Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 519 – Part V.

 

YOUCAT Question n. 519 - Part V. What does it mean to say, “Hallowed be thy name”?

(Youcat answer repeated) To “hallow” or to treat God’s name as something holy means to place him above everything else.    

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2813 b) By whom is God hallowed, since he is the one who hallows? But since he said, "You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy," we seek and ask that we who were sanctified in Baptism may persevere in what we have begun to be. And we ask this daily, for we need sanctification daily, so that we who fail daily may cleanse away our sins by being sanctified continually....We pray that this sanctification may remain in us (St. Cyprian, De Dom. orat. 12: PL 4, 527A; Lev 20:26).

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) A “name” in Sacred Scripture indicates the true nature of a person. To hallow God’s name means to do justice to his reality, to acknowledge him, to praise him, to give him due honor, and to live according to his commandments.  

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2814 a) The sanctification of his name among the nations depends inseparably on our life and our prayer: We ask God to hallow his name, which by its own holiness saves and makes holy all creation .... It is this name that gives salvation to a lost world. But we ask that this name of God should be hallowed in us through our actions. For God's name is blessed when we live well, but is blasphemed when we live wickedly. As the Apostle says: "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

 

(This question: What does it mean to say, “Hallowed be thy name”? is continued)