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One of God’s powers that is described in the first creation story of the Book of Genesis is the power to name things (1:1-31). This is no “mere” power, for it was by naming things that God introduced “order” into the “chaos.” The first creation story also reports that God created humanity in His own image and after His likeness—“male and female He created them”—giving humanity dominion over all that God had created (1:26-27). The second creation story provides a bit of clarification about how all of this played out: 18 The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” 19 So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man. 21 So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man,
23 the
man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my
flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of ‘her man’ this
one has been taken.” We’ve all have heard this text so many times that some of its deeper spiritual meaning may elude us. Created in God’s image and likeness, each of us has been endowed by God with the power to name things. As we enact this power having divine origins, we also can instill order into the chaos of the universe in which we live—the universe of our lives, our relationships, our marriages, our homes, our neighborhoods and, yes, our world. It’s an awesome power when used rightly. Returning to the creation narrative, in the man’s search for happiness, notice how none of the non-human animals that God presented to the man and which he named filled the void of emptiness and loneliness the man was experiencing. That restlessness—his spiritual “chaos,” if you will—wasn’t quieted until the man named “this one”—the one God had created especially for man, made in his image and likeness. This relationship brought order to the man’s life as he experienced something he had never previously experienced: interior peace and fulfillment. Perhaps it is for this reason we are then told: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Genesis 2:24). Conversely, we can use this divine power in a way that God never could use it: to introduce greater chaos into the universe in which we live—the universe of our lives, our relationships, our marriages, our homes, our neighborhoods and, yes, our world. Again, the second creation narrative proves instructive in the regard. Living in complete bliss in the Garden of Eden, the woman introduced chaos into her relationship with the man by using her power to name in a deceitful way, convincing the man to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then, by using his power in a disobedient way, the man introduced chaos into his relationship with the woman. Both follow up by using their power to name by covering up (with loin cloths), hiding (in the bushes), and pointing the finger of blame everywhere but at themselves (she at the snake and he at the woman). What is this? “Clothing.” “Not getting caught.” “Not my fault.” Ultimately, all of the chaos each of them has introduced into their lives spirals out of control where everything that is “good” becomes “bad” and complete chaos reigns as humanity has undone all of the order God imposed into the created universe. Forget about all of that interior peace and fulfillment! A pretty sad state of affairs, no? Think about how we use the power to name things. Parents give their children names which “name” them for their entire lives, that is, unless a child goes to court to have one’s name changed legally. That’s quite some power! For example, my parents selected “Richard” for me which, in its positive connotation, means “fearless” or “courageous.” We’ve all heard of “Richard the Lionhearted,” the King of England. Superadded to that is the middle name my parents selected for me, “Michael” which, in its positive connotation means “defender of God.” We’ve all heard of St. Michael the Archangel who cast Satan out of heaven and into the pits of hell. Yes, some people have admired “Richard Michael” for not fearing to go where even “angels won’t trod”, irrespective of the potential negative consequences. At the same time, however, “Richard Michael” is periodically reminded—just this past week, in fact—that he is the most stubborn, unyielding, bullheaded, and “uncoachable” person in the history of the world. So, while my parents have perhaps aptly named me and that power will define me for my entire life, what is important is how I can use my power to name things for the good—to instill order into the chaos—or for the bad—to introduce greater chaos into my life and the lives of others. Consider, too, what happens when we can’t name something. We feel an ache or a pain and wonder whether the symptom is a precursor of a heart attack, a stroke, or cancer. Not knowing what the “it” is, our inability to name “it” only increases the chaos we experience in our lives and, sometimes, the chaos we impose upon others in their lives. But, after a physician says, “Oh, don’t worry, your EKG is fine” or “the tests came back and are negative,” suddenly the chaos dissipates and order is restored into our lives. Another way we can use that power is to define people. Consider this statement: “I know who you are.” Most of us are taken back a bit whenever someone makes that statement because, quite frankly, most of us are mysteries to ourselves. So, we wonder, how could anyone else possible know who we are? Perhaps we have offended a