First Friday Holy Hour - January 2025 - The Most Holy Name of Jesus

 As we gather in the stillness of this evening, we come to adore in the Eucharist, the same Jesus whose Holy Name we have honored throughout this day—He who was named on the eighth day, in fulfillment of the law and in anticipation of our salvation.

In the Eucharist, we encounter Him personally, intimately. Christ is truly here, body, blood, soul, and divinity, just as He was in the manger, just as He was on the Cross, just as He will be in glory at the end of time. And before Him, we echo the words of St. Paul: “At the Name of Jesus every knee should bend… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This morning I shared how liturgically, the Holy Name of Jesus is reverenced by the priest, every time the name of Jesus is mentioned, the priest is instructed to give a slight bow of the head. Well, now in his presence, we do not simply bow, we kneel, for he is truly here.

Throughout the centuries, the name of Jesus has been used for prayer. Both in our public prayer, liturgically, and also in our private prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always”

This insight highlights that prayer does not always require long or elaborate formulas. At its heart, prayer is a loving communion with God, and sometimes the simplest forms of prayer are the most powerful.

Simply to recite the name of Jesus, gently and slowly can be a powerful mode of prayer. Repeating the Holy Name in our hearts fosters an interior silence and calm that opens us to God’s presence. And that is a prayer that can be prayed in the car, in line at the grocery or doctor’s office, or when we have to spend time with someone who really gets under our skin. Jesus. Jesus.

 In the midst of anxiety, stress, or temptation, simply reciting Jesus’ name recollects us and reminds us of His mercy, power, and abiding love.

This evening, before the Blessed Sacrament, I invite you to spend some time simply gazing at the Eucharist and reciting the name of Jesus.

To quote again St. Bernardine of Siena, that great preacher of 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” for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

January 3 2025 - The Most Holy Name of Jesus

 

On this 10th day of the Christmas season, we celebrate an event taking place on the 8th day of the Lord’s earthly life. As we heard in today’s Gospel, “When eight days were completed for his circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel.” 

The Name of Jesus is repeated almost a thousand times in the New Testament.  St. Paul even describes the reverence that is to be given to the Holy Name of Jesus. 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 reverence his name because we reverence, and show highest respect and honor to Him. Liturgically, this is observed, whenever the priest pronounces the name of Jesus in the prayers, he bows his head.  His name is not just reverenced liturgically, though. The second commandment forbids us from taking the name of the Lord in vain. 

We are to use the name of Jesus in prayer, in worship, always with respect and love. 

The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus spread particularly in the 15th century St. Bernardine of Siena. The great preacher Saint Bernardine was moved by stories of the apostles healing in the name of Jesus, demons being cast out in the name of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins comes through the name of Jesus, the name of Jesus makes heaven exult and hell tremble. The name that contains his power and help. The name, which recalls that God comes in the flesh to save us.

He was also concerned with the resurgence of paganism. 15th century Italy saw a concerning resurgence of the cult of apollo, the pagan Greek god of the son. So St. Bernardine took the three Greek letters, Iota, Eta, Sigma, IHS, which are the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek, and emblazoned them on vestments and sacred vessels and banners, to replace the false pagan worship with the authentic worship of the true Son of the Father. At the time, there was also deep political division between two groups: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. St. Bernardine urged people to adopt the IHS rather than the banners of these two groups.

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”.  Not only did St. Bernadine speak these beautiful words, but many miracles occurred giving testimony to the power of the Holy Name.  

In a time of political division and secular godlessness, we do well to invoke the powerful name of Jesus, to emblazen it in our churches and homes and on our hearts, that the true God may be made known, and worshipped, and loved, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And that through the Holy Name of Jesus, God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 22 2024 - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children - Call upon the name of the Lord

 On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout the United States in its companion decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Since that time, millions of children have lost their lives, and millions of women and families have been wounded by abortion.

On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, and we praise God for the great opportunity state and federal legislators now have to protect pre-born children. While God, in His mercy, ended the nearly fifty-year nationwide regime of abortion on demand, right now state and federal laws, in many instances, are still hostile to pre-born children. So, great prayer and advocacy is very needed.

While the Church has deep concerns about the "many threats to human life and dignity in our society," including euthanasia, the death penalty, immigration policy, racism, poverty, care for the environment, criminal justice reform, economic development and international peace, the protection of innocent life in the womb is, as Pope Francis rightly explains, “the preeminent priority”.

Vatican II declared, “God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.”

