The name of Allah(2)

Whilst we might deplore the violent reaction of the Malaysian Muslims, it does tell us how highly Muslims value the name of Allah and how openly they are prepared to acknowledge and defend the use of the name. So where do we Christians stand in relation to the Holy Name of Jesus? Do we stand comparison with the fervent respect that Muslims accord to the name of Allah? Whilst there has always been a tradition in Catholic Christianity of devotion to the Holy Name, in practice we do very little to show what the name means to us and to oppose the improper use of the name of Jesus or Jesus Christ which, sadly, is all too common nowadays. It would be true to say that "Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" are used more nowadays in public as forms of cursing or swearing than they are in a reverential or holy sense. In films, books on TV Jesus is casually, deliberately and intentionally, in some cases, blasphemed and his name placed on a par with other swear words. If it is not the use of the name of the Saviour of the world, it is an equally casual recourse to the word God to express anger, frustration etc. Often, nowadays this takes the form of the three in one words omygod or omigod, so beloved of young people and so frequently encountered on TVand so on. Without pushing my paranoia too far, I suspect that quite often there is a calculated use of the words God, Jesus etc. with the purpose of offending, trivialising, mocking or whatever.

It is to the credit of Muslims that they would not tolerate such profane use of the name Allah. And it is to the shame of Christians that we so often fail to defend the names we hold sacred and to challenge a society that has so wrongly and maliciously appropriated them for more malign and unpleasant uses.

We need to look again at how we really understand, value and revere the names of Jesus and the word God. For a Christian to use the name of Jesus or God blaspehemously is a grave offence
Even in prayer, we should not lightly or casually utter the holy name, which is a whole world of prayer in itself.

And we should begin to learn from our Muslim brothers. I don't mean let's firebomb the BBC , but let's begin to make the case for more respect and to allow the name of Jesus to be raised up high so that eventually every knee will bow at the name of Jesus to the glory of God.

There are prayers and litanies to the Holy Name. Maybe now is the time to begin to reurn them to more general usage. Seek out a prayer and begin to incorporate it into your regular prayer time in reperation for the sins against the Holy Name. You could use a prayer like the "Jesus Prayer" or this one which is the concluding prayer of an old, traditional Litany to the Holy Name.

Lord make us love and fear thy name at all times;

for they are never disappointed of thy guidance,

whom thou dost firmly establish

in thy friendship.

Who livest and reignest world without end.