Journeying With Christ: The Coptic Month of Kiahk of the Nativity Fastናሙና

Week 4 Theme: The Birth of St. John the Forerunner

Day 2: Naming the Child

Choosing a name for a child is a significant and meaningful decision. In today's passage, we witness the opposition faced by St. Elizabeth and St. Zacharias when they named their son John, as instructed by the Archangel Gabriel. It reminds us of the importance of following God's plan, even when faced with opposition. The Early Church Father, St. Augustine, teaches that names have meaning and power. Let us therefore seek God's guidance in naming and raising our children, entrusting their lives to His care as we journey with Christ.

Names carry a weight of significance in the Bible and they often reflect the character, destiny, or purpose of an individual. The name "John" means "God is gracious." It was a name chosen by God Himself to signify the graciousness of His plan and the role that John would fulfill in preparing the way for the Messiah. St. Clement of Alexandria beautifully expresses the power of names, saying, "For, of course, all things will be what their names represent them to be; and what they are and ever will be, that will they be called". A name is a word which carries the nature of the thing named and the name "John" encapsulated the divine purpose and calling upon this child's life.

In the modern secular world we live in we may be questioned or opposed in the choices we make, and therefore it is essential to remember that we ultimately answer to God. St. Elizabeth and St. Zacharias faced opposition from their relatives when they named their child John, but they remained steadfast in their obedience to God's plan. They understood that God's ways are higher than human understanding and that His guidance is ultimately what matters. Let God be the teacher of our thoughts and actions and while humans can communicate knowledge, the ultimate source of wisdom and understanding is God. As we journey with Christ, let us seek His guidance and trust in His divine wisdom, even in the face of opposition.

The name “John” was not only a sign of God's grace and plan but also a declaration of the child's purpose. St. John's role, as the Forerunner, was to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and it reminds us that each person has a unique calling and purpose in God's kingdom. St. Augustine reminds us of the importance of discovering and embracing God's plan for our lives, saying, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us" (Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament). Just as God had a specific purpose for St. John, He has a purpose for each one of us; let us therefore seek His guidance and surrender our lives to His divine plan.

Naming our children is more than just choosing a label; it is an act of entrusting their lives to God. It is an acknowledgment that they belong to Him and that He has a plan for their future. Baptism is the sacrament of the new birth and it is the dedication of our names to God; when one is baptized in the Orthodox Church, they are given a name and the Orthodox Christian acquires an identity akin to that of the saint of whose name they now bear. Through baptism, our children are named and claimed by God, and we commit to raising them in His ways, modeled after the saint of whose name they now bear.

As we journey with Christ, let us be intentional in the naming of our children. Let us seek God's guidance, recognizing the power and significance of names. May we remember that our children are not only gifts to us but also gifts to the world, with unique purposes ordained by God and as we face opposition or doubts, may we remain steadfast in following God's plan, knowing that His ways are perfect.