On this Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children we recited in our responsorial psalm, from Psalm 8, “O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!” 

Why is that Psalm used for this mass? Psalm 8 begins, “LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! I will sing of your majesty above the heavens with the mouths of babes and infants.”

The Psalm alludes to the fact that God is attentive to the cries of babes and infants. The praises that are sung to God by God’s faithful ones throughout the earth are rightly aligned with concern for babes and infants. In a sense, we are only giving God lip service, if we do not also care for the innocent babes and infants. Care for the babes and infants is an integral part of our Catholic faith. And justice—our hope for justice—for those babes and infants, lies in the name of the Lord.

We invoke the name of the Lord today for the legal protection of the unborn.

Recall the words of St. Bernadine, praising the name of the Lord Jesus. 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.”

Throughout the day today, call upon the name of the Lord for the unborn, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  

- - - - -  

That the leaders and members of the Church may fulfill with joy their calling to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life, we pray to the Lord…

That Court decisions which permit the destruction of innocent life may be resisted and reversed, we pray to the Lord…

That God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, we pray to the Lord...

That all women facing difficult or unplanned pregnancies may receive compassionate care and the support they need, let us pray to the Lord.

That all medical professionals involved in the practices of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, may experience conversion of mind and heart and cease these activities, we pray to the Lord…

For all women who have had abortions, that they may seek out and experience God’s tender mercy, we pray to the Lord.

In thanksgiving for the many children who have been saved from abortion through the efforts of the pro-life movement, we pray to the Lord…

For all the dead, for all the souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and for X, for whom this Holy Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 3 2024 - Holy Name of Jesus

According to the Mosaic Law, on the 8th day, young baby boys were to undergo circumcision and given their name. Now in many cultures, a child is given a name at the time of birth, chosen by his parents. But for the Jews, the naming of the child was delayed until the child became a member of the Jewish people through circumcision. Only after he entered into that sacred bond with God, invested in the covenant between God and his people, would the child be named.

There is something so powerful and beautiful in that custom. Your name signifies your identity, your deepest self. You don’t really have an identity if you don’t have a name. And the Jews believed that you don’t have a name—you don’t have an identity—until you entered into relationship with God and into the human race as a member of the Jewish people through the shedding of your life blood. Unless you have shed your own blood for your people and for your God you don’t really have a name or an identity or a people.

Jesus: what a perfect name for the Christ Child. For in Hebrew, the name of Jesus—Yeshua—means Yahweh saves, or God saves. No name has better fit a child in all of history. He is God and Savior. He is God who saves. As the angel told Joseph, “you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

And that perfect name, that name given by heaven itself, is as St. Paul writes to the Philippians, “the name above every other name.” It is the name given to us by God, so that we may call upon him. 

The holy name of Jesus is uttered in prayer by holy devout souls, it is evoked for strength by martyrs at their time of death and all those asking God’s aid in carrying their own crosses. By the name of Jesus, demons are scattered, which is why the demons revel in the fact that the holy name of Jesus is blasphemed in so many corners of our culture—in movies and television, on the internet, as an expletive. 

When you hear his name blasphemed, it is praiseworthy to make the sign of the cross in reparation. If you are in the company of someone who blasphemes his name, it is certainly appropriate to request that they stop blaspheming his name in your presence. 

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” 

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.

May this Christmas feast of the Holy Name help us believe in Jesus’s name, treat the name of Jesus with reverence, give us conviction in to invoke Jesus’ name in our prayer, live in communion with the Holy Name of Jesus, proclaim Jesus’ name to the ends of the earth, and willingly suffer, like the apostles, for the sake of the name. For the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

- - - - 

We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Holy Name of Jesus 2022 - The name above every other name

 

The liturgical feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a fairly recent addition to the liturgical calendar, going back just 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 IHS, and encouraged people to place those letters in their churches, homes, and public buildings.

Today’s memorial is rightly celebrated in proximity to Christmas, for on the 8th day of his earthly life, Our Lord was taken by Mary and Joseph to the Jerusalem Temple where he was circumcised and named. His name was not chosen frivolously, it was given to Joseph by heaven itself, and no name has better fit a child in all of history. For the name of Jesus signifies his identity and mission perfectly. Jesus means “God Saves”. He is God and Savior. He is God who saves.

In that magnificent passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, that the name of Jesus is the name above all other names. St. Peter says in the book of acts, that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it.”

