A Homily for the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Friday, January 3, 2025
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
Philippians 2:1-11; Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Luke 2:21-24
Today is the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Everything about our divine Lord is holy, including His Name. It was the Archangel Gabriel who first spoke the name of Jesus to His mother, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus”. The Archangel was only a messenger, so the name of Jesus was given to Him by the Father in Heaven.
Saint Peter was one of the first Apostles to speak with authority in the Holy Name of Jesus when he healed a crippled man saying, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6).
Saint Paul also exalted the holy name of Jesus when he said, “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–10).
The liturgical Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus has been celebrated by the Church for many centuries, especially within various religious orders. In the fifteenth century, Saint Bernardine of Siena, a Franciscan friar, went on a preaching mission promoting devotion to the Most Holy Name. He encouraged people to revere Jesus’ name by placing the first three Greek letters of His name on their doors: IHS. Today, this Greek monogram of Jesus’ name is commonly seen in churches on tabernacles, altars, and in stained glass windows.
In the sixteenth century, Saint Ignatius of Loyola had such a strong devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus that he adopted it as his seal as general of his newly founded order of the Jesuits; that monogram remains the Jesuits’ official seal today.
There is great power in the spoken name of Jesus. The name of Jesus casts out fear, arouses trust, and unites your heart to His. Throughout the history of the Church, Jesus’ name has been invoked as an instrument of personal faith in the Son of God, especially to command demons or simply to pray to Jesus in a repetitive and personal way.
Christians for centuries have recited the Jesus Prayer, in which they slowly and lovingly repeat the words “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” or even just the name “Jesus,” often hundreds of times a day, amid their daily routines or while quietly following the rhythm of their breathing during prayer. By invoking the name of Jesus in this way, our daily lives can become a constant prayer with Christ always on our mind, on our lips, and in our heart.
Today I’d like to encourage you to pray the Most Holy Name of Jesus as you go about your day. All you have to do is repeat his name over and over again, especially in times of trial or temptation.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Pray it with me… Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
If you pray this throughout your day, you’ll be amazed at the power the name of Jesus has over anything that seeks to destroy your peace or tempt you to sin. Keep his name on your lips today, and every day, and you will surely experience its power.