Would it hurt your feelings if I used your given name as my habitual just-for-added-emphasis word? If I didn’t mean anything personal by it, but just used it to punctuate my sentences; and if I coupled your name with a few other choice words—would you mind? Could we still be friends—and would you overlook my casual disrespect—especially if something really bad happened to me and I needed your help more than anything else?

 

Jesus’ words are so powerful. I often have to pause and mull—because how else could I ever absorb their fullness? I can only imagine his disciples trying to drink from that torrent of word-wisdom during those last hurried hours before the cross.

 

 

 

Now I am departing from the world;

 

they are staying in this world,

 

but I am coming to you.

 

Holy Father, you have given me your name;

 

now protect them by the power of your name

 

so that they will be united just as we are.

 

During my time here, I protected them

 

by the power of the name you gave me…

 

John 17:11-12

 

 

Name. Power. Protection. Amen.