St. Anthony of Padua compared the use of Jesus’ name to oil. Just as “oil has five properties — it floats on the surface of any liquid, it softens hard things, it sweetens bitter things, it is a source of light and provides nourishment for the body — [so] the name Jesus has similar properties: it excels every other name, it softens the hardest of hearts, it sweetens the most bitter experiences, it enlightens our hearts and nourishes our souls.”

May this Christmas feast of the Holy Name help us believe in Jesus’s name, treat the name of Jesus with reverence, give us conviction in to invoke Jesus’ name in our prayer, live in communion with the Holy Name of Jesus, proclaim Jesus’ name to the ends of the earth, and willingly suffer, like the apostles, for the sake of the name, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - - -  

We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

In reparation for all blasphemy, especially blasphemous and impious use of the holy name of Jesus. 

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

5th Sunday after Easter 2021 (EF) - "Ask in my name"

 

Like last week, our gospel places us at the table of the Last Supper---listening to the words spoken by Our Lord to his closest friends on the night before he died. Like last Sunday, we hear the Lord speaking of his upcoming Ascension. “I came forth from the Father and into the world…and I am leaving the world to go to the Father”, a fitting Gospel for us to reflect upon, now just four days until the feast of the Lord’s Ascension.

Beginning tomorrow, the Church will observe three days of rogation, days of penance and pleading God’s mercy upon the world. We will have a high mass with the rogation litanies tomorrow evening at 5:30pm. 

The word Rogation comes from the latin verb rogare which means to petition, to beseech. On the rogation days, we petition the Lord to grant mercy and protection. 

Today’s Gospel is a sort of prelude for the rogation days to come, for the Lord addresses this very idea of making prayerful petition to the Father. We even find different forms of that word—rogare—a few times.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you.” 

First the Lord teaches us that it is good and right and holy for us to make petition to the Father. Making frequent and prayerful petition to the Father is an important dimension of the Christian life. 

Daily we should pray for those who are close to us—spouses, children, parents, and siblings. Daily we should pray for church leaders, the pope, the bishops, our pastors. Daily, we should pray for government leaders—that they may govern in accordance with the laws of God and labor for the protection of the vulnerable, especially the unborn. We pray for the sick and suffering, the infirmed, the mentally ill, the addicts, the imprisoned. And we pray for ourselves, for all the graces we need to grow in holiness, remain faithful in times of temptation, to bear the spiritual fruits the Holy Spirit wants to see flourish in us.

Today especially, we pray for our mothers, both living and deceased. Grateful for these women and for the sacrifices they made for us, we petition God to bless all expectant mothers and new mothers, mothers who are tired, stressed, depressed, or grieving, mothers who are underappreciated or who face physical, mental, or emotional disabilities in themselves or their children. 

So, the Lord teaches us to make petition to God. But even many of the pre-Christian religions do that, what sets our Christian petition apart is that we are to make petition, in his name, in the name of Jesus, the name above every other name, the name which means “God saves”. We fulfill this directive by ending our prayers, “per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum”. Literally mentioning his holy name at the end of our prayers. 

But not only that. To pray “in his name” is to trust that by Christ’s infinite merits, all good things, all necessary things, all that is right and just has been obtained. To pray in his name is to pray in the same filial love and trust with which the Lord prayed so many times in his earthly life, particularly from the cross. 

To pray in his name, we remember that his name, Jesus, means “God saves”. His very name guides us to pray for the eternal salvation of our fellow man—to pray for those whose salvation is in jeopardy, those on their death beds in danger of hell, those who are unrepentant, those who are lukewarm or cold toward God.

To make petition in his name is also to acknowledge that we are but unprofitable servants. On one hand, we have no sufficiency in ourselves;  our sufficiency comes from the Crucified. To pray in his name shows humility—a deep sense of our nothingness.

And yet, the Lord also reveals something quite amazing in the Gospel today. Yes, he goes to the Father to intercede for us. But he also reveals this amazing paradox. On one hand, the ascended Lord, at the right hand of his Father, is forever fixed in that act of love in which he died: making perpetually intercession for his own with the Father.

On the other hand, he says, “I say not to you that I will ask the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God.”

Christians through the adoption we receive through baptism, have new access to the Father through the Son not previously enjoyed by humanity. We become “sons in the son”. We are so incorporated into that Filial relationship, that when our prayers are rooted in faith, hope, and love, they ARE the very prayer of Jesus. Simply profound!

