NOMEN EST OMEN

Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist
Lk 1:57-66.80

Many Filipino fathers name their sons after them. When there is already a “junior”, they resort to “the third”, “the fourth”, and so forth and so on. My father was different. He did not want to name me after him. Funny but he reasoned out that if my name were similar to his and people badmouth me, it would sound like they are badmouthing him.

Zechariah did not name his son after him. He named his son after God’s choice. “John” was God’s choice.

It was not Zechariah who named his son after all. It was God who named his son. Zechariah simply wrote the name God gave his son.

Very often, in the Bible, when God chooses a person for a special mission or a unique role, He gives that person a new name. Take for example, Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Levi became Matthew, and Simon became Peter. The mission or role is given in the name. As the Romans would say, “Nomen est omen” (“The destiny is in the name”).

John’s name meant “God’s graciousness”. John fulfilled that role. He was God’s kindness to his otherwise old and barren parents. He was God’s favor upon the Jews, preparing them for the eventual coming of the Messiah. He was God’s compassion to the repentant sinners who came to him for baptism. He was God’s graciousness to us by testifying to the Christ in life and in death.

John’s mission was to bring about God’s graciousness. But what is ours? We may not be named “John” but we also go by the name “Christian”, do we not?