If we are faithful, what we do matters... and our names are known to God

THE Easter story is littered with names of people who played their part in the events that the church will be remembering afresh this Holy Week.

There are the notorious names such as Judas, Pilate, and Herod, who all played their part in bringing Jesus to the point of execution. There are the names such as Peter and Mary: one who denied Jesus and one who stayed with him at the cross until the end. They remind us so much of ourselves, who can find ourselves torn between wanting to be with Jesus and yet desperate to protect our own interests and reputation.

There are those who appear just briefly and from whom we never hear again. People such as Simon from Cyrene who was compelled to carry the cross when the burden became too much for Jesus.

There is Joseph from Arimathea who, unable to do anything else, at least ensured that there was a tomb available for the body when that dreadful Friday was over. Names matter and these names all contribute to, what many call, “the greatest story ever told”.

But we learn of other figures in the story whose names are never revealed to us. Who provided the donkey for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday where he was hailed by the crowds as their King and Liberator? We don’t know.

Nor do we know who gave the room where Jesus was able to share a final meal with his friends before his arrest. Likewise, the name of the centurion who declared at the foot of the cross, “This man was the son of God” remains anonymous. Yet they all had an important part to play in the purposes of God.

In the same way, God may call us to acts of service, kindness, generosity and friendship and people may never know what we have done. We won’t be given praise or thanks and nobody will write our story down to be told to future generations. Nonetheless if we are faithful, what we do matters and our names are known to God.

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