May 22, 2005: The Name

+FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY


For those of us who remember the ’60s and ’70s, definitely one of the more colorful characters of American politics was President Richard Nixon. Even if you weren’t around back then, I’ll bet you could figure it out from watching All in the Family or Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In reruns!

Nixon started out as a poor boy from rural California, painfully shy. He worked his way into national politics, and suffered a double-defeat. His last big loss was against John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election. But then incredibly, he went on to be twice-elected president himself, in 1968 and 1972.

Maybe history will never fully understand this mysterious man, but there is one unusual thing about Nixon that probably played a big part in his ultimate victories—and that was his extraordinary talent for names. Whenever Nixon visited someplace—and it didn’t matter if it was an urban precinct or a small county—he knew the names of the local leaders and their wives, and he even knew something about their families.

To know someone’s name is power. When you know a person’s name, that gives you the ability to relate to him personally by calling him or asking something from him.
The Bible recognizes that power. It treats names almost mystically.

Jesus tells us that if we come together in his name, he will be there among us (Mt 18: 5). He taught us to venerate the Father’s name (Lk 11: 2).

We saw how the apostles—and even those who broke away as Christ’s followers—used Jesus’ name to prophesy, to work miracles, to cast out demons (Mt 9: 38; Mt 7: 22).

Jesus promises an enormous repayment to those who perform even the smallest kindness—like giving someone a drink of water—in his name (Mk 9: 41).

The Acts of the Apostles tell how St. Peter and the other apostles do many things in Jesus’ name, including perform baptisms, heal the sick, raise the dead, and especially break the bread—in other words, celebrate the Mass (Acts 3: 6; 9: 16; 10: 48; 20: 7).

Finally, at the end of the Scriptures, the book of Revelation tells us that the elect have the Father’s name, and the Lamb’s, on their foreheads (Rev 14: 1).

Today, on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we especially honor the name of our one God in three Persons. It’s actually kind of interesting to point out that even though there are three Persons, we say: in the name—singular—of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Maybe it seems like this should be plural because there are three names.

But this use of the singular emphasizes that the fullness of being and power is in all Three together. That’s why we baptize in the name—singular—that is, in the power and full being—of all Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

As Catholics, we begin all our prayers in the name of the Three. As we say this, we touch our forehead, then our heart, and then our shoulders, tracing a cross. To outsiders, maybe this looks like some kind of exotic ritual. But actually, when we make this sign and say these words, we are asking for something very great—that the power of the Trinity will penetrate our minds… fill our hearts… and straighten our shoulders. Our past mistakes and sins weigh us down, and our task ahead may seem overwhelming. But only if we forget about the awesome power at our fingertips.

There’s a great story about a man named Ira Yates who owned a Texas sheep ranch during the Great Depression. Yates wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation even to pay his mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. He hardly had enough money to buy food or clothes, so his family had to live on government subsidy.

Day after day, Yates grazed his sheep over the rolling West Texas hills, and he worried constantly about paying his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him that there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.

At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. They kept drilling, and they kept making amazing finds—wells producing even double that. Even 30 years later, the wells continued to produce hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day.

And Ira Yates owned it all!

The interesting thing is, the day he first purchased the ranch, he also bought all the oil and mineral rights. Yet, there he was living on government relief! A multi-millionaire living in poverty! The problem? He didn’t know the oil was there even though he owned it!

In a very similar way, many Catholics live needlessly in spiritual poverty. They are entitled to the gifts of the Three Persons of God and all God’s energizing power—but they don’t know how to tap into it. They may not even be aware of their birthright.

Can you imagine? Having all the power and blessings of God and not even know it!

But happily, you don’t have to remain in the dark. The power of God—the power of His name—is at your fingertips. Be filled with that power… in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!


Today’s Readings:
Exodus 34: 3–9
Daniel 3: 52–55
2 Corinthians 13: 11–13
John 3: 16–18