The Name of the Lord is salvation, so that Jesus can promise, “anything you ask in my Name, I will do it” (Jn 14:13-14).
The third commandment, “You shall not take the Name of the Lord God in vain,” is most often applied to cursing or similar abuse of His name, but in the Scriptures “vanity” is consistently used to illustrate worthlessness, emptiness, or futility (see Ecclesiastes). Therefore, rather than something we necessarily do, it is more often something we don’t do.
When we neglect to call on the Name of the Lord when we need help (salvation), we have taken His name in vain. His name lies empty for us. We do not know it or experience it, and so we render it worthless in our lives. This is the fullness of what it means to “take the Name of the Lord in vain.”
Study Audio
This week’s LOVE exercise (interactive scripture meditation, or lectio divina) is based on an Augustinian* personality approach. Go on! Try it!
Listen (Lectio)
As you read through the words of the following verse, imagine Jesus saying these words directly to you.
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
Observe (Meditatio)
Read this verse again, emphasizing each word in turn, like this:
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).
Emphasize each word in turn until you have stressed the all. What do you notice?
Verbalize (Oratio)
What does a concentration on every one of Jesus’ words, here, tell you personally? What does Jesus want you to know? What does He want you to do now?
Tell Him, now, what’s on your heart.
Entrust (Contemplatio)
Perhaps you’d like to take a few minutes to simply wonder in this extraordinary promise and entrust yourself to Him anew.
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*Interactive scripture meditations, LOVE Exercises, vary weekly according to the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Ignatian, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Thomistic.
Scripture References for the Show
Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat
And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”
Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Proverbs 18:10, The Name of the Lord is strong tower.
Judges 13, Manoah and his wife see the angel of the Lord. “So Manoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the Man, he said to Him, ‘Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?’ And He said, ‘I am’” (Judg. 13:11). “Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing is secret?” (13:18). “secret, too wonderful, mysterious”
Exodus 3:14-15, God reveals His Name to humanity.
Exodus 34:5, God reveals His “glory” to Moses in the cleft of the Rock, and His “glory” is His Name.
List of some of the “names” God’s people gave Him throughout the scriptures:
- Jehovah-Nissi (Ex. 17:15) The-Lord-My-Banner (flag)
- Jehovah-Raah (Ps. 23:1) The-Lord-My-Shepherd
- Jehovah-Jireh (Gen. 22:14) The-Lord-Will-Provide
- Jehovah-Rapha (Ex.15: 26) The-Lord-That-Healeth
- Jehovah-Shalom (Judg. 6:24) The-Lord-Is-Peace
- Jehovah-Shamma (Ez. 48:35) The-Lord-Is-There
- Jehovah-Sabaoth (1 Sam. 1:3) The-Lord-Of-Hosts (armies)
- Jehovah-Tsidkenu (Jer. 23:6) The-Lord-Our-Righteousness
- Jehovah-Oz (Is. 12:2) The-Lord-My-Strength
- YAH (Ps. 68:4; poetic form of Yahweh) The-Lord-Is-A-Poet
- Jehovah-Mekoddishkem (Lev. 20:8) The-Lord-Who-Sanctifies-You
- Qanna (Ex. 34:14) Jealous
- Jehovah-Baal (Is. 54:5) The-Lord-Your-Husband
- Jehovah-Derek (Judg. 18:6) The-Lord-Your-Way
- Jehovah-Zimrath (Ex. 15:2) The-Lord-My-Song
- Jehovah-Nasa (Ps. 99:8) The-Lord-Who-Forgives
- El Roi (Gen. 16:13) The-God-Who-Sees
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Phil. 2:9-10).
“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Deut. 5:11).
Episode Resources
Article on Mary as Ark of the New Covenant and Great Sign of the Church
“The “great things” are nothing less than that she became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child.
“She herself is unable to find a name for this work, it is too exceeding great; all she can do is break out in the fervent cry, they are “great things,” impossible to describe or define. Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God. No one can say anything greater of her or to her, though he had as may tongues as there are leaves on the trees, or grass in the fields, or stars in the sky, or sand by the sea. It needs to be pondered in the heart, what it means to be the Mother of God” (Martin Luther, “On the Magnificat”).
CCC 206 “In revealing his mysterious name, YHWH (“I AM HE WHO IS”, “I AM WHO AM” or “I AM WHO I AM”), God says who he is and by what name he is to be called. This divine name is mysterious just as God is mystery. It is at once a name revealed and something like the refusal of a name, and hence it better expresses God as what he is – infinitely above everything that we can understand or say: he is the “hidden God”, his name is ineffable, and he is the God who makes himself close to men.”
Daily Scripture Reading (Lectio Divina) Resources
Print:
- Magnificat – http://us.magnificat.net/flipbook/US/holy_week/
- Give Us This Day – https://www.giveusthisday.org/Home/LookInside
- Word Among Us – https://myaccount.wau.org/signup
- Living Faith – http://www.livingfaith.com/index.php
Websites:
- Universalis – http://universalis.com/
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010717.cfm
- Blessed Is She – https://blessedisshe.net/
Apps: https://catholicapptitude.org/2017/01/03/essential-catholic-apps-for-your-phone-or-tablet-or-watch/
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Join the Conversation
Look back over the list of names up in the list provided. Which of these have you taken in vain?
Image Credits
@oldskool2016 | https://unsplash.com/new?photo=myu2QyUgL2k
Hi Sonja my darling!! I thank God for you :) I was a cradle Catholic and thanks to you I am learning my faith and am excited I never left!! I have a question though as my father was a catholic but changed to baptist as he needed to remarry again LONG story short i am on my way to getting him back to our faith as he was not really committed to the baptism church to begin with, he is JUST at home with Bible alone :( my question is??? to help him, Our dear Mother Mary is blessed!! i know this and believe it totally But my father has trouble with Mary having other children as it states in the bible :( I cant answer him as i have no idea what to say?? I tried saying that they were Jesus’ cousins ??? maybe you know more about this?? What would be a good answer to give him?? That would be so helpful
Thank you Sonja so much for your work You have no idea how helpful you are in your bible studies !! As soon as we get out of the water of debts I plan to contribute to your ministry but right now i am only listening and watching for free as thats all i can do for my soul :( God Bless you again and your family xxx Eve from Australia
What a WONDERFUL note to wake up to! Welcome to the #evangelistaevolution : )) The most concise answer I can provide on the subject of Mary in which all the biblical and historical information is in one place is here: http://www.fisheaters.com/mary.html I have a couple of issues with this site, but her info is accurate and accessible, so read away.
The question of Mary’s “other children mentioned in the Bible” was comprehensively answered by Papias of Hierapolis (and many others throughout Church history) as early as the first century:
“(1.) Mary the mother of the Lord; (2.) Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphæus, who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of Simon and Thaddeus, and of one Joseph; (3.) Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of John the evangelist and James; (4.) Mary Magdalene. These four are found in the Gospel. James and Judas and Joseph were sons of an aunt (2) of the Lord’s. James also and John were sons of another aunt (3) of the Lord’s. Mary (2), mother of James the Less and Joseph, wife of Alphæus was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom John names of Cleophas, either from her father or from the family of the clan, or for some other reason. Mary Salome (3) is called Salome either from her husband or her village. Some affirm that she is the same as Mary of Cleophas, because she had two husbands.”(See X, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0125.htm).
Additionally, “The church is the pillar and foundation of truth” – not the Bible (1 Tim 3:15). And “no scripture is of private interpretation” (2 Pet 1:20).