Chapter 4 - Hallowed Be Thy Name

According to the order in which Jesus Christ put the petitions which compose His prayer, it is evident that the first duty of the Christian is to desire and demand above every thing else that the name of God may be hallowed. This name, infinitely holy in itself, is hallowed by Christians when they acknowledge and adore it; when they glorify it by the worship they render it, and by the tribute of their praise; when they not only carefully avoid profaning and dishonoring it, but when all their thoughts, words, and actions tend to its glory; and I when, in all their conduct, this intention is, as it should be, at the head of all others. What is really my principal end? It is to promote the glory of God. Why did He create me and all other things? For His own glory. Of what is He especially jealous? Of His own glory. He lavishes upon us all His riches, even to wishing to share with us His happiness; yet what is the one thing He will not, He can not, communicate to us? His glory. That which contributes in nothing to His glory is lost, and has no merit before Him. That which wounds His glory in the slightest degree, displeases and offends Him, and can only draw down upon us His chastisement, unless reparation is made by a sincere repentance. Am I fully persuaded of this great truth, which is the basis of religion and morality, and at the same time the principal source of my happiness? My first interest being the interest of God, I am sure of all good, in working to glorify Him. The idea of His glory is so exalted that it comprises eminently every thing which is advantageous for this life and the other. In occupying myself with what concerns God, I oblige Him to take special care of what concerns me. What am I doing then, when in the service of God I am so absorbed with myself as to refer almost every thing to myself? If I do not absolutely peril my salvation, I certainly do hinder my perfection; besides I realize very imperfectly the happiness attached to holiness, even here below; and the reward which is promised on high will suffer a notable diminution.

It is very important then, that as many are guided by self-interest, and in their devotions and good works are too much occupied with themselves, they should seriously consider this. Mingling myself among others, am I not also of this number? Have I sought above every thing and in every thing the glory of our Father in heaven? Is it the object which occurs to my mind the most easily and the most frequently? In regard to my sins, is that which afflicts me most, that which excites in me the deepest repentance, the thought of having dishonored the holiness of God, and having done what is derogatory to His glory? When I pray to Him, is my first care to praise Him, to adore Him for His perfections, to recount His benefits, to offer myself to Him, that I may glorify Him: in short to abase myself before Him? Am I occupied in His presence with any thing besides myself and my own needs? Am I not tempted to fear that He will forget me if I forget myself in order to think of Him? Does it often occur to me to implore Him that His name may be hallowed, that He may make it known to the unfaithful who are ignorant of Him, that the whole universe may render Him the respect and the homage which are His due? Is this the desire which is uppermost in my heart? Am I consumed and devoured with zeal at sight of public scandals, and the progress of impiety and wickedness? Is it the subject of my highest joy to see or understand the things which contribute to the glory of God, the propagation of the faith, the reformation of manners, the renewing of piety, the public improvement? If it is true that the glory of the Father is that of the child, can I deceive myself that I am very far removed from the spirit which should characterize a child of God, while I have little love for Him, and am little interested in Him? O my Father! change, I beseech thee, my interior dispositions with regard to this great object. Inspire me from this moment, for all the remainder of my life, with a firm, inviolable resolution to hallow Thy name in every thing, in my thoughts and intentions, my affections and desires, my words and actions; to hallow it from day to day in the manner which is most excellent and most worthy of Thee; to endeavor that it may be hallowed by all who depend upon me, and over whom I have authority; to oppose with all my power, at least by my prayers, my complaints and my tears spread before Thee, the torrent of impiety, irreligion, and license which threatens to overwhelm the world. Never perhaps have Thy children had cause to pray with more earnestness, that Thy name may be hallowed; and great is the evil, that Thou alone canst find the remedy. I unite myself now and always with all holy souls who do not cease continually to offer Thee their prayers, communions, footings, sufferings, and even life itself, in reparation of so many indignities.

That the name of God may be hallowed, is to every Christian a matter of infinite importance; it embraces, in a certain sense, every moment and every circumstance of life, and the employment of every faculty. It demands of those who take it truly to heart a constant watchfulness over themselves, great purity of intention, and a constant fidelity to grace. Christian soul, if thou sincerely desirest to obtain full success, the best means is to surrender entirely to God, that He may sanctify His name in thee and by thee, according to the design He has formed, and which He will manifest only in proportion as thou leavest thyself at His disposal. This consecration is the most perfect manner in which thou canst hallow His most adorable name; and moreover, in making God the absolute master of this liberty, thou puttest Him on guard over thee; thou engagest Him to employ thee wholly for His glory. He alone knows in what, how, and to what points He wishes to be glorified by thee. He alone has the means at His disposal. He asks only thy co-operation, which will be full and entire if He holds thee in His hand as an instrument pliable and bending to His will. If thou minglest with His work thine own views or thine own energy, or if thou shouldst attempt to anticipate rather than to follow His grace, thou wilt only spoil the work. In this dependence thou art exempt from all anxiety, from all fear, from all doubt, from all illusion; thou art secure against the dangers either of cowardice or presumption; and thou hast the fullest moral assurance of hallowing the name of God as perfectly as thou art capable, for it is He properly who hallows it, and thou only secondest Him.

- from The Christian Sanctified by the Lord's Prayer, by Father Jean Nicolas Grou