One of the most noticeable things in Today’s Readings I believe is how things in them are named.
In the Old Testament Reading Jacob calls the area Bethel which means House of God after in his dream having witnessed God’s presence at that very place.
(In the New Testament Reading things are not named, but in a way the Reading states that whatever name you have – whatever part of the body you are – you are a part of God. God’s name and body.)
The Gospel Reading is the Reading with the most names in it. Poor Jesus. In it he is not only called Jesus, but… can you guess how many names or titles he has in it? 11!
11 names and titles: Jesus of Nazarath, Lamb of God, Rabbi, Teacher, Messiah, Christ, the one Moses and the Prophets wrote about, Son of Joseph, Son of God, King of Israel, Son of Man.
- And beside those 11, Jesus also gives all kinds of names to the disciples that he – and this is what the Reading narratively is about – summons to serve.
As I participated in our Bible Study where we discussed today’s Readings, I asked the participating people what they found worth talking about in a Sermon. Is it the narrative. The calling of the disciples? Or is it something else?
Being a more philosophical Gospel, I believe the Gospel of John does not want us to focus too much on the narrative. At least not regarding today’s Reading. Rather I think the giving of names is what is of importance today.
What does it mean to name something? Well first, to give a name you must both comprehend and be either equal or superior to what you are naming.
You cannot name something you are not legally responsible for naming. You can try, but I suppose no one will buy it.
More importantly though, if you do not understand what you are naming, your name does not really mean anything as it does not have its root in something sensitive.
This is interesting. Maybe not if one only thinks of naming, one’s children and the like. But it becomes interesting if one thinks of how we name things and matters in the world around us.
According to theory some say that humans cannot have memory before one has a language. Why so? Well, because one cannot have a memory of something one cannot describe. Only through the ability to describe follows the ability to remember.
This I find very fascinating. In short, it means that naming – describing – is the most fundamental thing of all. Without it we cannot comprehend.
This line of thought is evident historically. One of the best examples probably is the word – or the name we have given – an object with which we dig: a shovel. Or a spade.
Today I believe those two words are the ones mostly used. But back in time – in the days when more people worked closely with agriculture – more words existed to describe similar objects.
Why? Well, because the more you used such an object – an object to dig – the more important it became to be able to distinguish between objects with various features making it more a less suitable for various situations.
I tried to dig up some old words for a shovel and a spade, and for instance stumbled upon the word: A scoop.
As English is not my first language, I do not know if many people use this word. I know one can order a scoop of ice cream, but that it also is a word for an object, I did not know.
Nor did I know of the Danish equivalent to the word: ‘en skuffe’. Again, it might only be me and my ignorance – my lack of comprehending – but it goes without saying:
No matter if you knew the word, a scoop, beforehand historically more words to describe an object with which to dig have existed compared to how many words exist today.
Why is this relevant to us? Well, because the words we develop – following the line of thought from earlier – is a mirror of our society. How we develop words shows what we comprehend, what is of interest to us, and who we are.
Just compare with today’s Gospel Reading: The disciples showed their faith by giving Jesus no less than 11 names and titles.
Because of our language mirroring who we are, I believe it is worth the while considering how our language has developed over the last couple of years. Has it for instance become more spiritual? Or has it become less spiritual?
As I investigated this, I discovered something very interesting. First, over the past 25 years the main development in our language has been regarding digitalization:
Emoji, selfie, influencer, cyberbullying, trolling. Those are all new words. Interesting it is, but maybe not in a spiritual way.
Second though, a lot of new words regarding individualism have also been created:
Sober curios, mental load, body shaming. Just to mention some.
This group of words might not be spiritual. But they are important as they describe how we as parts of the same body – part of Christ – vary. And hence they should help broaden our minds.
Third, new words regarding our climate have also been created. None mentioned, none forgotten.
If we are to say something about all the new words we have seen in the past 25 years and how they mirror us, it is evident that they show a world in change.
Are there any spiritual changes? Well, I argued how the words deriving from our growing individualism can be good for spiritual matters. At least if we remember how we are one body despite of the growing individualism.
But aside from that one new word regarding spirituality actually – at least in Denmark – has also been made. It was made during Covid – a time of crisis – and the use of it was increased after Russia started the war in Ukraine. The word is ‘spiritual rearmament’.
And with that word, I would like to end my sermon. Spiritual rearmament.
The world for sure is turning. How do we make sure that spiritual matters are maintained as something important? Not least through secular time?
Showing how spiritual matters can be a rearmament not only for oneself but for a group of people – a society – might not be a bad way.
Therefore. Let us take it from there. And let us together develop our spiritual language – and thereby the world. Let us strengthen our self-awareness and how we comprehend. Through words. Through giving names.
In the name – or maybe rather names – of Christ.
Amen.