Playful, Revealing Nicknames
- davidwperk
- Feb 26, 2024
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflection, Monday, February 26, 2024
The week of the second Sunday in Lent
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:
16So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder). . . .
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 953)
AM Psalm 56, 57, (58) PM Psalm 64, 65
Gen. 41:46-57; 1 Cor. 4:8-20(21); Mark 3:7-19a
Today we celebrate the Feast of Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhao, and Luci Yi Zhenmei. (See below.)
David’s Reflections
We know precious little about any of the Twelve from Holy Scripture and nothing about most of them. We know a bit about Peter and James the brother of John (the second martyr, Acts 12). We know that Peter was the leader of the band during Jesus’ ministry, something of a spokesperson for them both to Jesus and to others. We also know a bit about a few of the Twelve from episodes in the Gospels.
Today’s reading may contain a bit of humor, and we get a window into Jesus’ sense of humor. Jesus evidently loved nicknaming people. The brothers James and John got a nickname from Jesus—Boanerges. The word has proven difficult to translate accurately into English and commentators dispute the underlying Aramaic word and what it might actually mean. And, even if the usual choice, “Sons of Thunder,” accurately renders the term, we can’t be sure why Jesus nicknamed them as a pair. But, a clue can be found in passages like Luke 9, their request to Jesus that he call down fire on a Samaritan village because they would not receive Jesus and show hospitality. Perhaps the “Sons of Thunder” label had to do with their intensity or their tendency toward anger.
Jesus also nicknamed Peter. His name was Simon but Jesus nicknamed him something like "Rocky," with the Greek word, petros, rock. Our words, petrified and petroleum are based on that root. Jesus may again have been humorously labeling the person Peter he knew would become after the resurrection, one of the foundational leaders of the earliest faith community.
If that assumption (and it is exactly that), proved correct, we would have Jesus calling a somewhat volatile pair into the community and bringing a serious behavior tendency into the light in a less-than-serious manner with the nickname. We can imagine Jesus and others among the Twelve harking back to that “handle” when their intensity was showing, perhaps even calling their hand by reminding them of their nickname.
Can you imagine being in a Christian community where your less-than-beautiful traits were known and received, a community in which being treasured did not depend on your maintaining the image of “niceness” or perfection? And, perhaps that community might give you a nickname in a light-hearted way. A fellow doctoral student nicknamed me “Perky,” I suspect for reasons akin to Jesus’ motives with the Boanerges moniker. I cannot imagine any affirmation that extends the awareness of love any more deeply into the human psyche than being treasured warts and all. Jesus’ perceptive but playful style would serve us well to emulate.
What would Jesus nickname you or me were he looking for a handle that would label those darker behavior traits and tendencies of soul within us? Perhaps he already has done so. People like James and John might be omitted from a leadership core of your or my choosing. People like me and you might be as well by someone else. But, you and I have not been omitted by Jesus’ criteria of choice.
Collect of the Day, The Second Sunday in Lent
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 218)
Collect for Monday of Week 2 in Lent
Let your Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of us to wash us with the pure water of repentance, and prepare us to be always a living sacrifice to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, p. 42).
Today we celebrate the Feast of Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhao, and Luci Yi Zhenmei, cathechists and martyrs (died 1 Mar 1856; 28 Jan 1858; 19 Feb 1862 respectively).
Collect of the Feast of Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhao, and Luci Yi Zhenmei
Lord Jesus Christ, who willingly walked the way of the cross: Strengthen your church through the witness of your servants Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhao, and Lucy Yi Zhenmei to hold fast to the path of discipleship even unto death; for with the Father and Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
For Social Service
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy- for the love of him who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 260)
In the Evening
O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen. (BCP, 833)
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)
Daily Office Gospel, Mark 3:7-19
7 Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; 10for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ 12But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.
13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15and to have authority to cast out demons. 16So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Then he went home;
Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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