Petition 1: Hallowed Be Thy Name.

Lord teach us how to pray...J-J Tissot.

We continue October's posts with the writings of St Thomas Aquinas on the prayers used in the Rosary. From the Angelic Salutation, we have shifted our focus to what he wrote on the Lord's Prayer. 

I have included my own (fairly literal) English translation, together with a number of Scriptural references and notes.

The footnote references follow each section.

 

Petition 1: Hallowed Be Thy Name.

Articulus 1 Sanctificetur nomen tuum

This is the first petition, in which we ask that His name be manifested and declared in us.

Firstly, the name of God is wondrous because it works wonders in every creature: “ In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues.  They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them:”[1]

Haec est prima petitio, in qua petitur ut nomen eius in nobis manifestetur et declaretur. Est autem nomen Dei primo mirabile, quia in omnibus creaturis mirabilia operatur: unde dominus in Evangelio Marc. ult., 17: in nomine meo Daemonia eiicient, linguis loquentur novis, serpentes tollent: et si mortiferum quid biberint non eis nocebit.

[1] And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues. Signa autem eos qui crediderint, haec sequentur : in nomine meo daemonia ejicient : linguis loquentur novis : They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. serpentes tollent : et si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocebit : super aegros manus imponent, et bene habebunt. [Marc. Ult. 17-18] 

God’s name is lovable

Secondly, the name is lovable: “There is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.”[2] But salvation is to be desired by all. Consider the example of Blessed Ignatius whoso loved the name of Christ that, when Trajan ordered him to deny the name of Christ, he replied that it could not be removed from his mouth; and when he was threatened with having his head cut off so as to remove the name from his mouth, he said: “If you remove it from my mouth, you will never be able to take it from my heart; and I shall not cease from invoking it.” Trajan, hearing this, wished to put it to the test; he had the servant of God beheaded and ordered his heart to be removed; it was found that he had the name of Christ written in letters of gold. He had placed this name on his heart like a seal.

Secundo est amabile. Act. IV, 12: non est aliud nomen datum sub caelo in quo oporteat nos salvos fieri. Salus autem est ab omnibus diligenda. Exemplum de beato Ignatio, qui intantum nomen Christi dilexit, quod cum Traianus requireret ab eo ut nomen Christi negaret, respondit quod de ore eius removeri non posset; et cum ille minaretur sibi caput abscindere, et Christum de eius ore removere, dixit: et si de ore abstuleris, nunquam tamen de corde eripere poteris: hoc enim nomen cordi meo inscriptum habeo, et ideo ab eius invocatione cessare non valeo. Quod audiens Traianus, et probari cupiens, servi Dei abscisso capite, cor eius extrahi iussit, et inventum est habens nomen Christi in se scriptum litteris aureis. Posuerat enim super cor suum hoc nomen quasi signaculum.

[2] Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved. et non est in alio aliquo salus. Nec enim aliud nomen est sub caelo datum hominibus, in quo oporteat nos salvos fieri. [Acts iv. 12]

God’s name is venerable

Thirdly, it is venerable: “ In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:[3]  those in heaven are the Angels and the blessed; those on earth are the people of this world who do this from love, in the hope of arriving at glory or from fear, fleeing punishment; and those that are under the earth to the damned, who do this from fear.

Tertio est venerabile. Apostolus, Phil. II, 10: ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur, caelestium, terrestrium et Infernorum. Caelestium quantum ad Angelos et beatos; terrestrium quantum ad mundanos, qui hoc faciunt ex amore adipiscendae gloriae vel timore fugiendae poenae; et Infernorum quoad damnatos, qui hoc faciunt ex timore.

[3] That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum. [Phil. ii. 10]

God’s name is ineffable

Fourthly, this name is ineffable, for every tongue is incaple of expressing it. It is, accordingly, explained through comparison to created things; whence it is compared to a rock, by reason of its firmness: “Upon this rock I will build my church;[4]  or to a fire, by reason of its purifying power: for just as fire purifies metal, so does God purify the hearts of sinners: “The Lord thy God is a consuming fire;[5] or to light, by reason of its enlightening power: for just as light illumines darkness, so does the name of God illumine the darkness of the mind: “ O my God enlighten my darkness.”[6] 

Quarto inexplicabile, quia a narratione eius deficiunt omnes linguae. Et ideo explicatur aliquando per creaturas. Unde dicitur lapis ratione firmitatis: Matth. XVI, 18: super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam. Item ignis ratione purificationis: quia sicut ignis metalla purificat, ita Deus purificat corda peccatorum: unde Deut. IV, 24: Deus tuus ignis consumens est. Item lux ratione illuminationis: quia sicut lux illuminat tenebras, ita nomen Dei illuminat tenebras mentis. Psal. XVII, 29: Deus meus, illumina tenebras meas.

