Our Age Blasphemes the Name of Jesus – What Should We Do About It?

St Bernardine of Sienna
Apostle of the Holy Name of Jesus
When I was an Episcopal clergyman (I entered the Catholic Church later in 2006), I walked into a bar once, and as soon as I entered, I noticed this biker gang standing huddled up by the bar. One biker had his back to me. He said something and then took our Lord’s name in vain: “Jesus Christ! Can you believe it?” As everyone’s eyes adjusted on the cleric, the whole room fell quiet. All the biker’s looked at me like, “Yeah, he just said JC, and what are you going to do about it, Father?”
I just stood their in my clerical collar and all the bikers stared at me. Finally, the biker who had blasphemed turned around to see what everyone was looking at. Their faces spelled out the question, “What the **** are you doing here?”
I didn’t know what to do, but by instinct I made the sign of the cross very slowly. I looked them in the eyes with a solemn disappointment and I then went to the other end of the restaurant/bar. I thought to myself, “This could get ugly.”
Before long, they were coming over and asking me questions about Christianity. “Is getting drunk one of the seven deadly sins?” They asked other similar questions. They all warmed up to me, except for the biker girl who was obviously ashamed by being in the company of a “man of the cloth.” I felt bad for her. She looked so unhappy.
Somehow I had won their respect by showing reverence to the Holy Name. They weren’t going to kill the minister. Instead, they were interested in learning from the minister. Our Lord taught me an important lesson that day. Show honor to His Name and hold others accountable for the honor of His Holy Name.
Our age and culture blasphemes the Holy Name of Jesus. Turn on the TV and you’ll hear “family shows” in which they Christ’s name is taken in vain. Watch a movie. Same thing. Walk on the streets or go to a restaurant. It’s hard for a day to pass without hearing the Holy Name of Jesus taken in vain. And yet Saint Paul said:
“All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.” (Col 3:17).
I hear Catholics and Protestants say “Jesus” in vain. And why to atheists say “Jesus Christ” so often? It bothers me to hear Jews and Buddhists say “Jesus Christ” in vain. If they don’t believe in Him, why would they even use His Holy name as a curse? Well, blasphemy is the joy of the devils. Satan loves to hear humans blaspheming the Holy Name of their enemy Jesus Christ. 
This begs the question: What should we do when people around us blaspheme the name of Jesus? Don Juan of Austria, before the heroic battle of Lepanto against the insidious Mohammedans, ordered that a Catholic sailor should be put to death if he dared to blaspheme before the sea battle. Don Juan wouldn’t not tolerate impiety in the face of evil.
As late as the 1930s, Maryland (a Catholic state) had a law on the books against blasphemy which included a fine up to $100 and a penalty of prison up to six months:

Art. 72, sec. 189. If any person, by writing or speaking, shall blaspheme or curse God, or shall write or utter any profane words of and concerning our Saviour, Jesus Christ, or of and concerning the Trinity, or any of the persons thereof, he shall, on conviction, be fined not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned as aforesaid, at the discretion of the court.

Blasphemy is serious. It is contrary to the Second Commandment. If done with full knowledge and consent, it is a mortal sin and will send the soul to Hell. Yet, Americans laugh at it.
What Should We Do About It?
Perhaps we should starting making a silent and public protest. If someone blasphemes, make the sign of the cross. Bow to one knee in reparation. I often bow my head and inwardly recite the Gloria Patri to make reparation for this sin against the loving and merciful Jesus Christ who bled every drop of blood for our sins.
Perhaps one might even confront the person in charity. Maybe they don’t even think about what they are saying. You might say, “Pardon me. Please don’t take this the wrong way. But it’s very offensive to me when you take the name of Jesus in vain. Would you please stop?”
When I taught in high school, I would tell the students, “Look I’d rather you drop the F-bomb than to take the name of Jesus in vain. It’s much worse to blaspheme God than it is to say some curse word. That being said, you still don’t have permission to drop the F-bomb!”
We can complain all we want about the culture going to Hell, but it’s not going to get better unless we intervene. Hallowed be thy name. If you pray those words, then be active in preventing His name from being un-hallowed. It is also a good thing to regularly pray the Divine Praises (“Blessed be God,” etc.) in reparation for blasphemy.
Do you what you can to bring honor and glory to the Holy Name of Jesus. Please leave comments if you have other ideas.

“Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS” 
“And His Name was called JESUS” 
(Luke 2:21)

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names: That in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:8-10)

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