friend unintentionally with our words. We now experience chaos in what used to be a close relationship, living in fear of coming across that person and perhaps having to discuss what happened. But, out of the blue, that individual calls up and says, “Let’s go out for a cup of tea (or an adult beverage).” Suddenly, the chaos dissipates. We feel a renewed sense of peace and harmony in our lives. The ability of name things is a divine power and we can use it, as God does, for the better—to instill order in the chaos of our lives—or for the worse, as God cannot do—to instill greater chaos into our lives and the lives of others. In today’s gospel, Jesus likens himself to the gatekeeper who opens the gate for the sheep who are confined within a pen. “The sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out,” Jesus says. Then, “….he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.” Jesus—whose name in Hebrew is “Jeshua,” which literally means the “God who is a saving cry”—is the one who cries out. Jesus calls each person in need of help by name (John 10:3) in order to free people from chaos they are experiencing—the “pen” in which they are enclosed—and to lead them to the place where they will once again experience order in their lives. For the Jewish people of Jesus’ day, to call someone by name was to identify this person’s deepest identity, one’s inner core or soul. That name reflected the truth of who a person was, one’s meaning as a human being. Portraying himself as a shepherd, Jesus says “I know who you are,” for he knows not only our names but also our innermost selves, what we are thinking, feeling, dreaming about as well as our fears and deepest desires. But, instead of fearing the fact that Jesus can name who we truly are, the sound of his voice naming us should dispel the chaos and fear of sin and provide a great source of peace and confidence because it is when Jesus names us we know that “God is with us.” Jesus says:
I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will
come in and go out and find pasture. I came so that they might have
life and have it more abundantly. It is by listening to Christ call us by name and following after him that we become disciples. By listening to and reflecting upon his words, we become capable of bringing order to the chaos of the world in which we live because Jesus teaches us how to name “it.” As disciple, then, this is how we bring light to a world that resembles the “darkness” and “void” which preceded God’s creative act in the first chapter of Genesis. Where this order exists, Jesus offers us “life in abundance.” And it can be experienced in every aspect of our lives—our relationships, our marriages, our homes, our neighborhoods and, yes, our world—as we use the divine power to name people and bring order to our lives where otherwise there would only be chaos.
How your family might celebrate the Easter Season: Easter is so important that it cannot be celebrated in just one, single day. To celebrate Easter appropriately, the Church takes fifty days (forty days leading to the Ascension and ten days leading to Pentecost Sunday, fifty days that culminate on what used to be called "Quinquagesimea Sunday"). These are the days that constitute the entire "Easter Season." Here are four simple ways you might celebrate the entire Easter Season with your family: 1. Place a white pillar candle in the center of your kitchen table. Each night before dinner, assign a member of your family to light the candle and to recall what a person said or did that day to reveal the Risen Lord. As part of the blessing prayer, give thanks to the Lord for the gift of that person. 2. Take a daily walk around the neighborhood. Identify one sign of new life each day. After completing the walk, sit down together as a family in the living room or family room and relate each sign to the new life that God has given all of us in the resurrection of His only begotten Son. 3. Invite an estranged family member, relative, or friend (or a family member, relative, or friend who hasn't been to visit for a while) to dinner each of the Sundays of the Easter season. Before the prayer of blessing over the food, read a resurrection appearance where Jesus says to his disciples, "Peace be with you." Following the blessing of the food, offer one another the sign of peace before partaking of the meal. 4. In preparation for the Solemnity of Pentecost, have each member of the family on Easter Sunday write down on a piece of paper a gift of the Holy Spirit that he or she needs in order to become a more faithful disciple. Fold and place these pieces of paper in a bowl in the center of the kitchen table. At dinner each evening, pray the "Prayer of the Holy Spirit" to send for these gifts upon the members of the family so that your family will become a light to the world. Then, before the prayer of blessing over the dinner on Pentecost Sunday, burn the pieces of paper to call to mind that the gifts have already been given in the Sacrament of Confirmation. The challenge is now to live out those gifts in the ordinary time of our daily lives.
Easter is an event that happens each and every day. During the fifty days of the Easter season, in particular, you and your family can prepare to make Easter happen each and every day of your lives by "practicing" these simple exercises which connect Jesus' risen life to yours as well.
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HOMILY
