In the Name

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

- John 14:1-14

In this passage, which is the continuance of Jesus' talk to his disciples at the Last Supper, there are many things for consideration. One consistent theme that runs through this passage is Jesus' union with the Father - his essential one-ness with God the Father. This is an important reality that runs like a thread through all of these teachings. Believe in God, believe also in me, the passage begins.

Jesus first reassures his apostles that there are many dwelling places in the place where Jesus is going, in his Father's house. There is room for everyone, all who believe, and they will follow him. He is reassuring his followers that not only is he going to prepare a place for them, but they know the way there. How? He himself is the way, the truth and the life. If they know Jesus, they know the Father - and no one comes to the Father except through the Son. This is the way of salvation: faith, recognition, knowing - as we know a person, as we live in relationship, in knowing.

Once again, as so often in this gospel of John, Jesus goes even further in explaining and elaborating on this relationship. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father - there is no need to "show" anyone the Father because the recognition is in the person of Christ already, of the Son. And Jesus goes even further: if they wish to believe Jesus that is the way, but if not then believe in the works he has done. All that Jesus has done is in the name of the Father, as an extension of the person of the Father, because the Father dwells in him. Moreoever those who believe will be called to do even greater works because Jesus is going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. After Pentecost, we shall see what changes come over the apostles, what works are done, and especially the tremendous work of spreading the gospel much further than did Jesus himself.

But it is important to my mind to clarify this notion of the name, of what is asked in the name of Jesus. We must remember that this is not an act of magic, hocus-pocus, say the magic words, "in Jesus' name" and all will be done. This is not a sort of begging for magic tricks that Jesus is talking about here. To act in the name of someone is to act in extension of that person, of the will of that person. For example, to act in the name of a president, a king, or an emperor is not to be that person but rather to act as representative, as an extension - and what is done or said to the representative is as good as done or said to the emperor or king or president. So what Jesus is describing here is not a formula for prayer or for the granting of wishes, it is the act of living the life of "the way, the truth and the life." It is the lifelong commitment to seeking to do this will, to finding that Spirit within that teaches us what we must do to follow the will, to live that life, to become shaped as we go forward in this likeness and this image. To pray and act in the name, therefore, is a way of becoming like Christ, of giving over our own images and ideals and notions to this higher power, this more knowledgeable source of Good, and shaping our lives in that kind of prayer and devotion. Most importantly, Jesus is once more inviting his apostles - and by inference all believers - into deeper and deeper relationship.

This is a tall order - but we have ample help to do it, as we will see when we read further and especially through the bestowal of the Spirit. St. Paul says, "the Spirit prays in us." We would do well to think of those words when we read this passage about asking in the name of Christ.