Can we Love Someone we do not Know?

In the 1950's, Arthur C. Clarke penned a short story titled, "The Nine Billion Names of God," based on the philosophy that mankind was created essentially to 'know the creator.'  In the story, the inhabitants of a Tibetan monastery theorized that by acknowledging every possible name of God, they would come to this intimate knowledge - the nature and essence of the creator Himself - and will thus have achieved mankind's ultimate purpose for being.

We learn at an early age from our Catechism why we were created: "To know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life and be happy with Him forever in the next."  As if pondering this truth, Saint Louis de Montfort asks (The Love of Eternal Wisdom): "Can we love someone we do not even know?  Can we love deeply someone we know only vaguely?"  Jesus allowed us to recognize what was at stake when he prayed to the Father over his disciples: "Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (Jn 17:3)
 
By the will of the Father the Second Person of the Trinity became man, and the Old Testament covenant was fulfilled, so that we may know and love God - not only in name, but also in the flesh.  How then do we come to know Him more intimately?  Scripture tells us, by keeping His commandments. (see 1 Jn 2:3)  Then, as we approach Him in humility, we come to hear Him more clearly in prayer and study, experience Him more fully in the sacraments, love Him more deeply in our fellow man - and in so doing, take part in His redemptive sacrifice.  For as children of God "we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Rom 8:17) Jesus shows us that we cannot separate the crown from the cross, salvation from sacrifice, lest we forget the narrow path He takes, the weight He shoulders, the price He pays, when He asks us with love to leave what binds us to this earth and to follow Him.  St Paul tells us (1 Cor 2:2) that he is resolved to know nothing "except Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

It becomes a matter of perspective.  We strive to know Him but until we fall on our knees and behold He who is lifted up - Christ crucified - until we unite ourselves with His sacrifice on the cross, we shall never know Him intimately - as well we shall never become aware of our own lowliness, our own insignificance.  When we choose to obey His commandments then follow Him, humbly, peacefully, allow Him to take us wherever He wants us to go, only then do we fully understand the meaning of the name announced by the angel: "Yahweh Saves."  For therein lies our hope ...

In His name throughout history many wondrous works have been performed.  Jesus said: "By using my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover." (Mk 16:17-18)  Those with faith will "do the works that I do and greater far than these."  He then added: "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do." (John 14:12-14)  We place our trust in the Name from which springs our hope for eternal life.  For of Jesus, Peter said: "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Let us forever hold in awe and reverence and contemplate the profound significance of the most Holy Name of Jesus.  He who is all knowledge, all wisdom, all understanding; our shepherd, our healer, our peace - our salvation.