3 January 2016 - The Most Holy Names of Jesus - Luke 2:21-24

     Today, on January 3, the Church celebrates the optional memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. The Church reveals to us the wonders of Jesus as the Incarnate Word by singing the glories of his holy name. The name of Jesus means Savior.  The name Jesus had been revealed to Joseph in a dream and to the Virgin Mary when the Angel Gabriel announced the Good News of Jesus birth to her in the Annunciation. Devotion to the Holy Name is deeply rooted in the Sacred Scriptures and in the Early Church as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was popularized by Church leaders  such as the Cistercian Abbot St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. John of  Capistrano, and the Franciscan Order. This feast was first extended to the entire Church in 1727 under Pope Innocent XIII.  In fact, the entire month of January has traditionally been dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus.

    Luke’s Gospel states that 8 days after Jesus was born, at the ceremony of his circumcision, Mary and Joseph officially announced that the name of their baby would be Jesus.  This tradition is similar to the way that Christian parents announce in the Church the given name of their child in the Sacrament of Baptism. Franciscan missionary St. Bernadine of Siena, whose missionary expeditions helped revitalize the faithful in Italy in the 15th century, carried a banner with the Holy Name of Jesus on it that he used in his sermons. He wrote extensively on the Holy Name, asserting that it can bear much fruit for beginners in the faith and for sinners, as it shows them the immense mercy of God.  According to St Bernadine, the Holy Name of Jesus enables a devout man to gain a victory in all conflicts: with the devil, with the flesh, and with the world, having the power to heal. In Scripture, St. Peter stated that "through His name, all receive remission of sin who believe in Him”.  St. John stated "Your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake”.  Jesus’ name is the summary of his character and his office, of Jesus as God and King, as Redeemer and Mediator, as Savior and High Priest, as Intercessor and Captain, as Teacher and Shepherd, as the Giver of Law, Light, and Life.  Lord Jesus, no matter where we are on our journey of faith, may we always honor your Most Holy Name.