Ten Commandments

Second Commandment

Do not take the name of God in vain

The second commandment forbids naming God in vain as with blasphemy and foul language associated with the name of God, or with a false oath. It names the name of God in vain when blasphemy, when curses with hatred or challenge against the sky, when using irreverent and scandalous words against God, or simply when speaking of the Lord lightly, ironically, disrespectfully or unnecessarily and nonsense, for gain, anger or contempt.

It names the name of God in vain even when we act in a way contrary to the teachings of the Gospel. In fact, how can a child say to his father: "I love you, honor you, I serve you with love", if he offends with the works? Why he is not saying, Lord, Lord, that you love God, but in doing his work: "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, 'and not do what I say?" (Lk 6,46) In fact: "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven". (Mt 7,21).

The Name of the Lord is holy, is powerful, Venerable, Blessed and Sacred, so it must be pronounced with faith, love, respect, devotion and gratitude. Only then that name becomes energy for he who puts God in confirmation of their actions, cannot commit behavior against God, rather testifies to life his love.

If it is true that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord with faith and follow His teachings will be saved, it is also true that anyone who blasphemes the name of God will be condemned. Will not be forgiven those who sin against the Holy Spirit, he who rejects God, refuses Life. Because it is the faith that saves. But how can I have faith whoever blasphemes God with acts and words?

It's silly to blame God when life presents us the bill with his labors and sufferings, because they are caused in most cases by man's sin and evil in the world. Many are convinced that God delights in punishing those who do not keep his law instead, it is in difficulties or suffering that God rushes beside those who require the intervention.

Even the false oath is a serious thing to God, as it means to take God as witness to what is stated. When the oath is true and legitimate, it highlights the relationship of human speech with God's truth, while the false oath calls on God to be witness to a lie. "You have heard that the ancients were told: Do not swear falsely, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say to you: do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of his fee.".
(Mt 5,33-35).

Blasphemy

It is explicitly prohibited by the second commandment: Do not take the name of God in vain. It is irreverent to use God's name as filler, such as interlayer and the like. But, more than irreverence, is grave sin the blasphemy, cursing God, qualify God with bad words, demeaning, slanderous. Blasphemy is a sin sad and stupid. Very sad, because there is nothing sadder than to insult the Creator, the Father, the Almighty, stupid, because we obtained nothing, like other sins, some useful, some pleasure, some satisfaction to the blasphemer. Unfortunately, swearing seems an exclusive Christian, and seems to be a special privilege of Latin. Buddhists do not blaspheme Buddha, nor Mohammedan Allah, nor idolaters their idols: only the Christian blasphemy his God, who is God of truth and love. Instead of love, curses and blasphemy.

Those who vented their anger with the name of the Most High, gives the Lord all the evil, and so all blasphemy becomes a big lie. The difference that turns the sacrilege in worship is to invoke God to chase away Satan or ask for an increase of grace against the powers of evil. Name it so it is not a sin, indeed, it becomes an occasion for good and for spiritual growth. God forgives every person provided see arise in the creature repentance and the desire to sin no more.

If Eve, the temptation of the Serpent who invited her to disobey the command of God and to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, she would had called God, surely she would come and the demon would have flee. So why God had not been called? Surely because Eve had believed they could do without it and become like God in the knowledge of good and evil.

We too sometimes in adversity, suffering, tribulations, we believe we can do without God and to fight alone, and yet we have been given the opportunity to ask God for the help you need by invoking His Holy Name, because then not take advantage and doubt His goodness?

Reflection

Do not use the Lord's name in vain

The Name of the Lord is Powerful, Honorable, Blessed, therefore it must be pronounced with respect, devotion, faith and gratitude, only then can that Name act with power and when it works in us, it speaks to us of His desires and indicates to us His expectations and His expectations about us. God has a plan for all of us, and he is waiting right now for something from each of us: at the end of the day, if we have been able to question our conscience, we will discover that he was waiting for us right there and we have not gone away, or who asked us this and we didn’t.

We must pronounce the name of God, with the word, with the heart, with the thought and with the acts, with all of ourselves, without any hypocrisy or personal interests, in order not to feel alone, to ask for help, to beg forgiveness. For whoever invokes the name of the Lord will be saved, but whoever blasphemes the name of God will be condemned. Those who sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, for those who reject God reject Life. It is faith that saves. But how can those who blaspheme God with deeds and words have faith? Where there is sin there can be no faith.