NAME

It is simply timely and providential that I should put to pen and paper this thought that has been brewing in my head for a long time now. These thoughts have been there before I wrote my first blog with the title "Information About Name". I said it is providential, because today, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. God's providence assigns an angel to each of us at birth - our "Guardian Angel". That Angel has a name before God; invariably that angel assumes the name of the individual to whom he is assigned. As a matter of fact, my Guardian angel's name is UKACHUKWU, the name my parents were inspired to give me at birth. It was after 3 months that I was brought to the Church for Baptism and a Patron Saint's name, Sebastian, was given. What other name could have been given to my Guardian Angel? - Johnson, Smith, Paul, Vincent, Timothy, Benjamin, Jude, Sabinus, Raphael, George, Sebastian, Charles, Theodore, Augustine etc. Sure, none of the above. It could not be any of the foregoing for a typical Igbo boy born in/to an Igbo family that had desperately prayed and wished for a male child for my father: an only son with 4 female siblings. My argument is backed by saintly comments. Here is Pope St Gregory the Great on today's Feast: "Angels are known by proper names as well, to indicate their powers and their work. In that holy city where perfect knowledge is derived from the vision of Almighty God, if proper names are assigned to them, it is not that their persons could not be identified without names..." (2nd Reading for Office of Readings: Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels) My Guardian angel could not be known by another name as he was "born" the same with me. He has a responsibility before God on my account as I owe unflinching loyalty to him before God. He does only God's will, per sempre. He is God's "semper fi". I was born in time for a period in time; he was born in eternity and for all eternity in/with God. At the end of this life's journey, he will get me into the "choir of angels" to sing God's praises forever in my true home, heaven. This depends on if I persevere and imitate him in doing God's will here on earth. If unfortunately I decide to hate God, God forbid, and end up in hell, God forbid, this special angel of God remains forever in God's presence, adoring, praising and worshipping God. A.M.D.G.