As We Celebrate Mary’s Birth, Are We Living Up to Her Name?
What’s in a name when a child is born?
For some, it acknowledges a religious or cultural icon.
Others choose a family name steeped in tradition—a favorite grandparent or relative who died too young.
The choice may be based on aspiration and hope, a signal of what the child might become.
No doubt, naming is a significant event; now, gender-reveal events can be quickly followed by name-revealing so other family or friends who are also pregnant don’t preempt the parents’ choice.
Today we celebrate the birth of Mary, mother of our incarnate, loving God. What led Joachim and Anne to name their daughter Miryam, the Hebrew name we anglicize as Mary?
We first encounter a Miryam in Scripture as the sister of Moses. She kept watch over her infant brother when he was placed in the reeds, then cleverly offered to find a Hebrew woman (his mother) to nurse him when the king’s daughter discovered the child in a basket. Perhaps Joachim and Anne hoped for the same courage and wisdom to blossom in their newborn.
Linguists tell us the name Miryam can have many meanings: beloved, star of the sea, exalted one, rebellious, wished-for child.
In her book Miryam of Nazareth, author Ann Johnson writes that “rebellion” as a root of the name brings together both the past and future of the Jewish people.
“How fitting,” she notes, “for a people called to be a people of God, often in conflict with political authorities, whose infant sons were at times systematically slain by alien rulers, to name their daughters ‘hope of change.’“
Did Miryam of Nazareth grow up with this understanding of the call and challenge of her name? Did this internalized hope enter into her assent to bear Jesus?
Do we, as her descendants, live the deep story of our blessed name?
Thanks, Mira, for the reflection on names. Oftentimes on retreats as folks introduce themselves they are invited to reflect on their name — the history, significance, and background, followed by a question of what name does God call you, or you would like to have God call you now in your life I wonder what Mary thought about her name Miryam. Many of us included Mary in our “religious” name. So let us say out loud that “Mary” name and rejoice in her Magnificat.
Blessings,
Marilyn
In Mary’s culture and time, people were more aware of the meanings of their names than we are today. Mary lived into her name as we can see in the Gospels, and in Mary Christine Athans’ book, “In Search of the Jewish Mary.”
In our world, we don’t always have that information passed on to us so we turn to NAME books or online sources. When I was growling up I didn’t care for my name. Finally, when I was in my teens, I looked up the its meaning and made peace with it. I’m still trying to live into it.
Thanks, Mira
Thanks for you creative reflection on MARY. There was a time when her name was included in mine. She is very close to us all. Love.