Eight days after his birth Jesus was named. Luke records:
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
After all the hype and anxiety of preparation during Advent, the actual moment of Christmas passes quickly. Before we know it, we will be celebrating Jesus’ baptism (age around 30) and then move into Lent and Easter.
It is useful to intentionally pause and reflect on the wonder of Christmas. There are many phrases: Heaven touches earth, the Saviour of the World starts life as a tiny helpless baby, he will become the ‘world changer’, he is the one around whom the western calendar is planned. BC becomes AD. The Old Testament moves to the New Testament and everything changes.
In the Old Testament, this blessing was given by God to Moses to instruct Aaron and his priests.
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’
“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6: 21-27)
It is well known. I often use it in praying for others, adding ‘in Jesus’ name’ as I am using an Old Testament prayer with New Testament eyes. That blessing was of course given to build up the Israelite people from the God that they regarded as theirs.
So how does this apply today? Jesus changes everything, in this New Testament era, Christians believe that he has healed the divide between humankind and God and opened the way back to Heaven, he now tells us to go out to all nations (God is no longer the God of Israel only) and he says he’ll be with us always until the end of time. However, today’s world is different. We are in an era of post-truth or relative truth. People will say that “my truth is different to your truth”. World leaders have made a habit of stating ‘fake news’. Ordinary people are both anxious and distrustful.
However, these same people, I believe, are seeking the hope that comes through the truth of the Gospel. There is a message to say. As I write this blog, this Instagram post caught my eye.
“So after a night in awe of the Aurora Borealis, I woke up to the news my mother had died. I’m not a religious person, but I think it’s fair to say her pathway to heaven was a spectacular as she was. I love you mum.” (Jamie Theakston, December 24, 2022)
To me this is a declaration of faith, even though he says he is ‘not religious’. I see this often. It reminds me of the many people that came to my Holy Communion station at the back of Bath Abbey at the Midnight Service on Christmas Eve. They did not want the bread but asked for a blessing. They were of all generations and were clearly receptive and moved. I always ask their name and the personal blessing I use is:
“[Name] May the Lord Jesus bless you today, may he be with you all the days of your life and in all that you do, and may you come to know him specially as your Saviour.”
I believe many more people have more faith than we think, and more faith than they realise.
Nigel Rawlinson
January 2023
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