Called by Name

He is known as the penitent thief. No-one knows his original name; we cannot even be certain what his crime was. Both Matthew and Mark refer to him, and to the other man crucified alongside Jesus, as robbers; Luke and John just refer to them as criminals. Luke is the only gospel to record the exchange that has made this anonymous man remembered throughout the ages. Jesus is being mocked by some of those around him, and one of the criminals joins in, but is rebuked by the other, who asks if he does not fear God, acknowledging that he is receiving the consequence of his own actions. He states that Jesus has done nothing wrong, then turns to Jesus and says, quite simply, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’. Jesus replies with an affirmation that this day the man will be with Jesus in paradise. What exactly Jesus meant by that could probably fill whole shelves of books, but I do not want to focus on that here. It is that acknowledgment, that statement of belief and the awareness that he had done wrong, that elicited the response from Jesus. Whether no one knew the man’s name at the time, or whether it was simply not recorded, we do not know. What we do know is that Jesus knew who this man was, and that Jesus knows his name. His anonymity to us is irrelevant, as is his remembrance for his words, for he does not ask to be remembered for ever or by others, simply by Jesus. He responds to who Jesus is, he knows that Jesus has a kingdom, and Jesus responds to his simple trust: today you will be with me in paradise.

Mary Magdalene is someone whose name we do know, although records of her background are confused, tradition associating her with various biblical stories that do not name her, such as the sinful woman who anointed Jesus, and whose name we are not given. We do know that Mary Magdalene was cured of seven devils, and that she was one of a group of women who followed Jesus, and who went to the tomb early on the Sunday morning, intending to anoint Jesus’ body, only to become the first witnesses to the resurrection. There are various accounts of this in the gospels, but I want to focus on the one given in John 20. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb early in the morning, only to discover that the stone has been removed. She goes to tell the disciples, and Peter runs with the disciple Jesus loves, finding the tomb empty. They return, but Mary stays, weeping. Going into the tomb, two angels ask her why she is crying. She is upset because they have taken Jesus away, and she does not know where. Then someone else comes and asks her the same question: ‘woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’. Mary begs this person to tell her where Jesus has been taken, only to receive a one word response: her name. Jesus speaks to her: Mary, and Mary knows then whom she is talking to: Rabboni, she answers. Jesus tells her not to hold on to him, but to go and tell his brothers that he is ascending to my father and your father to my God and your God. Mary returns to the disciples and reports all this to them.

It was in the speaking of her name that Mary recognises Jesus; it is Jesus whom she is seeking, and it is Jesus who finds her. Mary Magdalene’s name resounds down the ages, but, just as with the penitent thief, it is not that which she is seeking. It is Jesus whom she seeks, and it is Jesus whom she finds. What happens to her after this is not recorded, but from Mary’s point of view, it is not important that we know. What she knows is that her Lord is alive again, and that she whom she seeks is with her. Everything will change, and she cannot hold on to the old way of knowing Jesus, for she is being led into new paths, along with all those who knew Jesus. But Jesus is alive; it is not the end. That she knows, and that she tells.

But what of us? Who are we looking for? Are we looking for Jesus at all? If so, are we looking for who Jesus actually is, or are we searching for some kind of idea we have about him? Are we able to allow Jesus to lead us further on, or we are we keeping him locked up in some kind of safe, but false, image? Maybe this Easter, we could spend some time with the question: who are you looking for? Can we hear Jesus calling us by our names? Each one of us is called as who we are, and Jesus knows each of us by name. Easter is often a time when people are baptised and confirmed; there may well be many people, but each one will be baptised and confirmed individually; each one will be named as this is done. They are called by name, and we, too, are called by name. Jesus knows each of us by name.

Our names may not be widely known, we may not be famous, we will almost certainly not be known in ages to come, as both Mary Magdalene and the penitent thief are known. But just as that did not matter to them, so it need not to matter to us. We are called by name, and we follow where Jesus leads us. Who are you looking for? Can you trust that Jesus is calling you by your name? How will you respond?

[Luke 23:39-43 and John 20:1-18]