Year B Lent II Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Mark 8:31-38

I have called you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

How often do we think about a name? For Christians, certainly when we are called to name someone at a baptism. The time leading up to this great event can be stressful especially if family members do not agree. Sometimes arguments can arise over the source from which the name is chosen. Will the name be symbolic of virtues and hopes, will it be a family name, one handed down through generations, or will it be based on popular trends?

There was a time when a child was named for a saint, or a “saintly” relative, or was named for a Biblical individual. Another way of choosing was to name the child after a Christian virtue. Care was given to naming, and though family disagreements might have arisen, the choice was always solidly based in our Christian faith. Nowadays, however, it seems that, more and more, popular trends rule choices.

Even when I was in my twenties, which was a long time ago, I could see this happening. Back then there must have been a million baby girls in our country named “Heather”. In the 1970s it became very popular to give children of colour African names, and, not that long ago, children were receiving names like “zoom” and “tomato”. We seem to forget how important our name is, not just to us, but to God.

God said to Abram: No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;

Why would God change Abram’s name? The answer is, because names have meanings, and by changing Abram’s name God changed Abram’s status. In Hebrew, the name Abram means “exulted father,” while Abraham means “father of a multitude.”

Abram’s name change became a benediction of sorts. God memorialized Abraham’s obedience and faithfulness and blessed him for the road ahead. Abraham now had a new relationship with God, a new status, had entered a new stage in his life. Early Jews believed that to change a name altered one’s personality and fate. God is stepping into Abraham’s life, and changing everything.

Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

Sarah will share in Abraham’s blessing. Though she is past the years of child bearing, the Bible tells us she was ninety years old, God is promising she will be the mother of nations, that from her will come a son. God changes two names, and the course of history is altered forever.

Then Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ... And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!”

Fortunately for Peter, Jesus is not changing his name, only rebuking him for his stupidity and worldliness. But nonetheless, such a comment from the Beloved, from Jesus, would have taken Peter’s breath away. The implication is that what he, Peter, has said could only come from the mouth of the evil one.

In Lent, as we struggle to consider our sins, those things we do that offend our Lord, this encounter between Peter and Jesus should give us pause, and encourage us to think about some of the words that escape our lips. How many of us have, in moments of great frustration, or anger, uttered words that do not come from the Spirit, but rather from darkness? How do we think Jesus is responding to us as we do this? How offensive does He find our words, and what might be His response to us? Considering how He spoke to Peter, to the rock on which He would build His Church, what would He say to us?

Jesus called the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

It sounds like an overwhelming task. Jesus Himself fell under the weight of His cross, and yet He asks us to take up ours? Lent is a good time to reflect on what our Lord has said. Deny ourselves, means, as we know, more than giving up chocolates. There are many things we could deny ourselves – unbridled language among them. Along with other habits that offend God, speaking first and thinking second would be a very good thing to give up, not just during Lent, but permanently. Peter found this out abruptly.

Take up our cross! You can almost hear people complaining about this and that in their daily lives, as if they were perpetually weighed down by one cross or another. This is nothing like taking up the one cross that has been prepared for us and awaits our acceptance. Jesus is not telling us to patiently endure the great and small tribulations of life. He is definitely not exalting pain. Suffering, just for the sake of suffering, is not what we are called to. Rather, to take up our cross is to accept the call to love. Jesus calls us to share with Him His life and His choices. To carry our cross behind Jesus unites us to Him in offering the greatest proof of love.

When we begin to carry our cross, we find we are putting the needs of others on the same level as, or even above, our own. And, yes, this may mean we have to make sacrifices – and this is where the pain that means so much to God enters in. Loving until it hurts is what we may experience when we put aside our selfish wants in order to love unconditionally. This is what we are called to. This is what carrying our cross means, to love until it hurts.

It all sounds so noble and holy, but how are we supposed to do this? Paul tells us to look at Abraham: No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.

Ask Jesus for help! Then, trust His goodness and His love to grant the help needed. “Lord Jesus, help me to take up my cross, carry it, and follow You.” It’s just that simple. Speaking the Name of Jesus, calling Him by Name, has incredible power. He gave us that, a human Name by which we can talk to God.

It is Lent, a time to consider what we say and what we ask for. It is a time to increase our love for each other, for all creation, and deepen our trust in Jesus. He knows our names. Lent is a time to call Him by His Name and ask Him to make us holy people, so that when we at last meet Him face to face He will not only call us by name, He will call us His friends.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, we rejoice that You have asked Your friends to help You in Your work. Please show us the way to bring Your Love to others. Help us to accept and carry our cross, following in Your footsteps, accepting both the joy and the suffering that will bring. Let us live each day as channels of your love and grace and in honour of Your Name. All this we ask for Your love and mercy’s sake. Amen