The Apostle St. Paul was probably the first promoter of the name of Jesus, when he called it
“a name which is above all names (Philippians 2:9).
Several
saints honored the Holy Name of Jesus, but the devotion became
widespread in the fifteenth century through St. Bernardine of Siena who,
when preaching, held in his hand a plaque with the logo “IHS”
surrounded by rays. The monogram is taken from the first three letters
of the Greek spelling of the name of Jesus: IHSOYS. It is also customary
though not historical to interpret “IHS” as Iesu Hominum Salvator, Jesus Savior of Mankind.
St.
Bernardine worked countless miracles by blessing people with this logo
as the visible manifestation of his faith and recommended that it be
placed above the entrance of cities and homes; hence this symbol’s
prevalence throughout Europe. The great preacher is also responsible for
introducing the name of Jesus into the Hail Mary: Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Persons
who had prominent roles in the history of salvation received their
names from God. These names have a direct connection with whom they are
and what their mission is. Thus, Adam means “man of the earth”; Eve
means “mother of the living”; Peter means “rock”.
At the
Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel conveyed God’s express will
concerning the name which the divine Son of the Virgin Mary was to bear:
“You shall call His name Jesus’ – in Aramaic, Yeshua (Matthew 1:21).
To
St. Joseph, the angel not only spoke the name of Jesus but explained
its meaning: “…for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew
1:21).
The feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is also meant to
impress upon us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name, this name
before which, “every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on
earth, and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).
Several Popes
have attached indulgences to the mere pronunciation of the name of
Jesus. Pope Benedict XIII granted an indulgence of 50 days as often as
the name of Jesus is pronounced devoutly, and a plenary indulgence at
the time of death provided the name of Jesus is piously invoked at least
in thought. Pope St. Pius X attached a 300 days indulgence to the pious
pronunciation of the names of Jesus and Mary.
Sunday, January 3, 2021
The Most Holy Name of Jesus
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