We only have two more Commandments to go in our series on
the 10 Commandments, the 2nd and the 1st. Are we saving the best for last? We shall see!
Today, we will discuss, the 2nd Commandment,
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Among all the things most precious to us is our name.
Our name is a synopsis of all we are, from our exteriors, all the way
down to the deepest part of our being.
Having a name in good standing is something we value. We rightly expect our name to be good and
respected. We read in the Catechism
(#2158): God calls each one by name. Everyone's
name is sacred. The name is the icon of the person. It demands respect as a
sign of the dignity of the one who bears it.
If it is right, proper, and good to respect human names, how
much even more so is it to respect the name of God? This Commandment prescribes just that,
respect for God’s holy name. The
Catechism (#2143) has some beautiful words about the holy name of God, and how
we must treat it: Among all the words of Revelation, there is one which is unique: the
revealed name of God. God confides his name to those who believe in him; he
reveals himself to them in his personal mystery. The gift of a name belongs to
the order of trust and intimacy. "The Lord's name is holy." For this
reason man must not abuse it. He must keep it in mind in silent, loving
adoration. He will not introduce it into his own speech except to bless,
praise, and glorify it. We cannot use the name of God, Jesus Christ,
and even the names of those who followed him most closely, Mary and the Saints,
except in the manner described above; to bless, praise, and glorify it.
Scripture speaks glowingly of the name of God:
Scripture speaks glowingly of the name of God:
He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of
the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name
which is above all names: That in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth (Phillipians 2:8-10)
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye princes of the
people, and ancients, hear: If we this day are examined concerning the good
deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made whole: Be it known
to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead,
even by him this man standeth here before you whole. This is the stone which
was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other Name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be
saved. (Acts 4:8-12)
We can and must as Christians speak the name of God in
bearing witness to all he has done for us, and for all mankind; this is
glorifying God. Evangelization must
always be done in the name of
Jesus.
When we invoke the name of God with reverence, good things
happen for us:
...Amen, amen I say to you: if you ask the Father any thing in
My Name, He will give it you. Hitherto you have not asked any thing in My Name. Ask, and you shall
receive; that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)
This Commandment forbids the abuse of God’s name. The major example of this is blasphemy. The
Catechism (#2148) describes blasphemy this way: It consists in uttering against
God - inwardly or outwardly - words of hatred, reproach, or defiance; in
speaking ill of God; in failing in respect toward him in one's speech; in
misusing God's name. St. James condemns those "who blaspheme that
honorable name [of Jesus] by which you are called."78 The
prohibition of blasphemy extends to language against Christ's Church, the
saints, and sacred things. It is also blasphemous to make use of God's name to
cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons
or put them to death. The misuse of God's name to commit a crime can provoke
others to repudiate religion. Blasphemy is contrary to the respect due God and
his holy name. It is in itself a grave sin. Swearing or saying something untrue about God
are the prime instances of this that most of us will fall into, but there are
other examples we see above that we can see throughout the world today,
especially terrorism, where the name of God is often used to justify of
violence.
An oath is an
invocation of God’s name to bear witness to the truth. A false
oath, therefore, is a grave offense against this Commandment because it
calls on God to be witness to a lie.
When a person makes a promise under oath with no intention to keep it,
it is called perjury.
Besides our own names, and the name of God, both of which
are sacred, and must be spoken only of with honor and respect, we also have baptismal names. In fact, the Sacrament of Baptism is
administered In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Other Sacraments as well as the Sign of the Cross, begins with these holy and powerful words, as well. As we showed above with
a few references from Scripture, there is indeed power in the name of God. We must regularly speak the name of God, as we
said earlier, to praise, bless, and glorify Him. And when we do, we in turn will be blessed in
ways beyond imagining:
"Because he hoped
in me I will deliver him: I will protect
him because he hath known My Name." (Psalm 90:14)
"I know thy
works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut:
because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied
My Name." (Revelation 3:8)
In fact, the only way to enter heaven is to have the name of
God on our very bodies:
And He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street thereof, and
on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits,
yielding its fruits every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations. And there shall be no curse any more; but the throne of
God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they
shall see His face: and His Name shall be on their foreheads. (Revelation
22:1-4)
Let us resolve to always say the name of the Lord with
reverence, knowing that when we do, we praise, bless, and glorify him, and that can and should give confidence that he will do likewise for us.
Joseph, diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
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