January 20, 2008

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.   Second Sunday after Epiphany   .

Please read:

John 1:29-42

Also read:

Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'  I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel."

And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'  And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed).

He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

 .     What’s in a Name?      .

“What’s in a name?” the poet asked,

quite rhetorically, I’m sure.

Let’s see. I do believe

it had to do with Montagues

and Capulets and ill-starred lovers.

But this time it has to do

with Jesus and Simon

and variants on that theme.

The story goes like this:  Young Jesus,

pondering his own identity

wondering what God’s mission might entail, 

seeks out his Cousin John

and hobnobs for a time

with John’s close associates.

And as time passes by,  so does Jesus,

and John says, “Look!

The Lamb of God!”

(The reference here is to an ancient rite,

the ritual in which a lamb

was offered on an altar of sacrifice,

propitiating for the sins of humankind.)

Then, on second look,

John gives another name:

“This is the Son of God.”

It was conviction born

of what he’d seen as Jesus, 

knee-deep in Jordan water,

heard heaven’s affirming voice

and saw the Dove descend. 

With such an affirmation,

 it’s no surprise that John’s disciples

join the naming game:

“Rabbi” they call him, “Teacher”

“Messiah,” the Anointed One.

And Jesus, not to be outdone,

offers his own.

Not given to Greek,

(neither pure nor anglicized,)

he settles into the language he prefers

--  Aramaic – and 

addressing Simon the Fisherman,

he says  “You are to be called Cephas.”

The word means “Rock.”

And rock he would become.

We call him Peter today. 

Well there it is. 

And I would have to say

that there really is something in a name.

We can affirm them all

John’s “Lamb,” God’s “Son,”

the disciples’ “Messiah” and “Teacher.”

They all fit.

And as we claim and use them

we discover

that Christ calls us each by name,

inviting us, as in that ancient day,

to “Come and see.”

--- rvc

*** D I S C L A I M E R ***

The Weekly Lessons are based on the lectionary texts for the week – usually the Gospel lesson. They are not designed as a formal commentary.  Rather, they are the personal reflections and original compositions of The Relay Online editor, Rev. Robin Van Cleef, and offer a jumping off point, using the scriptures as triggers to thought, imagination, and (we hope) empowerment.  As you read them, let your own imagination play, and let the Spirit speak to you, leading you where it will.  The Gospel Lessons reflected on this site may not be copied, reproduced or otherwise manipulated elsewhere on the internet without the expressed consent of the author.  Please also note that while we're unable to quote Bible scripture on these pages, it is permissible to redirect our viewers to Bible passages using hyperlinks to web sites having that authority.

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