[4] And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. [Matt. xvi. 18] 

[5] Because the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. quia Dominus Deus tuus ignis consumens est, Deus aemulator. [Deut, iv. 24]

[6] For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: O my God enlighten my darkness. Quoniam tu illuminas lucernam meam, Domine; Deus meus, illumina tenebras meas. [Ps. xvii. 29]

Meaning of “Hallowed”

Whence we pray this name may be manifested so that it may be known and held to be holy. “Holy” may be said in three senses: (Firstly,) Holy is the same as firm; whence all the blessed who are in heaven are called saints (holy ones) because they are firmly established in eternal happiness. In this world, they cannot be saints (in this sense) because they are continually subject to change. “ I sank away, O Lord, from Thee,  and I wandered too far astray from Thee: I have left the path of thy firmness." [7]  

Unde istud nomen petimus manifestari, ut cognoscatur, et teneatur sanctum. Sanctum autem tripliciter dicitur. Sanctum enim idem est quod firmum: unde omnes beati qui in caelo sunt, sancti dicuntur, quia sunt aeterna felicitate firmati. In mundo non possunt esse sancti, quia sunt continue mobiles. Augustinus: defluxi, domine, a te, et erravi nimis: devius factus sum a stabilitate tua.

[7] Augustine: "Confessions," II, x.

Secondly, “hallowed” or “holy” is the same as “unearthly”: whence the saints who are in heaven have no desire for what is earthly: “I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ:[8]  By “earth” may be indicated sinners. 

    1. Firstly, by reason of seed (in the earth): if the earth is not cultivated, it will produce thorns and thistles; similarly, the soul of the sinner, unless it is cultivated by grace, will produce only thorns and the prickings of sins: “Thorns and thistles shall it (the earth) bring forth to thee;”[9]  

    2. Secondly, by reason of its darkness: for the earth is dark and opaque; and the sinner is also dark and opaque: “Darkness was upon the face of the deep;”[10] 

    3. Thirdly, by reason of its condition: for the earth is a dry element which is scattered unless it is held together by the moisture of water: “Who established the earth above the waters:”[11]  because by the moisture of water is contained the dryness or drought of the earth. In such a way does a sinner have a soul that is dry and without moisture: “ My soul is as earth without water unto thee.”[12] 

Secundo sanctum idem est quod non terrenum: unde sancti qui in caelo sunt, nullum habent affectum terrenum: unde apostolus, Phil. III, 8: omnia arbitratus sum ut stercora ut Christum lucrifaciam. Per terram autem designantur peccatores. Primo ratione germinis: terra enim si non colitur, spinas et tribulos germinat; sic anima peccatoris, nisi colatur per gratiam, non germinat nisi tribulos et punctiones peccatorum. Gen. III, 18: spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi. Secundo ratione caliginis. Terra enim caliginosa est et opaca: sic etiam peccator caliginosus et opacus est. Gen. I, 2: tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi. Tertio ratione conditionis. Terra enim est elementum siccum, quod spargitur nisi contineatur ab aquae humiditate: nam Deus posuit terram super aquam, iuxta illud Psal. CXXXV, 6: qui firmavit terram super aquas, quia ex humiditate aquae continetur ariditas vel siccitas terrae. Sic peccator animam habet siccam et aridam, iuxta illud Psal. CXLII, 6: anima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi.

[8] Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ: Verumtamen existimo omnia detrimentum esse propter eminentem scientiam Jesu Christi Domini mei : propter quem omnia detrimentum feci, et arbitror ut stercora, ut Christum lucrifaciam. [Philip. iii. 8]

[9] Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth. Spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi, et comedes herbam terrae. [Gen. iii. 18]

[10]  And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. Terra autem erat inanis et vacua, et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi : et spiritus Dei ferebatur super aquas. [Gen. i. 2]

[11] Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. Qui firmavit terram super aquas, quoniam in aeternum misericordia ejus. [Ps. Cxxxv. 6]

[12] I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as earth without water unto thee. Expandi manus meas ad te; anima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi. 

Thirdly, “hallowed” or “holy” may mean washed in blood; whence the saints in heaven are said to be holy because they are washed in blood: “ These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”[13]  And again: “(Christ) washed us from our sins in his own blood.”[14] 

Item tertio dicitur sanctum, idest sanguine tinctum; unde sancti qui sunt in caelo, sancti dicuntur, eo quod sunt sanguine tincti, iuxta illud Apoc. VII, 14: isti sunt qui venerunt ex magna tribulatione, et laverunt stolas suas in sanguine agni. Item ibid. I, 5: lavit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo.

[13] And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Et dixi illi : Domine mi, tu scis. Et dixit mihi : Hi sunt, qui venerunt de tribulatione magna, et laverunt stolas suas, et dealbaverunt eas in sanguine Agni. [Apoc. vii. 14]

[14] And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. et a Jesu Christo, qui est testis fidelis, primogenitus mortuorum, et princeps regum terrae, qui dilexit nos, et lavit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo. [Apoc. I. 5]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.