“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.” Luke 2:21
Today we celebrate the Eighth day of Christmas by remembering:
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
for the babies and before bedtime we plan on singing this hymn:
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.
Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!
I always have a particular season or feast of the year that I enjoy or ponder more than others. The Circumcision and Name of Jesus is it this year: That He began shedding blood for us when He was only 8 days old, that He began fulfilling the law perfectly, that He was given the Name that He then freely gives to us in Baptism.
I just can not understand how any Christian can consciously reject (indeed, condemn–I learned recently the Church of Scotland banned Christmas until 1958!) such a treasure of the church as the Feast of St. Stephen of the Feast of the Circumcision and Name of Jesus, even if they are “man-made.”
Yes, Katy! I remember last year how it struck me that right off the heals of the day we celebrate Christ born for us, we remember those who died for His sake (Stephen, John, Holy Innocents) and how as an infant His passion had already begun, bleeding and fleeing for His life. With all the hubbub Christmas brings it can be hard to remember these Feasts and commemorations! But indeed, they are a treasure, rich with lessons for our babies. I had no idea about the ban on Christmas in Scotland! Interesting.