Bishop Challoner's Meditations - Thursday After the Second Sunday

ON HALLOWED BE THY NAME

Consider first, that the first petition of the Lord’s prayer is contained in these words 'Hallowed be thy name:’ that is, may thy name be ever blessed and praised, honoured and glorified. This petition claims the first place in the Lord’s prayer as its undoubted right; because the first and principal duty of a Christian is to love his God with his whole heart and soul, and therefore the first and principal thing he ought to desire and pray for is the great honour and glory of God. His love for his God makes him rejoice to think that he is, in himself, infinitely happy and glorious, and will be so for all eternity, and that he is, and will be eternally adored, praised, and glorified by all the angels and saints. But, then, it grieves him to think how little this infinite goodness is known in this miserable world; how little this great object of his love is loved here below; how little he is honoured, praised, and glorified by these very souls of ours, made by him, and for him, and which can never be happy but in the love and enjoyment of him. And therefore the intent of this petition is to remedy so great an evil by earnestly begging of the sovereign Good, the source of all grace and good, that he would glorify his own most sacred name in us, by effectually teaching us to love, serve, and glorify him.

Consider 2ndly, that this petition contains an act of divine love, even of perfect charity and benevolence, inasmuch as it expresses the longing desires of the soul for the greater honour, praise, and glory of her Maker, as the only good she can wish, or procure for his infinite majesty. It contains also an act of the most perfect charity for himself; because in praying that God’s name may be glorified in all, and by all, she desires in the first place, that it may be glorified in herself; and by herself: now what greater good can she wish, or procure for herself, than that God may be ever glorified in her, and by her, and that her whole being may be ever consecrated to his glory, for time and eternity? And as the most perfect act of charity for our neighbours, is that by which we labour to procure their greatest good, and the like good as we desire for ourselves; whilst by this petition we dedicate our whole selves to the divine glory, we do as much for our neighbours also, by praying that God’s name may be sanctified in them all, and by them all, both now and for ever. And this love we here exercise both with regard to ourselves and our neighbours, is pure and perfect charity; because God is both the beginning and the end of it; inasmuch as we love both ourselves and our neighbours, with relation to the greater glory of God. This divine charity in all its branches is exercised in this first petition.

Consider 3rdly, that in praying for the hallowing or sanctifying of the name of God, we pray in effect for the sanctification of the whole world; that the knowledge of the true and living God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, may be spread over all the earth that all nations may serve him, all tongues may praise him, and all hearts may love him; in a word, that all men upon earth may be saints, and may be all happily united in publishing the glory of God’s name, not merely by their words, but much more by their lives; for this is the most perfect way of sanctifying the name of God. See then, my soul, the vast extent of this petition, by which we pray for all glory to God; and for all good to man, both for here and hereafter; and let thy heart go along with thy tongue as often as thou repeatest it.

Conclude to let this earnest desire of the greater glory of God in all things be ever the predominant passion of thy heart, and he will glorify thee for all eternity.