Merry Christmas!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. It was on the eighth day that Christ was taken to the temple for His circumcision. It was here that He was officially given the Name of Jesus. This was the Name which was instructed to be given to this child by the Angel Gabriel. Through this act it was not His parents who named this child, but rather God. This Name means “God saves” and thus puts into context the role that this child plays in salvation history. It points towards the reality that we celebrate during this Christmas season which is that God took on our human flesh and came to dwell among us.
The Name of Jesus is so important that Saint Paul instructs in his Epistle: “That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.” As is said of this Name in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: Jesus. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity the Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it.”
This Name is so powerful that we ought to call upon it at all times. To think of the many souls who have come to be saved, healed, and helped by calling upon this most holy of Names. We too should join with them in calling upon this Name in our times of need. As Saint Bernardine of Siena had stated to this Name: “The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections.”
Saint Bernardine of Siena would carry with him the monogram IHS when he was traveling about preaching and leading missions throughout Italy. In Latin the IHS means “Iesus Hominum Salvator” or in English “Jesus, Savior of men.” During these sermons and missions he would hold it out and have the faithful prostrate themselves in adoration. He recommended that this monogram be placed over doors to one’s dwelling to always remind them of the blessings of their Lord and Savior.
Sadly, in our world we have lost sight of devotion to this Most Holy of Names. We so easily allow ourself to take it and other holy names in vain. The Holy Mass instead forms us to do something so much greater for we should notice at the Name of Jesus that the head of the priest bows. Likewise, at the Name of Jesus each of our heads should bow as we learn to give this and other holy names there proper due.
We must realize that we have been saved through Jesus. This is literally what this Name means, God saves. May we allow the Lord to imprint His Name upon our heart and mind in order that we may always love the Lord our God. If we foster devotion to this Name and the salvation that it brings we will come to realize and allow Christ to strengthen virtue, beget good works within us, and nourish our pure affections. Through this Most Holy of Names may we always cry out in a spirit of faith and come to trust in Him with our whole heart and soul.
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