Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name...

Above, you'll find video of my homily for this weekend, based on these readings in which God calls us as a whole people - and as individuals, by name. Below you'll find the text of my homily. (If a video doesn't appear above, click here!)

As a child, I was not real keen on the name Austin - which, in case you don't know, is my name. I wasn't keen on it, because back in the 1950s, Austin was a very unusual name. The only other Austin I knew in the world was my father. Of course, there was Austin, Texas, but that often led to situations when people trying to recall my name would call me “Houston.” Aside from my dad, I did not meet another Austin until I was 33 years old.

 

But there was a benefit to that. The benefit of having an unusual name is that whenever you hear someone call your name, “Austin,” - you know they're speaking to you. 'Cause there's not gonna be another Austin in the room!

 

Over years, decades ago, I came to love my name, and like most folks, I like to hear. my name. Most people like to be called by name. If you're a regular at a local store or a restaurant, it's nice to be personally greeted and recognized. The TV show, Cheers, had it right: Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name!

 

Jesus knew this. He told us that he's our Shepherd, that we are the sheep of his flock, and he said he knows and calls each of us by name. And he never forgets a name. Jesus never forgets your name or mine. Even if it's been years, decades - since I've answered when he called my name, even if it's been so long that I've forgotten what his voice sounds like: Jesus never forgets me, never stops calling me - and you - by name.

 

With Jesus, it's never just, “Hey, you!”

It's “Austin” or Steve, Kara, Jane, Kristen. Frank, Don, Pete, Claire, Matthew, Emily, Mike, Ed, Carol, Pat, Lisa, Bill, Jennifer, Sean, Donna, Nick, Barbara -- he gets it right the first time, every time.

 

Just as he called those first 12 disciples by name:

            Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter; Andrew, James, John,

            Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddeus,

            another Simon - and Judas

Jesus called these by name because he loved them - and because he had something for them to do. Now when Jesus called the 12, they had no idea what Jesus had in mind for them. They would need to get to know Jesus, to spend time with him, to listen to him, to let him befriend them - time for them to come to see and to accept and to know that Jesus loved them - all that, before they could begin to discern, to understand what he might be asking or expecting of them.

 

No less than those 12 first disciples does Jesus call each of US here - by name - because he loves us and has something for each of us to do.

 

He calls each of us – and as surely as he called the 12 by name – he calls and invites me to spend time with him, to listen to him, to let him befriend me - time to come to see and to accept that he loves me - all this before I can begin to discern and understand what he's asking of me – and what he's asking of you.

 

And the things that Jesus asks of us, me and you, those things change as time goes by - as we get to know him better, as our individual situations and circumstances change, as they do, from day to day, year to year, decade to decade. But, first of all - most important of all and over and over again - I need to remember that Jesus knows me by name, that Jesus calls me by name, that he has something in mind for me to do. Me. And you. Everyone here this afternoon.

 

In light of that, let me share with you a prayer I wrote 14 years ago - a prayer, I think, that might help us hear Jesus calling us by name.

 

If it helps you close your eyes…

 

Lord, scripture says you “know all the stars and you call each of them by name…” If you know the stars so well, surely then you know each of us, and you call each of us - by name.

 

• You know me, Lord, better than anyone else. You know me better than I know myself…

• From before all time, you knew me, Lord. You knew who my parents would be. You knew the day of my birth. You knew my blood type, and the color of my eyes, the shape of my head, my ears, my nose, the look of my face…

 

• From before all time, you knew me, Lord, and since before all time, you have loved me…

 

• You know my every thought before I think it. You know exactly where my mind is going before it starts to wander…

 

• You know the thoughts I don't want you to know. You know the thoughts I try to keep from myself…

 

• You know my best thoughts and my worst thoughts, my pipe dreams, and my serious plans…

 

• Even while I'm sleeping, you know my mind. You know my dreams, and you understand them… And you know my nightmares, Lord - and the fears I carry from sleep into the light of day…

 

• You know all my schemes and designs, and you know the thoughts I'm embarrassed to acknowledge…

 

• You know, my loves, and you know my lust…

 

• You know my generosity. And, you know, my greed… You know my selfish and my selfless sides…

 

• You know, my strengths and my weaknesses, you know, my good deeds, and you know my sins…

 

• You know my sincere resolve and my half-baked promises…

 

• You know the truth of who I am, Lord - and you know the lies I tell myself and others, the lies I try to tell you...

 

• You know every wounded, broken piece of my life and how much I need your mending hand, your healing help…

 

• You know where I've been, Lord: how I followed and how I have failed to follow your path…

 

• You know where I belong, and you know where I am - and you know what I'm doing here, for weal or for woe…

 

• You know where I'm going, Lord - though that's so often a mystery to me…

 

• You know that I love you, Lord. And you know when and how and why I love you less than I ought….

 

• You know all my sins, Lord - and still, you love me…

 

• You know, all my sins, even the ones I've forgotten, and still in your mercy, you pardon and forgive me…

 

• You love me always, Lord, and you never fail to call me - by name - to a greater, deeper love of you, my neighbor, and of myself…

 

• You know me inside out, and try as I might, there's no hiding from your watchful eye, no running from your arms’ reach…

 

• There is no escaping your warm embrace - no matter how much I struggle like a fool, thinking I might do better on my own…

 

• You know and call each of the stars by name, Lord - yet, so much deeper is your love for me. For you have made me in your image, in your likeness, and you never fail to find, to see, and to love in me, the unique goodness you have planted in my heart.

 

Help me hear your voice, Lord. Help me hear you calling me. Help me hear you, calling me by my name. And help me discern, help me know what you ask of me at this time in my life - what you ask of me today.

 

Teach me, Lord, to want to love - as I am loved by you. To desire to know you as I am known by you. And to find my joy in you, you who know and love and call me - by my name.

 

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