What's in a name?
Whenever we deal with things relating to the Spirit, we inevitably use an English proper noun: "God". We do it so frequently that we become desensitized to this name and fall back upon our earliest inklings if we try to find some meaning in it. Perhaps the great painters supply us with an image to anchor our concept of such a Being.
When Moses went up on the mountain and asked for a name from heaven he was told: "I AM THAT I AM". With time a considerable number of different attributions were developed by the Hebrews, as aids for their worship. While the priests used the four letter "tetragrammaton" YHVH in the Temple prayers and in study, by the time of the Talmud it was the custom to use substitute names like "Adonai" [Lord], or simply say "Ha-Shem" [lit. The Name].
What would happen if we did what the ancient Jews finally did and ceased using the traditional name altogether?
Look again at the Commandment: " You shall not misuse the name…." (Exodus 20:7 TNIV). Take this to heart and ponder its meaning.
The central metaphor of Christianity tells us "God is Love". Surprisingly, the Gospels refer only once or twice to this attribution. In the teachings of Jesus and the Letters of Paul the emphasis falls upon the manifestation of love in human experience. In order to make the concept of deity more concrete in our understanding it might be a worthwhile practice to consciously substitute the word "Love" for The Name each time we use it in prayer or study. We cannot depend on the insights of others to make clear to us the nature of the Supreme Being we worship. But if we are attentive to the subtle nuances of love, we can become more aware of this Unutterable Name, the center point of our religious heritage.
When Moses went up on the mountain and asked for a name from heaven he was told: "I AM THAT I AM". With time a considerable number of different attributions were developed by the Hebrews, as aids for their worship. While the priests used the four letter "tetragrammaton" YHVH in the Temple prayers and in study, by the time of the Talmud it was the custom to use substitute names like "Adonai" [Lord], or simply say "Ha-Shem" [lit. The Name].
What would happen if we did what the ancient Jews finally did and ceased using the traditional name altogether?
Look again at the Commandment: " You shall not misuse the name…." (Exodus 20:7 TNIV). Take this to heart and ponder its meaning.
The central metaphor of Christianity tells us "God is Love". Surprisingly, the Gospels refer only once or twice to this attribution. In the teachings of Jesus and the Letters of Paul the emphasis falls upon the manifestation of love in human experience. In order to make the concept of deity more concrete in our understanding it might be a worthwhile practice to consciously substitute the word "Love" for The Name each time we use it in prayer or study. We cannot depend on the insights of others to make clear to us the nature of the Supreme Being we worship. But if we are attentive to the subtle nuances of love, we can become more aware of this Unutterable Name, the center point of our religious heritage.
posted by David at 6:27 AM
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