As we enter into the days of holy rogation, we recall with profound gratitude and humility that which has made rogation possible and effective, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 3 2020 - Holy Name of Jesus

On this 10th day of the Christmas season, we celebrate an event taking place on the 8th day of the Lord’s earthly life. According to mosaic law, Jesus was circumcised and named on the 8th day. One commentary explained why it was fitting to delay the naming of the child until after circumcision. It mentioned how only after the child becomes a member of the Jewish people through circumcision, only after he entered into that bond with God, should the child be given his Jewish name.

A names are important to Jews. They are not as frivolous as they are today. They are to be carefully chosen because a name signifies ones purpose, identity and mission. When God named Abraham, he said you are called Abraham because you are to be father-of-nations. So, those eight days before naming might give Jewish parents time to contemplate their child, to prayerfully consider a name that might signify what God wants from this child.

Mary and Joseph did not have the task of flipping through a book of baby names. For the Christ Child’s name was given to Joseph in a dream. No name has better fit a child in all of history. For the name of Jesus signifies his identity and mission perfectly. Jesus means “God Saves”. So, it is truly the “name above all other names” as Paul sings of today in our first reading.

A name that was whispered by Joseph, has now been uttered with love and devotion by billions of Christians throughout the centuries. It is uttered in prayer by holy devout souls, it is evoked for strength by martyrs at their time of death and all those asking God’s aid in carrying their own crosses. By it, demons are cast out, souls are reclaimed.

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”

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.

- - - - - - - -
 
We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For the safety of all those celebrating the New Year this evening, safety from physical harm and preservation from sin.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 1 2020 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - The Octave Day

It is good for us to gather for Holy Mass on this 1st day of the New Year for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it’s a good day to come to mass, simply because it is a new year. We begin the new year offering the most powerful prayer we can, the holy sacrifice of the mass, the eucharist, looking back with gratitude upon God’s grace and mercy last year, and placing 2020 into His providential hands.

A second reason why this is an important day for the Church is because it is the octave day of Christmas, the 8th day. Biblically, the number 8 is important. Just like the octave note in music resonates with the same tone as its root, biblically, the 8th day resonates and recalls the major feast that proceeded it. The Old Testament prescribes that Passover, Hanukkah, and other major feasts be celebrated for eight days, and so, too the eighth days of major feasts of Easter and Christmas are celebrated have special solemnity.

Another reason for us to gather, goes back a little over 40 years. Pope Paul VI made January 1 a special day of prayer for peace. Pope Paul said, "The world must be educated to love Peace, to build it up and defend it." And so today we gather to pray for peace in our world desperately in need of it—the peace of the Christ Child, offered to all who believe in Him.

Fourthly, the eighth day after Christmas was for many years, centuries really, celebrated the feast of the circumcision of the Lord and the Holy Name of Jesus. For the Mosaic Law prescribed circumcision to occur on the 8th day after birth. It was through circumcision, the shedding of blood that the child would enter into the covenant. For the Christ child, the circumcision would no doubt foreshadow the blood to be shed on Calvary.

And as we heard in the Gospel, Mary and Joseph had the Lord circumcised. And it was then that he was given his Holy Name. The Holy Name of Jesus, given by the angel, signifies his identity and mission. For the name of Jesus, derives from the Hebrew for “God saves”. Jesus the Christ is God incarnate, who brings salvation for his people.

Yet, on our liturgical calendar, January 1 is no longer the feast of the circumcision or the feast of the holy name. A new solemnity was instituted after Vatican II: the solemnity of Mary, the mother of God. This new feast is really a return to an ancient custom of the early church both in the east and the west, to honor the Lord’s Blessed Mother during the Christmas octave.

While much of the world is sleeping off a hangover, having spent last night with little or no reference to Christ, the Church gathers today soberly—with great solemnity and seriousness—to celebrate once again his incarnation through the ever-Virgin Mary, that our year, our life may always be in reference to Him.

As Mary’s life revolved around Him, so must ours. As her life was placed in total submission to God’s, so must ours. As she was found worthy to receive the Author of Life, so may we receive Him in our minds and hearts, and allow Him to reign in our lives completely. May his peace be ours. May his burning charity be ours. May his power to withstand the temptations of the devil be ours. May the Spirit of Him who was not slave, but Son, be ours. May the salvation that comes through Him be ours.

We along with Mary-Mother, keep all these, and reflect upon them in our hearts, that the invisible God may become visible in our lives, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

May 20 2019 - St. Bernardine of Siena - Heralds of the Holy Name

Today we celebrate St. Bernardine of Siena.

