The Name

Richard Nixon and Ira Yates

Trinity Sunday
Today’s Readings: Dt 4:32-40, Ps 33, Rom 8:14-17, Mt 28:16-20 [Link to readings]

Definitely one of the more colorful characters of American politics back in the ’60s and ’70s was President Richard Nixon.

Nixon was a poor boy from rural California. He was painfully shy. He went into politics and worked his way onto the national scene. He was soundly defeated in a couple of major elections, including his run for president against John F. Kennedy in 1960. But then almost incredibly, he went on to be twice-elected president himself, in 1968 and 1972.

Maybe history will never fully understand this mysterious and brooding man, but there is one unusual thing about Richard 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 a key urban precinct or just a small county off the beaten track—he knew the names of the local leaders and their spouses, and he even knew something about their kids and families.

To know somebody’s name is power. When you know a person’s name, that gives you the ability to relate to them personally by calling them or asking something from them.

The Bible recognizes that power. That’s why it treats names very mystically. Listen to just a few examples:

• Jesus tells us that if we come together in his name, he will be there among us. [Mt 18:5]

• He teaches us to venerate the Father’s name: hallowed be thy name… [Lk 11:2]

• The Scriptures show us how the apostles, and even those who broke away from being Christ’s followers, used Jesus’ name to prophesy, work miracles and even cast out demons. [Mt 9:38, Mt 7:22]

• Jesus promises a huge repayment to people who do even the smallest kindness, like just giving someone a drink of water, if they do it in his name. [Mk 9:41]

• Read the Acts of the Apostles and you’ll see how Peter and the other apostles do lots of powerful things in Jesus’ name—such as healing the sick, raising the dead, forgiving sins, and even turning plain bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. [Acts 3:6, 9:16, 10:48, 20:7]

• And finally, the book of Revelation at the very end of the Bible promises us that the elect—in other words, the saved—have the Father’s name and the Lamb’s on their foreheads. [Rev 14:1]

Our gospel on today’s feast day, Trinity Sunday, also speaks of God’s name, but with an interesting twist. Jesus commands his apostles to baptize everyone in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. [Mt 28:19] Maybe you think this should have been plural because there are three names in that list.

But actually, using the singular emphasizes the fullness and power and unity that is in all three together. That’s why we baptize in the name—singular—that is, in the power and fullness of being and unity—of all three persons of the Blessed Trinity.

As Catholics, we start all our prayers in the name of the three as we trace the sign of the cross across our forehead, heart and shoulders. When we say these words and make this sign, in fact we are praying for something very great: that the power of the Trinity will penetrate our minds, fill our hearts, and strengthen our shoulders. Can’t we all use more of that!

Despite this prayer ritual that we know so well and perform so often, sometimes we forget the vast and mysterious power that is literally at our fingertips.

Let me tell you a little story. During the Great Depression, a fellow named Ira Yates owned a sheep ranch in western Texas. Times were so tough that he couldn’t even make enough in his ranching operation to pay the mortgage, so he was in real danger of losing his place. There was barely enough money to buy necessities like food or clothing, so his family had to live on government subsidy.

Day after day, Yates grazed his sheep over the rolling west Texas hills, worrying constantly about keeping afloat. Then one day, a seismographic crew from an oil company showed up. They told them that they suspected there might be oil on his land, so they asked permission to drill a wildcat well. Having nothing to lose, Yates signed a lease contract.

The digging began. 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 pump out hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil every single day.

And Ira Yates owned it all!

The irony is, the ranch he had bought so many years before included all the oil and mineral rights under that ranch. And there he was, living on government relief! A multi-millionaire living in poverty! The problem? He didn’t realize that the oil was literally below his feet, even though he owned it!

Sadly, that’s exactly how many Catholics live in spiritual poverty. Through their baptism, they are entitled to the gifts of the three persons of God and all of God’s energizing power, but they may not even be aware of this 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!