“Hallowed be your name…”

The name of God is holy, there is no doubt about that.

In Jewish tradition, God’s name is so holy that it cannot be spoken by human lips, or even written by human hands. “Lord” or “God” is translated in the Old Testament in place of the name which God gives God's self, Yahweh, the Hebrew word for “I Am.”

It might be intimidating to think of holiness, especially of the holiness of God, and especially as it relates to us. I have always considered myself less that holy, simply because of the way I live in the world. I am not always as prayerful or pious or even as kind and considerate as I think God would have me be.

Acquiring the title of “Reverend” when I became an ordained member of the clergy seemed quite inappropriate for someone, some regular, unholy person like me.

I have come to realize that the holiness of God is not something that is out of our reach. It is also not something to which we should try to aspire. The holiness of God is found in the name of God, and in God’s presence in our lives, which means that everything we do is infused with the holiness of God. Even while I shop for groceries or shovel snow or clean the bathroom, the mundane tasks of everyday life, God promises to be present. That promise makes those tasks holy.

And then there might be those extraordinary moments of awe and wonder, the moments of peace and beauty, when we can actually feel the presence of God. It is in those moments that we are blessed to know that we are standing on holy ground. But I don’t think that makes them any more, or any less holy then the everyday.

Roberta Bondi writes, “An experience of God’s holiness is an experience of God’s holiness whether we name it or not.” (p 40) Our lives as children of the great “I Am” are hallowed, simply because we are God’s children.

Prayer for Today (French p 34)

Holy God, enable me to see that all ground is holy ground for you are always with us. Amen.