Grace and Name (Birthday of John the Baptist)

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When a child is conceived or born, there is joy or excitement, sometimes worry or anxiety. In fact, there's a whole spectrum of emotions depending on the circumstances surrounding the conception and birth of the child. If a woman mistakenly conceives, she will be worried: worried about what people will say, about her reputation, about her finances, about her job, etc; and may be tempted to terminate the pregnancy but will surely be disturbed about the long-term psychological, spiritual and biological consequences of the act. If a child is born to a poverty-stricken couple, there's worry. If there are dramatic events leading up to the birth of a child, there's anxiety, there is worry: what will this child turn out to be in future, and so on. If a child is joyfully expected and finally arrives, there are endless streams of joy and happiness. All in all, circumstances, to some degree, determine how the news of the conception or birth of a child will be received. And to a larger extent, names are given on the basis of what transpired before, during or after the birth of a child. Names mostly come from the circumstances surrounding the birth of a child.

Today, we celebrate and reflect on the Birthday of St John the Baptist, who Christ describes as "the greatest born of a woman" (Luk 7:28). Leading up to his conception and birth, a lot of dramatic events happened: the encounter of Zechariah (John's father) with the angel in the temple which rendered him speechless and dumb (cf. Luke 1:20); the leaping of the baby John in the womb of his mother Elizabeth when she encountered Mary the mother of Jesus (cf. Luke 1:41); the miraculous choice of his name "John" by Elizabeth and Zechariah who was dumb and speechless (cf. Luke 1:63).

He was given the name John which means "God is gracious" or the "Grace of God". And when we look at the circumstances surrounding his birth, we see the resounding graciousness of God. His conception and birth are powerful testimonies to the fact that "it was not by might but by the power of God". Those circumstances powerfully testify to what the grace of God can do in us, with us and through us.

None of us is a product of chance. God thought of us, conceived us in his mind, set the map and the trajectory of our life's journey, fashioned us in the womb, knew us through and through, ordained us for a mission and brought us forth into the world. When God decides to birth us into existence, circumstances dramatically pave way for our arrival and for our calling and mission; it doesn't matter what the circumstances will be. 

And Jeremiah, reflecting on his own experience, writes that "Before he was formed in the womb God knew him, before he was born He consecrated him, He appointed him a prophet to the nations..." (Jer. 1:4ff). Isaiah expresses the same sentiment when he testified that "the Lord called him from the womb, from his mother's body God named his name, to give him as a light to the nations" (cf. Isa. 49:1-6).

Right from the time John was conceived in the mind of God, he was ordained into his prophetic mission. And right from the time of his conception until his death, the grace of God proved mightier than human limitations. Don't forget that his name means "THE GRACE OF GOD".

Likewise you and I! We have been created, fashioned and born for a purpose. Our individual names may help us understand deeper realities that reflect the circumstances surrounding our birth. But whatever could be the circumstance(s), let's not forget that GOD'S GRACE IS MIGHTIER THAN HUMAN LIMITATIONS.

Please, think about your name! What does it deeply communicate to you? And how has God's grace worked through your circumstances and situations right from your conception, birth till now? Please, pay particular attention to that. Even as you reflect and think, His grace is still at work, fashioning you into that better vessel for His use. You are not a product of chance. You are a child of grace.

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