The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-26
THE REVERENCE DUE TO THE
HOLY NAME OF THE CREATOR
AND THE REDEEMER.
To the Clergy and the Laity of the
Diocese of st. Paul:

To the Clergy and the Laity of the
Diocese of st. Paul:
Beloved Brethren: The subiec
which | beg leave to propose to YOU
pious meditation during the season o
Lent is the Second Commandment OF
the Law of Mount Sinai.
The Commandment reads: "Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord
thy God in vain: for the Lord will
not hold him guiltless, that shall take
the name of the Lord his God in vain -
AS explained in the Catechism of
our childhood, the Second Command
ment enjoins upon us to speak with
reverence of God, of the Saints, and
of all holy things: it forbids all false,
rash, unjust, and unnecessary oaths,
blasphemy, cursing, and profane Ian
guage.
Strange, mysterious, it is, that need
there should be of rehearsing to you
the Second Commandment. Yet the
need exists; too often among us, to
the grave peril of souls, to the fla
grant disgrace of religion, it's obliga-
tlons go unheeded, its prescriptions
suffer violation. And, what is most
deplorable, the evil, of which we now
complain, seems to grow into daily in
crease. SO horrid in this regard are
the conditions revealing themselves
even to casual observation, that the
frightful question imposes itself: Has
the time come when the world around
us, not satisfied with the forgetfulness
OF God, bends itself into open war
against Him, and, in token of hate
full rebellion, belabors itself in search
OF vilest words wherewith to cast into
His face defiance and contumely?
The time, certainly, has come, when
the watchman on the towers of Israel
should sound the alarm, and send
forth the warning to those still faith
full to the majesty of the Most High,
that they, by every word and every
deed, proclaim the sacFedness OF His
name, and with their might defend it
from the insulting foe.
In its physical entity the echo of
tion of the air, name is of small
import: it awakens slight emotion.
But in the intellectual and moral life
of men, Il name is a symbol: it
rises to our hearing in the fullness
of the reality that it immantIes. In
human converse, the name is the
reality itself: whether spoken or
ri
ment that is due to the reality itself,
speaking to us or listening to words
spoken by us.
There are the names that bestir the
heart in deepest fibre and rush the tear
drop to the eye-lid-the names of faith
er of mother, long perhaps in the peace
of eternity: against him who would
dare dishonor those names the hand at
once is uplifted in their defense There
is the name that crimsonS the face
with eXultant pride and challenges the
soul to utmost sacriice-the name
of country: dire the penalty ready
for him who proffers to it scorn or
disgrace. What then of the name
that tells the inlinitude of power, or
holiness, of love, the name that
brings down to mortal ear the majesty
of the Creator, the authority of the
sovereign Ruler of all the things that
are, the unlimited mercy and gracious
ness of eternal love, the name of Him
to whom we are hidden say: Our
Father, who are in Heaven, hallowed
by thy name! this name | pronounce
oil I,o
may command, with all the reverence
that my lips may betoben-It is the
name of God.
What of this name--the name of
God? Let Scripture, the inspired
record of Gods own mind, give answer.
This the answer: Holy and terri
BILE is His name" 20 Lord,
our Lord, how admirable is thy name
in the whole earth" There
is none like to Thee, o Lord: Thou
art great, and great is Thy name in
might" So holy is His name, and
so terrible, that God takes into His
own charge that it be honored and
glorifed; And l have regarded my
holy name, which the house of Israel
hath profaned among the nations to
which they went" And
will make my holy name known in
the midst of my people Israel and
my holy name shall be profaned nc
more: and the Gentiles shall know
that | am the Lord, the Holy One OF
Israel The attitude of men
creatures and servants of God, to
wards the holy name should be that
of blessing and praise: Praise ye
His holy name" Let them
give praise to thy great name, for il
is terrible and holy :. /. "Now
therefore with the whole heart ant
mouth. praise ye Him and bless the
name of the Lord And upon those
who profane His name, there rests
the heavy rod of Gods Justice: "Thot
shalt not take the name of the Lore
thy God in vain: for the Lord vii
not hold him guiltlesg, that shall take
the name of the Lord his God in vain
"Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain
for he shall not so unpunished tha
taketh His name upon vain thing