The Circumcision and Holy Name of our Lord- 1 January- Luke 2:21

 On the traditional church calendar, the first day of January is not observed as New Year's Day. In fact, for much of church history, even the secular or civil new year was not observed in January. When the early Books of Common Prayer were published, the civil new year was still observed on 25 March (and continued this way until the new British calendar in 1752). On the church calendar, January 1 is the eighth day of Christmas (the liturgical Octave), and this day recalls the circumcision and naming of the Holy Child in accord with Jewish tradition.

One finds an emphasis on the name in the traditional Gospel assigned on this day. Luke 2:21 states that at the circumcision, the child "was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."  Jesus (Greek IESOU, Aramaic YESHUA) was a common Jewish name of the time, meaning "The LORD saves." In the case of this child, the common name has a special significance. This child born in Bethlehem is the divine Word incarnate who has come to save His people. Thus, the most appropriate way for us to begin a new year is to praise the holy name of Jesus and give thanks for the salvation that has come in the Christ Child!

Circumcision of Christ- January 1- Luke 2:21

 Of course, the first day of January is the secular New Year, and we pray for God’s blessings during the year. However, because of worldly and pagan associations, Christian churches have often avoided giving much attention to the secular new year. So January 1 has other associations on the church calendar. One important association of January 1 is the event mentioned in the Prayer Book Gospel for the day, That event is the circumcision and public naming of the Christ Child when He was a week old.

Luke 2:21, points to this event. “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."  The first part of the event is Christ's circumcision. The holy Child is a real Jewish boy whose pious parents make sure that He becomes part of the covenant people. He who is above the Law becomes subject to the Law to save human beings. He fulfills the Law perfectly and embodies the Gospel.

The second part of the event is the public naming of the Child. The Gospels stress that Christ’s name is no accident. In Matthew 1:21, the angel tells Joseph, " And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."  The name Jesus comes from Hebrew and Aramaic names that mean "the LORD will save." The name Jesus reflects Christ's identity and purpose. It reveals His mission in the world. He is the Lord God who comes among us in the flesh. His name reflects Isaiah's prophecy that He is Immanuel, “God with us.” He is the one who saves.

So on January 1, we give thanks that Jesus Christ obeys and fulfills God’s Law for our sake. His circumcision and naming mark Him as the One who has come to fulfill the covenant promises in a perfect way. He was and is the Lord who saves!

Easter V- Rogation- John 16:23

The Fifth Sunday after Easter has long been called Rogation Sunday. This name is derived from the Latin verb rogare, which means "to request, to pray." The theme of prayer is found in the Gospel for the Sunday. In John 16:23, Jesus promises His disciples, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." This verse marks the beginning of the Christian practice of praying in Jesus' name.

Sometimes, we may wonder how this promise can be true. Disciples ancient and modern have not always prayed wisely or consistently. Even prayers for clearly good things do not always receive an obviously affirmative or immediate answer. Often our human requests are limited in outlook or intention. There may even be times when with hindsight we are happy that our original petitions were not fulfilled exactly the way we had in mind. Nevertheless, we do believe Christ's promise is true. We believe that God does hear and answer prayers that are truly in Christ's name.

So what does it really mean to pray in Jesus' name? Praying in Christ's name, for His sake, or through Him means that we pray according to His nature and intentions. It means praying with a humble and faithful attitude. Such prayers may include various specific requests, but more importantly, they always include the idea, spoken or unspoken, "thy will be done." The privilege of praying in the name and in the spirit of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus is one of the greatest gifts for us as Christians, Let us make good and continuous use of this gift!

The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus- 1 January- Luke 2:21; Philippians 2:9

The first of January has been associated with several liturgical observances in the history of the Church. From at least the 800's, the Roman rite commemorated Christ's Circumcision on this eighth day of Christmas. Books of Common Prayer from 1549 through 1928 in the US and 1962 in Canada continued this emphasis. Stressing Christ's circumcision fits in with the reality of the Incarnation. Jesus of Nazareth, God the Son, was a real Jewish male. He humbled Himself, continued the covenant with Abraham, Moses and David, and came to fulfill all righteousness. 

Another emphasis on this day is the name of Jesus. Some recent Anglican calendars have made this the title of the feast, but one also finds an emphasis on the name in the traditional Epistle and Gospel.  In the Epistle from Philippians 2:9, we read, "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." In St. Luke 2:21 , we read that at the circumcision the child "was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."  Of course, Jesus (Greek IESOU, Aramaic YESHUA) was a common Jewish name, meaning "The LORD saves." In the case of this holy child, the common name takes on special significance. This child born in Bethlehem is the Lord Himself come to save His people. And Christ's work in the heavenly Father's plan for human salvation is what gives Him a name above every name. What better way for us to begin the New Year than by praising His holy name and giving thanks for the salvation that has come in the Christ Child!