Respect for your name.

The proverb tells us: “To whom honor, to his honor, to the shepherd the trumpet”. It would be worth thinking about today, what kind of respect we spread to ourselves. Alternatively, why are we tarnishing our name? We want, we wish, to be respected and honored by those around us, and yet our special attitude towards ourselves is often contemptible.

We can think about this topic even before the holidays of peace and joy when we remember the birth of John the Baptist. Evangelist Luke says: “On the eighth day they came to circumcise the boy and wanted to name him Zacharias after his father. But his mother said: “No, his name will be John” (Luke 1:59-60). And after another amazing development, when Zacharias also spoke, people say to themselves: “What will this boy be?” (Lk 1:66). The birth of a child, especially a firstborn and one that is so eagerly awaited, will cause great joy in the family and the surrounding area.

The birth of John the Baptist is especially joyful because everyone feels that he is a child blessed by God, who certainly has a great mission before God. Zechariah also says this in a beautiful hymn under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He thanks God for the begun work of redemption and predicts in his son the role that awaits him as the forerunner of the Messiah. These events spread throughout the Judea mountains, and when the people heard them, they felt both joy and fear. People watched this prodigy closely. They saw nothing sinful about him. John went to the desert as a young man, and the spirit of the greatest prophet matured in him. These events took place in a small town of the priestly class, whose task was to lead the nation to the promised Messiah. Zacharias and Elizabeth had respect for the name of God. This is how God himself wished it, and this is how the Law of Moses ordered it. God also had respect for Zacharias and Elizabeth.

John, guided by his parents, through whom the still hidden Holy Spirit spoke, accepts the beginnings of his mission and later proves his devotion to God in words and deeds in the desert. He is humble: “I am not worthy to untie the strap of his shoe” (Luke 3:16). He does not rely on pride and fame. Throughout his life, John tells us about ut great respect for God. At the same time, we feel that he is an example for us with respect for his name: “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness…” (Jn 1:23).

These facts should also find a response in our lives. We have to realize that God wants us to respect him and at the same time to feel responsible for our name. This means that we do not lower ourselves and lend our name to sin. The Lord has his plan with our names, as we read for example in the Letter to the Philippians that our names are written in the book of life (cf. Phil 4:3). It is touching when we watch sports events and our athletes make a good name for the nation and the homeland. What joy do parents feel when their children make a good name for them – the parents. How proud we are of the good name of our parents. But that’s not enough.

We must strive for a good name with God as well. Behind a good name is a reward, and behind a bad name is a punishment. A good name is a good, honestly lived life, and vice versa, a bad name hides a life lived sinfully. This requires time, and God has determined it for us. Therefore, let’s use our abilities, talents, and talents to glorify God, who will reward us when we live our lives according to his commands.

We are not afraid when the world takes away our good name. We look forward to our names being written in the Book of Life. Even the name of Christ stuns the world, and yet we know that the name of Christ has won and is winning. Let’s rejoice that if we persevere to the end, we too will win.