful ways. When we choose our will over God’s will, we turn away from Him and prohibit His grace from having its fullest effect. When we see another, do we see the reflection of the Divine Image within or do we pass judgment based on looks and actions? Having a relationship with God is not only about loving Him and His will for us, but also those who He has placed in our path each day. 

I don’t want to be saved, I need to be saved. We may be able to bumble our way through life with a mediocre relationship with God, and if that’s all there was, that may be acceptable. But our lives do not end with the completion of our earthly life, our souls live on. If we want to be in the presence of God for all eternity, just wanting to be saved is not enough. We should consider our savior as  equivalent to air to those choking or nourishment to those starving. We raise our hands and cry out from the depth of our souls to be rescued. Advent preparation is our time to stop what we are doing, turn to God, and seek His forgiveness and assistance. Like a person who needs to be rescued, we don’t continue in our daily routine, but interrupt it and focus on who and where our help is coming from. 

In order for Jesus to be our Savior, we need to desire to change our sinful habits, take responsibility for our sins, and sincerely commit to improve our behavior. While celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation is an important part of our preparation, equally important is taking extra time for God; by praying, reading the scriptures, and meditating on His words and blessings. By seeing Jesus in all the people we meet and offering to God all that we do each day, we will spread God’s love throughout the Advent season.

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Saving Promise

The season of Advent begins on Sunday, and it is synonymous with waiting. Yet it is also a time of fulfillment. Can both be possible at the same time?

God’s promise of a savior was made to Adam and Eve at their fall. They had disrupted their relationship with God, contaminating it for all their offspring. God then spends the generations documented in the Old Testament as preparation for the Savior, His Son. While some may view this time as God withholding His promise, He wasn’t causing the delay for no reason. The people needed to learn how to be a people of God, albeit very imperfectly. This is the first sense of Advent, waiting for a promise, yet being prepared for the same. It is an active waiting, and to some degree, it is the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise.

Many people may equate Advent with the gestation of Jesus in Mary’s womb. Thankfully we only have to wait for four Sundays and a few days rather than the normal nine months that Mary did. Yet here again is both waiting and fulfillment. No longer was there preparation of the Israelites, the Savior was conceived and growing in Mary. The angel’s announcement and Mary’s consent put the promise into action. But there was still waiting needed: waiting for a child to be born and waiting for a child to grow to maturity. 

When Jesus started his mission work, it too was both a time of waiting and a time of fulfillment. People were being healed, their souls were being saved one by one. Yet the Savior would need to die for all, and not just die, but resurrect as well. That would be the complete fulfillment and that would be after three years of traveling around the Judean countryside preaching and teaching. 

The Advent season commemorates the seasons of waiting and fulfillment in the past, as well as preparing for the current Christmas season, and the return of Jesus at the end of time. Our activities should be a healthy mix of pondering and preparing for all three. It is comforting to consider that God does not leave us up to our own devices during our waiting. As God gave the most excellent Gift of His only Son in order that we can have a relationship with Him, we are called to put into practice the love God has for all His children, by sacrificing a bit of our time, talent, or treasure with those in need of our help. We don’t just stand idly by waiting for December 25, instead we seek to grow our relationship with God by seeking out quiet time with Him, celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, and correcting bad habits that continue to keep us from doing God’s will.

As we focus our attention on the single, purple candle lit in the Advent wreath this weekend, let us open our hearts to both patience in waiting, and a quick response to the opportunities that will prepare our souls for Jesus’ coming.

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Heavenly mansion

We have just over a week left of this liturgical year and the readings are focused on the end of time. While the physical world may be tethered to time and space, our soul will continue to live in eternity. How we see eternal life in heaven may be more strongly influenced but what we rank as important.

In John’s Gospel during the Last Supper, Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (Jn 14:1-3) At one point, instead of using the word dwelling place, it was translated as mansion. In the English language, there are so many different words one could use when describing a place where one lives, but a dwelling place does not ring very cozy vibes or a sense of belonging. Why isn’t the word home used in the translation? A quick look in Merriam-Webster for the definition of dwell and the definitions solidify the use of this word: 1 – to remain, 2 – to live/exist, 3 – to keep the attention directed. 

Heaven is a place where, provided that we cooperated with God’s will for our life, we will remain forever with God. It is also a place where our immortal souls will continue living until the end of time when they will be reunited with our bodies, so that both soul and body will be living in heaven. And most fundamentally, heaven is the place where we will be in the presence of God, with all our attention on Him. Heaven is, literally, a place to dwell with God, in the fullest possible meaning of the word. 

