11/JESUS
11/2 SECOND COMMAND, RESPECT FOR GOD'S NAME
RESPECT FOR THE NAME OF JESUS. St. Paul wrote of the great
humility of Jesus who humbled himself by becoming a man to save us. As a
consequence, "God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the earth." As we expect people to respect
our name, we must respect the name of God and of Jesus who is our creator and
savior.
RESPECT FOR SACRED PERSONS. King Saul went out searching for
David in order to kill him. One night David secretly entered the camp of the
king, and his companion was prepared to kill the king. David forbad the
companion to kill the king saying "You must not harm him. The Lord forbid
that I should try to harm the one whom the Lord has made king." David had
great respect for a sacred person. Today we must have respect for priests, brothers,
and nuns who are sacred persons serving God.
RESPECT FOR SACRED THINGS. One day Jesus entered the
Jerusalem temple and drove out those who were selling and buying there. He
overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were
selling doves. He said to the people "My house shall be a house of prayer
but you are making it a den of thieves." Jesus had great respect for the
temple. We must also have respect for sacred things as a church, a chalice, a
cross, and a rosary. We respect God by respecting holy things.
The second commandment. “You shall not take the name of the
Lord in vain.
