New Year’s Day, the eighth day of Christmas.
The reading at Mass today is from Luke’s Gospel, about the
shepherds visiting, and about naming Jesus. I was struck afresh by the name. Matthew’s
Gospel also says that the child’s name is Jesus, but adds that, in accord with
the Isaiah’s prophecy, he will be called Emmanuel.
Jesus means Savior. Emmanuel means God-with-us.
With us: what does that mean? I think it means that someone
was visiting someone, that there was a host and guest – although it wasn’t
necessarily clear which was which. When the King of the Universe comes to his
own (and his own people debate whether to acknowledge him), who’s host, and who’s
guest? Throughout Scripture, the issue of host/guest relations comes up over
and over, and they are often intermingled – not in confusion, but in unity. They
are brought together as one. The key images in Scripture of the unity of the
Trinity are: (1) the Father/Son relationship, the two united by the Spirit of Love;
and (2) marriage of the husband and wife, who are made one by the Spirit of
Love, and (3) the unity of host and guest united by love, as at Mamre and the
Visitation and indeed the Incarnation.
Which means: one aspect of the title “Emmanuel” is that it
refers to God’s participation in a host/guest relationship with us. It’s about
hospitality.
Jesus and Emmanuel: Savior and host/guest. The two names of
Jesus correspond to the names of Moses’ children, Gershom and Eliezer. From
Exodus 18: 3-4: “One of these was named Gershom; for he [Moses] said, ‘I am a
resident alien in a foreign land.’ The other was named Eliezer; for he said,
“The God of my father is my help; he has rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.” (Ger:
stranger. El: God. Ezer: help.) The names of Moses’ children refer to
hospitality and salvation, like the names Emmanuel and Jesus.
In John’s account of the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet
of his disciples. Explaining this, he says that they call him Lord – and they
should, because he is. But he adds carefully: this is what his lordship looks
like! You serve, you wash the feet of your guests, like Abraham. That is, his
lordship is – in large part – about hospitality. When we speak of Jesus as Lord
and Savior, that lordship includes the Lord as Host at a banquet. Lord and
Savior: this conjunction of two titles also echoes the names of Jesus and the
names of Moses’ two sons.
Indeed, when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught
them to address God as Father, and to bless his name and affirm his will – and then
to ask for bread and forgiveness – that is, for hospitality and salvation.
In our time, hospitality is often considered to be a minor
matter, optional and decorative. But look at the pairs! Emmanuel and Jesus.
Gershom and Eliezer. Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Lord and Savior.
Hospitality and forgiveness.
Hospitality is a ray of light emanating from the fiery love
that is the heart of the Trinity. Yes, it decorates. No, it is not merely
decorative.