Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Homily: Jan 3 2017 - Holy Name of Jesus - Name of Love and Power

Throughout the Gospels, he is known by many titles: Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David. He is called Christ, Master, Lord, Logos, Alpha and Omega. Today in the Gospel, he is called by John the Baptist, the “Lamb of God”.

Titles from the Old Testament are also rightly ascribed to him: he is the “seed of the woman” from Genesis, the “Passover lamb” from Exodus, the “priest, the altar, and the sacrifice” from Leviticus, the “captain of our salvation” from Joshua, “”Our judge & lawgiver” from judges.

Yet, today, the Church celebrates the feast of the “name above all other names”, the name delivered to Mary by the angel, the name, Jesus. The name Jesus is found over 1000 times in the New Testament, so many times, perhaps, so we know to call upon him often.

We speak his name with reverence, awe, and love. Liturgically, when his name is mentioned, we are instructed to bow our heads in reverence.

His name of course, was reverenced by the early church, yet this liturgical feast of the Holy Name only goes back to the 15th century. St. Bernadine of Siena, Italian priest and Franciscan missionary, saw a growing irreverence toward Christianity, toward Christ. So he began to spread understanding and love for Jesus by teaching people to revere his Holy Name.

St. Bernadine took the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek, iota, eta, sigma, which look like the English alphabet letters I-H-S, and encouraged people to place those letters in their churches, homes, and public buildings.

In one sermon on the Holy Name, St. Bernadine said, “Glorious name, gracious name, name of love and of power! Through you sins are forgiven, through you enemies are vanquished, through you the sick are freed from their illness, through you those suffering in trials are made strong and cheerful. You bring honor to those who believe, you teach those who preach, you give strength to the toiler, you sustain the weary”

I’ve said this before, but when I am waiting in line at a doctor’s office or grocery store, I like to slowly and simply recite the name of Jesus, to quiet the mind down enough where only the name of Jesus fills it. It’s a beautiful, simple, yet powerful way of praying, encouraged by the saints.


After healing a man crippled from birth, St. Peter says in the book of Acts, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”. May we find healing and salvation from the sins and attitudes and circumstances which cripple us through the name of Jesus, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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