In Nomine Domini: Honoring God's Name

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted." 

- Proverbs 18:10

The "Name of God" is a powerful concept in Catholicism. We begin and end all our prayers, for example, in "the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". Exorcists cast out demons in the name of Christ, and we are told that we will receive anything we desire if we but ask it in the name of the Lord. This trust in God's name is by no means exclusive, however, to Catholics, or even Christians. Muslims open every prayer by invoking, "...the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful" and authentic* Jews consider it an abomination to speak the revealed name of God aloud, often substituting Adonai (Our Lords) or HaShem (The Name) in its place simply out of fear of the Name's raw power. And yet, we in this post-modern era are tempted to ask, "What's in a name?" In our modern thought, after all, the concept of a "name" has little significance. Some individuals often change their names as it pleases them, utilize a stage name, or reduce it to a purely aesthetic matter, naming their kids "Apple" or "Teal" or, in the case of one poor soul in Northumberland, England, "Lady Gaga". In Judeo-Christian thought however, there is more to a name than meaningless designation or empty aestheticism. According to ancient near-eastern (and, hence, Abrahamic) thought, the name of something was thought to be a "seperate manifestation" of a being, conveying something of its essence. Thus, by invoking the name of a deity, one could, in a mysterious way, summon their power or presence. This is why, in Christianity and Judaism, a child isn't endowed with a name until baptism or circumcision, whereupon they are fully intergrated into the faith community and establish their relationship with the Almighty. This is also why children are given the names of saints or prophets. A name for the believer is more than a mere designation, rather it is a constant reminder of the true purpose of human existence. It is a sign of their very essence. Likewise, the name of God makes manifest His presence and power. By venerating and invoking His name, we honor Him and summon His power. Corretively, if we disparage His name, we disparage Him. Make sense? Of course it does. 

I'm tempted to delve into the innumerable ways in which our society disparages and blasphemes the name of God, but, I don't think anyone needs me to rehash the obvious. The pertinent question here is, how do we bolster reverence for the name of God? As we all know, change without begins with change within. We have to reform our own behavior before we can hope to reform others. So, here are some quick, easy tips for honoring the name of God in everyday situations, and thus, hopefully, make us better people.

1. Avoid "OMG": I know, I know. It seems trivial but, in my experience, it is an effective method for building reverence for God in our own hearts and minds. I'm guilty of it myself, and will occasionally let this slip in text or conversation. However, when you think about it, when we say this day in and day out, including during the most trvial of conversations, are we in any way honoring or even thinking of God? If the answer is no, then we are really guilty of taking the Lord's name in vain. If we are not utilizing speech to venerate God, than at the very least we can remain silent.

2. Stop saying "Jesus Christ" as a profanity: This, dear readers, is a classic case of what we Catholics like to refer as "blasphemy". That's why it always struck me as weird that my parents, usually during a moment of frustration or anger, such as an argument, would suddenly gawk off to the side, roll their eyes heavenward and scream "Jesus Christ" or some other, less wholesome formulation of the Name at which, the Apostle tells us, "every knee should bend (Phil. 2 - 10)". How could they indulge themselves in the supreme hypocrisy of blaspheming the very Name which they sang on Sundays? It is worth pointing out that, as the Holy Writ tells us, out of all the laws the Lord bequeathed unto Moses, the Almighty regarded honoring His Name as the second most important. Before murder, before adultery, before theft or lying, the Lord our God forbade His people from abusing His Name. And yet, people who would otherwise describe themselves as religious often break this commandment without even batting an eye. If God is truly Who people profess to believe that He is, they would not violate His second commandment so grievously and so frequently.

3. Capitalization: Again, I know this seems trivial, but God created the freakin' universe, died for us on the Cross and has had to endure our disobedience since the moment He endowed us with free will. The very least we can do is capitalize "His", "Him" and "He" when referring to the Almighty.