Homily for the Vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist

What's in a name?  Are names important?  You bet they are.  Our name identifies us; tells others who we are.  Our names have a meaning.  I like mine, although I bet some may take issue with it; Michael- he who is like God.  See what I mean.  Jim Croce sang about the importance of a name and a group called the Zombies asked, what's your name who's your daddy.

Today I had the privilege to attend ordination for 22 men to the diaconate.  I've attended other ordinations before.  At both ordination of a priest and a deacon, the rite begins with a simple calling forth of the soon to be ordained by his name.  For his part, he answers simply present.  That response to his name being called forward, met by the simple word present, says more than they are in the church, but they will affirm being present all throughout their ministries.

How do we begin a Baptism rite?  We ask the parents, "what name do you give this child".  The soon to be baptized are first called out in the church by name.  Fast-forward many years later and we arrive at confirmation where we add a Saint name to who we are; this is simply known as our confirmation name.

In todays Gospel, celebrating the vigil Mass of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, we are told of a great miracle:  Elizabeth and Zechariah, childless, now old, Elizabeth barren, will have a child.  And they find out by the message of an Angel to Zechariah, while performing his priestly duties in the Temple.  And the Angel tells him the child must be called John.  All this news seemed perplexing to Zechariah and he doubted and questioned so he was struck dumb, some say deaf too.  Fast forward to the birth of their baby and all the relatives want to know the baby's name; they are incredulous at John for their is no John in the family.  They demand that Zechariah affirm the name even though he still cannot speak.  He was given a tablet and something to write with and wrote: his name is John.

God's perfect plan included a forerunner, a precursor for his Son.  John the Baptist, from the womb, was called by name and mission, to prepare the way of the Lord.  Guess what?  God knows all of us by name, even from the womb, and calls to us to do His holy will.

With the example of these great saints of the Church, Elizabeth, Zechariah and John the Baptist, can we pray this week and reflect: when is God calling me by name?  What is he calling me to be and to do?  How do I respond?  And another great thing we can do in the days ahead is pray several times the great prayer of Zechariah in joy filled response to the birth of John.  The prayer is called the Benedictus and is prayed every morning in the daily office:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

We all have a name, we all are called, we all are challenged, like those new deacons today and John the Baptist, to answer God simply saying: Present!