The Holy Name of Jesus

It is a beautiful Catholic custom to bow our head whenever we hear the name of Jesus or say His name ourselves. Jesus' name is known far and wide, but as a word with which to swear profanely. His Name is blasphemed, He is depicted as a homosexual doing unspeakable things to His Own Body, His Mother's perpetual virginity is disdained and so forth. Our culture is strewn with the garbage of sacrilege. If only souls knew the riches of just uttering the Sweet Name of Jesus with reverence and wonder, and the happiness which that Name brings to souls so disposed. 

The name Jesus comes from the Greek Iesous which was derived from the Aramaic, Yeshu. It means "Yaweh is salvation." The name was not unique, even in biblical times, and today it is common in Arabic-speaking East and in Spanish-speaking countries. From apostolic times the name has been treated with the greatest respect, as honor is due the name which represents Our Lord, himself.

The Holy Name of Jesus is, first of all, an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises that whatever we ask the Father in His Name we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word.

When, therefore, we say, "Jesus," let us ask God for all we need with absolute confidence of being heard. For this reason, the Church ends her prayer with the words, "through Jesus Christ," which gives the prayer a new and Divine efficacy.

But the Holy Name is something still greater.

Each time we say, "Jesus," we give God infinite joy and glory, for we offer Him all the infinite merits of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. St. Paul tells us that Jesus merited the Name Jesus by His Passion and Death.

Each time we say "Jesus," let us clearly wish to offer God all the Masses being said all over the world for all our intentions. We thus share in these thousands of Masses.

Each time we say "Jesus," we gain indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, thus relieving and liberating very many of these holy souls from their awful pains. Thus they may be our best friends and pray for us-----they cannot pray for themselves, however.

Each time we say "Jesus," it is an act of perfect love, for we offer to God the infinite love of Jesus.

The Holy Name of Jesus saves us from innumerable evils and delivers us especially from the power of the devil, who is constantly seeking to do us harm.

The Holy Name of Jesus gradually fills our souls with a peace and joy we never had before.

The Holy Name of Jesus gives us strength that our sufferings become light and easy to bear.

(from CatholicTradition.org)