St. Bernardine was the greatest preacher of his time, the late 14th, early 15th century, attracting huge crowds, sometimes as large as thirty thousand.

Following his ordination as a Franciscan priest, at the age of 22, he lived in solitude and prayer for almost a dozen years. But he was urged by his order to make use of his extraordinary preaching skills, so he traveled from town to town, always on foot, preaching, gathering large crowds, and often speaking for several hours.

He is especially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.  At the end of his sermons he would display a tablet with the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek—I, H, S—Iota, Eta, Sigma—written in the gothic style against the background of a blazing sun.  As this devotion spread, the symbol began to appear in churches, homes, vestments, art, and public buildings.

St. Bernardine 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”  St. Bernadine is said to have performed many miracles, attesting to the power of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Jesus says in the Gospel today, “Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.” Certainly, one of those commandments is to love and honor the Holy Name, not to take the name of God in vain, but to use that name in prayer, praise, and petition.

When waiting in line at the grocery store or at a doctor’s office or in traffic, 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. In fact, many of the saints, at the moment of their deaths, have been found to be pronouncing with love and devotion Jesus’ name. His name means “God saves”, and we are to be his heralds.

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, and courage to be heralds of his Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -

God the Father was glorified in the death and resurrection of his Son. Let us pray to him with confidence.

By the Holy Name of Jesus, may the Pope, All Bishops, and Priests, know courage and strength in preaching the Gospel and leading the Church.

By the Holy Name of Jesus, may our world be filled with peace, may government leaders work for life and the establishment of authentic justice.

By the Holy Name of Jesus, may our parish be delivered from all spiritual evil, heresy, irreverence, witchcraft and demonic influence, and all that keeps us from preaching and living the Gospel.

By the Holy Name of Jesus, may all the sick and suffering know the consolation that comes from the Heart of God.

By the Holy Name of Jesus, may all the faithful departed come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

December 18 2018 - O Adonai - He shall save His People

One of the things that has always struck me about today’s Gospel story, of the archangel’s visit to St. Joseph, is that the archangel tells Joseph what he is to name the Christ child. Modern parents will often spend a lot of time flipping through books of baby names, actually they have websites for that now, to help them decide what they will name their child. They might pick a name in honor of a grandparent, a celebrity or saint, or they might pick a name whose meaning contains characteristics they hope their children will embody. My first name, for example, Kevin, has irish or gaelic roots, and means gentle, noble, and kind. I think my parents did a pretty good job with that, don’t you?

In ancient Israel, the child’s father was responsible for naming the child. Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, we hear how Zechariah names his son to be John. That God chooses the name of the Christ child shows that the son of Mary is the true Divine Son of the Heavenly Father. And God too chooses a name that will characterize the Son’s identity and mission. The Archangel announces the Father’s will, “You shall name Him Jesus”  The name ‘Jesus’ is derived from the Old Testament name “Joshua” which means, “God is salvation”.  What a perfect name. Jesus is God, and He is our salvation.

Now, first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from their political enemies.  Rome was occupying their land, controlling their religious life, cruelly torturing and murdering Jews who spoke out against Rome.

But the angel tells Joseph, that Jesus wasn’t going to save Israel from their earthly enemies.  Jesus was going to save Israel and all mankind from their sins.  For sin is a greater threat than any political enemy. Sin brought about not just an enemy’s occupation of one’s homeland, but the occupation of one’s soul. Sin threatened not just one’s national identity, but a defacement of one’s identity as a child of God.

The Advent O Antiphons for this morning applies another name from the Old Testament to the Christ Child. I sang “O Adonai”.  O Lord and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 

Jesus is identified as the God who led Israel out of Egyptian slavery, who gave them the law that they might be a holy nation.

These names and titles help us to truly prepare for Christmas because amidst all the busyness, they help us to focus on who Jesus is, and what really matters.  That to us is born a savior who came to free us from being separated from God, from our destructive habits.

That Jesus is Lord, Adonai, means that we belong to him, we owe our loyalty to Him we owe our obedience to his law, and we owe worship to his glory, bringing to him the pure and acceptable offering of the total submission of our minds, hearts, and lives. May our honor of him help every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - 

We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

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 15^th 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.

Homily: 4th Sunday of Advent 2016 - "He shall be named Jesus"

One of the important and moving moments in parenting is choosing a name for their newborn. Now there are baby naming books and websites to help parents make that monumental choice of naming their children; for no doubt want the name to mean something, to signify how important this new life is to them.

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.