447. How does one respect the holiness of the Name of God? (part 2 continuation)
(Comp 447 repetition) One shows respect
for the holy Name of God by blessing it, praising it and glorifying it. It is
forbidden, therefore, to call on the Name of God to justify a crime. It is also
wrong to use the holy Name of God in any improper way as in blasphemy (which by
its nature is a grave sin), curses, and unfaithfulness to promises made in the Name
of God.
“In brief”
(CCC 2160) "O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth" Ps 8:1)! (CCC 2162) The second commandment forbids every improper use of
God's name. Blasphemy is the use of the name of God, of Jesus Christ, of the
Virgin Mary, and of the saints in an offensive way.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2146)The second commandment forbids the abuse of God's name, i.e.,
every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin
Mary and all the saints. (CCC 2148) Blasphemy is directly opposed to the
second commandment. 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" (Jas 2:7). 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 (Cf. CIC, can. 1369).
Reflection
(CCC 2147) Promises made to others in God's name engage the divine honor,
fidelity, truthfulness, and authority. They must be respected in justice. To be
unfaithful to them is to misuse God's name and in some way to make God out to
be a liar (Cf. 1 Jn 1:10). (CCC 2101) In many circumstances, the
Christian is called to make promises
to God. Baptism and Confirmation, Matrimony and Holy Orders always entail
promises. Out of personal devotion, the Christian may also promise to God this
action, that prayer, this alms-giving, that pilgrimage, and so forth. Fidelity
to promises made to God is a sign of the respect owed to the divine majesty and
of love for a faithful God. (CCC 2102) "A vow is a deliberate and free promise made to God concerning a
possible and better good which must be fulfilled by reason of the virtue of
religion" (CIC, can. 1191 § 1). A vow is an act of devotion in which the Christian dedicates himself to God or
promises him some good work. By fulfilling his vows he renders to God what has
been promised and consecrated to Him. The Acts
of the Apostles shows us St. Paul concerned to fulfill the vows he had made
(Cf. Acts 18:18; 21:23-24). [END]
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