After this exploration, why does seeing, and perhaps thinking about a heavenly mansion give a little thrill of wonder and excitement at the possibility, unlike the reference of a dwelling place? Is it in the preparation; that God is making it special just for us? Is it about being rewarded for the hardships we endure? If we just suffer through whatever issue is plaguing us, that will make our place in heaven bigger or grander? Or do we think that everyone will receive their own 5 million square foot mini palace? If God sits on a throne, why can’t we have a mini palace? 

As I was thinking about this post, instead of countless sprawling mansions, I pictured something that would have been used in monasteries and abbeys, where you would have a central church and communal gathering space, encircled by a small courtyard that itself would be surrounded by the individual cells of the religious community members living there. As God is infinite, those cells or rooms can be stacked vertically into infinity and everyone has a front-row seat to God’s presence, each from the place that is their own. We will never truly know until we get there, but I like the image. 

Perhaps as we close out the liturgical year and prepare to enter the Advent season, we think of our current home as a dwelling place, where God remains, lives with us each day, and is our primary focus for all that we do. If we begin to live this heavenly attitude now, it won’t matter if it is a shack or a castle, but as long as we belong in God’s presence, it will be all that we need for eternity.

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Known and named

A name is more than just a label or an identifier. Not only is it necessary in the secular world, but also in the spiritual realm.

Awhile ago, I was watching an old episode of Cesar Millan’s The Dog Whisperer in which he made a comment to the person he was assisting something to the effect of: dogs do not have names in the pack, they use the energy they present to identify themself to the pack members. While I’m not sure if that’s true across all other species outside of humans, it is certainly true that humans do have some sort of naming mechanism, which differs by culture, region, and time period. We learn to respond to our name at a very young age and it is reinforced as people repeatedly address us using that name. A name is also how we catalog what we know about a particular person, as we associate the information we know either first hand or have gathered from other sources. If we don’t know someone, it’s because we’ve either never met them or have never learned about them. Our name serves as our label when others are using us as a reference point. While the name Jesus may be spelled or pronounced differently in other languages, using that name in English, especially if we use one of His titles with it, like Christ or Messiah, we all know about whom is being spoken.

Most children are given a name either at their birth or shortly thereafter which becomes their identity on earth. While we are all members of God’s family since He created us, it is through the sacrament of baptism that we are called, by name, to have a special relationship with God. We are claimed to be members that will participate as the body of Jesus on earth, seeking to do His will. Through baptism, the doors of grace are opened wider and are more accessible to us. Most times our legal name we are given at birth is also the name given at baptism. While it is no longer a requirement that a child/person being baptized have the name of a saint or virtue, naming a child after a saint is a way not only to honor the work God has done through that saint, but also to have that saint be an intercessor for that person throughout their life. The same holds true for those who take a different name for the sacrament of confirmation.

Just like in the first book of Samuel, the Lord calls out to us by name (1 Sam 3:10). It may not be audibly heard as in Samuel’s case, but He is always seeking a closer relationship with us. In the book of Revelations, it says that those faithful to God, will receive a new name known only between the person and God. (Rev 2:17) This practice of receiving a new name is found throughout the Bible: Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and Simon became Peter. It continues for those in religious life who may take or augment their name to include a saint or a title or attribute of Mary or Jesus. The first thing upon being chosen as pope is the question of how they will be addressed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “To live in heaven is ‘to be with Christ.’ The elect live ‘in Christ,’ but they retain, or rather find, their true identity, their own name.” (CCC 1025) This statement from the CCC has plenty to ponder. Our infinite God will name us and provide us a truly unique identity. For those of us who have met other people with our same name, the thought of God creating a name just for us for all eternity is a rather thrilling prospect. God is so creative, and my brain is so limited, I can’t really fathom what kind of a name God would use for me. He’s not limited to naming me for my physical characteristics like being short or having a loud voice. Since He can see my soul and my true intentions for every action I take, would He use a name to describe me from that perspective? Or are there other spiritual characteristics that I may not be tuned into, since I’m still living in a physical world? It’s yet another reason to seek a relationship with God now, in order to rejoice in the name He bestows upon our arrival in heaven.

Names matter. They are the way we interact within our world and with each other. They are also how we interact with God and those who have preceded us and how we will interact with those who come after us.