Throughout scripture, when folks surrendered their lives to God, abandoned themselves into the loving embrace of the Holy One and henceforth walked in God’s way, their names were changed. Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah, for example, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, and Saul the persecutor of the Church became Paul the evangelist. New names indicate the new creation we become once we are born anew in love, by Love; as Paul told the Corinthians, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new!” (II Cor.5:17)

Notice that letting go of the old, worn out baggage we tend to hold so dear, the emptying out of the waste cans of our minds and hearts needs to occur to make room for the new life, the new name God has prepared for us. We have to be open and available, ready to receive what we will be given to pass on to those who come our way. It is not intended that we should grab on to our new creation and settle down in a comfortable spot to enjoy it. Stagnation is not God’s way. Rather, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Now is the time for a new name for each of us. We might view the changing of the water into wine to be shared by all as a metaphor for God’s transforming work in our lives. Day by day, the Holy One is bringing us ever closer to the imago dei we were created to be. It is an ongoing process that takes a lifetime. Cooperating with the Beloved and endeavoring to live into our new name smoothes the way.