I was reading the "Mystical City of God" series and came across the mention of the goddess, Diana. Since my first name is Diane, I wondered why my parents chose a pagan name for me? Thankfully, they chose Mary as my middle name!
Ironically, I fell away my family's Catholic heritage in my 20's and during my childbearing years, gave my son an actor's name as a compromise with his father. With a long surname, we chose not to give our son a middle name, but subsequently he chose his own, Anthony. May God be praised for the grace God gave him in choosing such an awesome saint! Holy Mother of God and St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us!
I share below how God has chosen most appropriate names...
PEOPLE
* Adam - taken from the earth
* Anne - grace
* Christopher - who bears Christ
* Eve - mother of all the living
* Gabriel - power of God
* Joachim - preparation of the Lord
* John - the Lord has pardoned
* Michael - who is like God
* Polycarp - abundant fruit
* Raphael - God heals
PLACES
* Babylon - confusion
* Bethania - house of obedience
* Bethlehem - house of bread
* Bethpage - house of jawbones
* Cana - possession
* Capharnum - seat of abundance or field of consolation
* Galilee - a wheel (or that which revolves); also, passing over
* Jericho - moon
* Jerusalem - signifies vision of peace
* Samaritan - defender/guardian
* Sidon - hunting
* Tyre - mystically interpreted as narrowness and symbolizes Judea
THINGS
* mammon - a Syriac work meaning money or riches
CALL TO ACTION: Call on the intercession of St. Anthony not only to help find lost items, but to help people find the one true Faith.
Photo by DDP