DRAWN, NOT DRAGGED

Part 5: “Hallowed be Thy Name”

When we pray, “Hallowed be Thy Name,” we are not telling God something He does not already know. God is holy. Always. So what are we asking? We are asking that His holiness be made visible—in us. Not that God would become more holy, but that our lives would be changed so that His holiness shines through. This is not a small request. This reaches to the very purpose of our life. As St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches, a life turned toward God reveals His glory, while a life turned away can cause His name to be dishonoured. Not because God has changed—but because we have.

So this prayer is not only about God but is about us. We are asking: “Let my life become such that Your Name—Who You are, as You have made Yourself known—is made holy.” This is the Way we are being drawn into. Not just to believe in God, not just to speak about Him— but to be transformed. To become, by grace, what Christ is by nature. So that His life, His love, His mercy begin to take shape in us. And this happens in very ordinary, concrete ways: when we forgive instead of holding on, when we choose humility over pride, when we act with quiet faithfulness, when we love without needing recognition. In these moments, His Name is hallowed.

And the opposite is also true. When our lives contradict what we proclaim— when we speak of God but do not live in Him—His Name is hidden. Not because He is absent, but because we are not yet fully living in His Life. This is why the prayer is so bold. We are not asking for something distant. We are asking to be changed. To be healed. To be made whole. To live in the Way that others may come to know God through what they see in us. And we do not do this alone. We ask for grace. For strength. For self-giving love. Because this is not something we achieve—but gifting we receive, and grow into.

And when we fall short— as we all do— this prayer does not push us away. The prayer draws us back. Back into repentance. Back into Life. Back into Him.

Question Where in my life is God’s Name (Who He is as revealed) being manifested… and where still hidden?

Prayer Our Father,holy is Your Name.Make my life show forth Your holiness is made known.Draw me into Your Life,that others may see Youthrough me.Amen.

Fr. Ray Dobson
©2026