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To Make Known the Name of the Father Just before he left the Upper Room with his disciples to cross over the Kidron Valley to go to the garden of Gethsemane, our Lord prayed to his Father: “I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (Jn 17:26) Here, Christ prays to his Father, declaring the whole purpose of his ministry, so soon to climax in his passion, death and resurrection. He came to make known the name of the Father and, in so doing, to make it possible for us to share in the very life of the most holy Trinity and become partakers of the divine nature. If we ourselves were asked to describe the purpose of Christ’s mission, we would not answer in terms of making known the name of the Father. We would probably say that Christ came to do the will of his Father and to save us from our sins - both of which replies, of course, would be included in the all-encompassing theme of the glorification of the Name. Clearly, Christ’s words must mean more than is immediately apparent to
b. The Name of God.indd 3
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