Wendy
When children are born, they are given names. When Jesus was born, however, He already had a name chosen for Him. This name was chosen by God the Father before Jesus was even born of the Virgin Mary. Christians need to understand the holy name of Jesus.
Luke 1:31 confirms this. The Archangel Gabriel came to Mary and said, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” Likewise, Matthew 1:21 tells us of when Mary’s husband, Joseph, had a dream in which an angel told him, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”
In addition, the Gospel of Luke tells us that “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.” This can be found in Luke 2:21.
When you read the New Testament, you will find a lot of verses in which the name of Jesus was invoked to cure illnesses, perform miracles, and drive out evil. The name of Jesus is the holiest of all names. It is through His name that miracles are done.
Philippians 2:10 tells us “that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” The Holy Name of Jesus was exalted explicitly by Saint Paul. Jesus also reinforces the power of His name in the Gospel of Saint John. According to John 16:23, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly, I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
The Name of Jesus Christ
The name “Jesus” was given to the Son of God. On the other hand, “Christ” is a title, not a name. It is the Greek version of the Hebrew “Messiah,” which means “the Anointed One.” Jesus was called “Jesus the Christ” because He was the Son of Mary.
Over time, however, “The Christ” became “Christ.” It was used as if it was the last name of Jesus. As for the God of the Old Testament, His name was holy. So, it should neither be casually spoken nor written out.
Even the mere invocation of “Yahweh” can be considered a sin if improperly done. According to the Second Commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain.” Hence, the name of God should never be used to swear false oaths or even to curse and say bad words.
The Second Commandment prohibits calling upon the Lord as a witness and making false statements. The name of the Lord should only be used when making a solemn oath.
What the Name of Jesus Means
The name “Jesus” is the Greek version of “Joshua,” which means “the Lord saves.” It comes from the Greek “Iesous,” which was derived from the Aramaic “Yeshu,” which means “Yahweh is salvation.”
Even during the Biblical era, the name of Jesus was not unique. There are many other people with the same name. Today, the name “Jesus” is still given to boys in Spanish-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries. It is still a very common name.
Nonetheless, the name “Jesus” has been treated with great respect since the apostolic times. After all, it is the name of the Son of God. Moreover, the Holy Name of Jesus is also an all-powerful prayer. The Lord promised that whatever we ask the Father in His Name will be given to us. God always keeps His word. So, we can rest assured that our prayers will be answered.
Therefore, when we say “Jesus,” we should be confident that we will be heard. God will always listen to our prayers. This is why the Church always ends prayers with the words “through Jesus Christ.” This gives prayer a new and Divine efficacy.
The Holy Name of Jesus is still greater, though. Every time we mention His name, we give infinite glory and joy to the Lord. We offer Him all the merits of the passion and death of Jesus, our Savior. According to Saint Paul, Jesus merited His name through love and death.
Every time we say Jesus’ name, we should wish to give God the Masses being told about our intentions. Every time we say Jesus’ name, we obtain indulgences for the souls in Purgatory. Hence, we relieve and liberate them from their sufferings. However, we should remember that they cannot pray for themselves.
Every time we say Jesus’ name, we perform an act of love. We offer Jesus’ infinite love to the Lord. His Holy Name saves us from evil and delivers us from the powers of the devil, who seeks to harm constantly. His Holy Name fills our souls with joy and peace and strengthens us so that our sufferings will be lighter and easier to bear.
Celebrating the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus feast is celebrated on the third day of January. During this time, we honor Jesus’ name because His name reminds us of the blessings we receive.
When we honor the Holy Name of Jesus, we fulfill the words of Saint Paul. As we see in Philippians 2:10, “that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” This is proof that the Holy Name of Jesus should be honored.
The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is extraordinary. We should celebrate Jesus’ name on the day itself and throughout January. We should remember that His name also reminds us of the purpose of His existence. So, it is only proper for us to give His name the greatest honor.
