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The Most Holy Name of Jesus
optional memorial
January 3rd

Christ, Man of Sorrows - school of Jan Mostaert (post-1510) oil on panel
Copyright © National Gallery, London. Used with permission

From apostolic times, the Church has professed that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:10-11). Through the particular efforts of St. Bernardine of Siena, devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was promoted through the inscription of the monogram of the Holy Name (IHS) and the addition of the name of Jesus to the Hail Mary. Pope Sixtus V first granted an indulgence for the uttering of the phrase used so often by the present Holy Father, John Paul II and included among the pious invocations of the current Enchiridion Indulgentiarum: "Praised be Jesus Christ!"

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
O God, who founded the salvation of the human race
on the Incarnation of your Word,
give your peoples the mercy they implore,
so that all may know there is no other name to be invoked
but the Name of your Only Begotten Son.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:21-24
And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

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Excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Prayer to Jesus

2665 The prayer of the Church, nourished by the Word of God and the celebration of the liturgy, teaches us to pray to the Lord Jesus. Even though her prayer is addressed above all to the Father, it includes in all the liturgical traditions forms of prayer addressed to Christ. Certain psalms, given their use in the Prayer of the Church, and the New Testament place on our lips and engrave in our hearts prayer to Christ in the form of invocations: Son of God, Word of God, Lord, Savior, Lamb of God, King, Beloved Son, Son of the Virgin, Good Shepherd, our Life, our Light, our Hope, our Resurrection, Friend of mankind. . . .

2666 But the one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: "Jesus," "YHWH saves." The name "Jesus" contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray "Jesus" is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.

2667 This simple invocation of faith developed in the tradition of prayer under many forms in East and West. The most usual formulation, transmitted by the spiritual writers of the Sinai, Syria, and Mt. Athos, is the invocation, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners." It combines the Christological hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 with the cry of the publican and the blind men begging for light. By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior's mercy.

2668 The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always. When the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases, but holds fast to the word and "brings forth fruit with patience." This prayer is possible "at all times" because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation: that of loving God, which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus.

2669 The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps. The stations from the Praetorium to Golgotha and the tomb trace the way of Jesus, who by his holy Cross has redeemed the world.

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Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.

V. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us.
R. Jesus, graciously hear us.

V. God the Father of Heaven
R. Have mercy on us.

V. God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
R. Have mercy on us.

V. God the Holy Spirit,
R. Have mercy on us.

V. Holy Trinity, one God,
R. Have mercy on us.

V. Jesus, Son of the living God,
R. Have mercy on us.

V. Jesus, splendor of the Father,
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, brightness of eternal light.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, King of glory.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, sun of justice.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, most amiable.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, most admirable.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, the mighty God.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, Father of the world to come.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, angel of great counsel.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, most powerful.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, most patient.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, most obedient.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, lover of chastity.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, lover of us.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, God of peace.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, author of life.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, example of virtues.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, zealous lover of souls.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, our God.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, our refuge.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, father of the poor.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, treasure of the faithful.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, good Shepherd.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, true light.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, eternal wisdom.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, infinite goodness.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, our way and our life.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, joy of Angels.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, King of the Patriarchs.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, Master of the Apostles.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, teacher of the Evangelists.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, strength of Martyrs.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, light of Confessors.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, purity of Virgins.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Jesus, crown of Saints.
R. Have mercy on us

V. Be merciful,
R. spare us, O Jesus.

V. Be merciful,
R. graciously hear us, O Jesus.

V. From all evil,
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From all sin,
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From Your wrath,
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From the snares of the devil.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From the spirit of fornication.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From everlasting death.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. From the neglect of Your inspirations.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By the mystery of Your holy Incarnation.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your Nativity.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your Infancy.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your most divine Life.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your labors.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your agony and passion.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your cross and dereliction.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your sufferings.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your death and burial.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your Resurrection.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your Ascension.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your institution of the most Holy Eucharist.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your joys.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. By Your glory.
R. deliver us, O Jesus.

V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. spare us, O Jesus.

V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. graciously hear us, O Jesus.

V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
R. have mercy on us, O Jesus.

V. Jesus, hear us.
R. Jesus, graciously hear us.

V. Let us pray.

All. O Lord Jesus Christ, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you." Grant, we beg of You, to us who ask it, the gift of Your most divine love, that we may ever love You with our whole heart, in word and deed, and never cease praising You.

Give us, O Lord, as much a lasting fear as a lasting love of Your Holy Name, for You, who live and are King for ever and ever, never fail to govern those whom You have solidly established in Your love. Amen.

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