It may be a name that honors a family member. My middle name, Edward, has been in my family since 1842. Parents may also desire to give a child a special bond with a particular patron saint; I’d tried everything in my power to convince my sister to name her second child after the great saint Athanasius. But names are important: as the child grows, their name will help them develop their identity, others will come to know them by their name.
Well, God the Father was also careful about naming his Son. He didn’t leave it up to chance or to Mary and Joseph’s creativity. The Angel Gabriel told Mary that her child was to be named Jesus. As we heard in the Gospel today, the angel appears to Joseph in a dream, and delivers the same message.
The Name of Jesus is repeated almost a thousand times in the New Testament. It is the name given to the Christ child, the incarnate Son of God. St. Paul says, so great is this name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bend; 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.”
We even have a special feast day in the Church celebrating the Holy Name of Jesus, on the 3rd of January, while we are still in the Christmas season. Also, we are directed by the Church’s liturgical documents to bow our heads slightly at the name of Jesus when it is pronounced in the liturgical prayers.
Psalm 8 proclaims: “O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” And something we take very seriously is keeping the name of the Lord Holy. After all, it’s the second commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” So we reverence His name, we refrain from the grave sin of blasphemy, we don’t just throw it around and treating it like it doesn’t mean anything.
We bow our heads, we reverence the Holy name for the name of Jesus not only identifies a person, but his mission. The name of Jesus, in Hebrew, literally means, “God saves”. The name of Jesus reveals his mission. Jesus isn’t merely an Old Testament prophet come to earth to announce God’s plan of saving mankind from sin and evil. He comes in order to enact that plan; Jesus is God who saves us. He fulfills the Divine mission, sent by God the Father to save us from our sins.
To know someone by name, to call someone by name is to begin to grow in intimacy with that person. I think the name of Jesus is repeated so frequently in Scripture is because we are meant to use his name often, to call upon him in prayer to save us from our temptations and earthly trials.
St. Bernard wrote, the name of Jesus is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds will disperse and peace will descend anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish.
The Catechism says, the invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying. Christians throughout the centuries have adopted the practice quieting down and simply contemplating the Holy Name of Jesus. I began this practice while in seminary, I particularly employ it when I’m waiting in line, or in a doctor’s office…simply repeating while I wait, over and over the name of Jesus. You will find your feelings of impatience quickly disperse.
We encounter in the readings this weekend a second name. In the first reading from Isaiah, and in the Gospel, we hear that the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. Emmanuel. Emmanuel in Hebrew means, “God is with us” or “God is among us”. If the name “Jesus” referred to Christ’s mission, what he came to do. “Emmanuel” refers to his identity, to who he is.
And the two names are closely related. The only reason that Jesus is capable of winning salvation for the human race is because he is both truly man and truly God. Jesus isn’t just another special holy person, like Mohammed, or Buddha, or the Dali Lama.
He alone was able to reestablish our right relationship with God from whom we were cut off because of original sin. We needed God to save us; salvation was not something we could achieve on our own.
Finally, in the Second reading, we hear still a third name. As Saint Paul summarizes to the Romans Christ's amazing mission he refers to Jesus as our "Lord." We call Jesus, “Lord” to acknowledging that he is much more than just one of history’s great religious leaders. By calling him “Lord” we express our conviction that he is the ruler of our life; that we owe him our deepest loyalty. When we call Jesus lord, we freely choose to submit to his authority, to be he followers, to be Christians in this world, 2010 years after his birth.
Today, Jesus, Emmanuel will come to us once again in Holy Communion. As he is lifted up by the priest for all to see, may we repeat in our hearts as centuries of Christians have done, “Jesus, you are my lord and my God.”
The fourth week of Advent is characterized by peace. Remember in the business of the week ahead, that Jesus alone can bring peace to our trouble world. Jesus alone can bring peace to our anxious hearts. Come Lord Jesus Come, Bring Divine peace to our world and hearts. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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