THE NAME OF JESUS IS HOLY – 1/3/23 (Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus)
Luke 2:21-24
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses,
they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
For the full readings, click here:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0103-memorial-most-holy-name-jesus.cfm
Blessed Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus! The name of our Lord is truly holy because the name “Jesus” means, “God saves.” But, do we give reverence to the most holy name of Jesus? To give our Lord Jesus the greatest praise and glory, it is important for us to use His name in a way that reflects His majesty, and this can be done through prayer. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bend as mentioned in the first reading. We should always remember to praise our Lord and give thanks to Him for His blessings to us and for His goodness towards us. We should also not forget to beg for His forgiveness and to invoke His name in our prayer, especially when we experience strong temptations to commit sins in life. Even in our discussion with other people, we may use the name of our Lord Jesus with the purpose of leading people closer to Him. Unfortunately, in our culture, there is a tendency for many people to use the name of God in vain and in a disrespectful way. We may often hear the words “Oh My God” (“Diyos ko po” in Filipino), Susmaryosep (a derogatory word based on the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph) and others. Let’s avoid using such terms and focus on glorifying the name of Jesus. In today’s memorial, Jesus is reminding us about the holiness of His name for our salvation and for us to truly give glory to Him.
Besides showing reverence to the name of Jesus through our words, in what way can we also show honor to His name? It’s not just about our words but our whole actions and life as well. Since we are followers of Jesus and we also invoke His name, do we persevere in holiness in really obeying Jesus? The name of Jesus was given by St. Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in preparation for the event of the Incarnation, when God the Son took human nature and became like one of us. The humility of Jesus Christ should inspire us to be humble as well since we are the bearers of Christ in this world. We are called to reflect the holiness of the name of Jesus in our deeds. As we read in today’s gospel, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were obedient to the law of God as they obeyed different rituals based on the law of Moses. Even Jesus humbled Himself to follow the precepts of religion. It’s not enough for us to just mention the name of Jesus. We should be consistent with our actions by following the teachings of Christ and the practices or precepts in the Catholic Church. We should persevere in attending Mass regularly, in going to the sacrament of confession frequently, in spending time in prayer, in providing for the needy and many more. We may recognize the difficulty of living a life that is centered on God, but by trusting in Jesus, our fears will vanish, and our hope will increase in Him.
Amen +
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +
May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +
Reflection by: Dominic
The Most Holy Name of Jesus— Memorial:
https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/january-3-the-most-holy-name-of-jesus/
Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:
https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/
Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls
Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:
https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth
MARGARITA FIDEI 