Today Mother Church offers an entire liturgical feast in honor of the Holy Name of our Savior.

Why does she do this?  She does this to instill in her children a tender devotion to, love of, and reverence for the most Holy Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

This name is called, “terrible and holy”; “Let them give praise to thy great name, for it is terrible and holy.”  (Ps 98:3)

But it is also a Name of comfort.  “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”  Is there any name more pleasing to the ear than this Holy Name?  “Sing ye a hymn to His Name, for it is sweet” (Ps 134:3)

In the Canticle of Canticles we read, “Your Name is as oil poured out.”  St. Bernard on his commentary on the Holy Name explains the comparison, “as oil feeds the flame, nourishes the flesh, eases pain, so does the Holy Name of Jesus give light, food, and medicine.”

This Holy Name shall guide me in my times of darkness; strengthen me in my present pilgrimage to a better place; restore my health should I suffer a wound from the enemy of my salvation.

Am I confused about a decision?  Invoke the Holy Name. “Jesus, be my light, see me through this present dilemma.”  And He Who is the Light of the world shall disperse the darkness.

Am I tired or fatigued by my daily tasks or business of the world?  Invoke His Holy Name.  “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, be my strength.  Thou were tired once too, take pity on my present weakness and gird me up.”  The sound of the pleasant Name alone is strength to rouse us to a better courage. 

Am I sad, depressed by unanswered prayer or rejection by others?   St. Bernard advises, “let Jesus enter your heart and ascend to your tongue.” Invoke the Prince of Peace and our peace shall be restored.   “Jesus, be my comfort.”  “Jesus banish my present despair.”  “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”... who is not brought to better dispositions simply hearing the sound of that music... only he who does not love this Name.

Am I hounded by temptation, undue worry, some anxiety?  Call upon the Holy Name and this Name shall rescue us from our troubles or at least make them more bearable.

Now let us look more closely at the power of this Name.

Today’s reading needs some filling out.   The account begins in Acts 3:1.  A man is born lame from birth sits at a Jerusalem gate begging alms from passerby.  Peter and John approach.  The man looks hopefully at them wondering perhaps how much they will give him. But Peter says, “Gold and silver I have none, but what I have I shall give to thee, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk.”  And the man arose and walked praising God.

Take note: this man is born lame in both legs.  So paralyzed is he that he is carried to his place of his begging.  But, by the invocation of the Name, he is cured.  How many of us are not crippled, perhaps even paralyzed by some sinful attachment?  Call upon this Name and be cured.

Another account of the power of the Name begins in Acts 16:16-18, this time involving a possessed girl and Ss. Paul and Luke.  A certain girl is possessed of a ‘pythonical spirit’ (I like that image for the python is a snake which wraps around its victim to strangle it of life.  So this girl was strangled of all her faculties.)  By divining this girl brings her masters much money.  But one day, this girl sees Paul and Luke walking by and the spirit within her cries out, “these men are servants of the Most High God who announce to you the way of salvation.”  Paul, grieved by this spirit, says, “I command thee in the Name of Jesus Christ to go out of her.”  And that same hour the spirit released his victim.

Are we struggling against a python in our own life?  Invoke the Holy Name... or do we not trust what we read in these holy gospels?

Recall: after our Lord sent out the 72 disciples to prepare for his coming did they not return and report to Him, “Even the devils are subject to us in Thy Name.”  (Lk 10:17)

And what does St. Paul write, “In the Name of Jesus every knee must bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.”  (Phil. 2:10) 

All creatures, whether on earth or not, whether body ailments or invisible spirits, are so subject to Christ that even in His Name they must submit.  But we will not experience its power unless we invoke this Name to combat our adversity.

Recognizing its good fruits, the Church encourages her children to nurture a devotion to the Holy Name.  In the 1962 missal she granted two indulgences especially for this end:  “To the faithful who shall utter the name of Jesus, with devotion, is granted an indulgence of 300 days.  Plenary under the usual conditions, if recited daily for a month”; and, “To the faithful who shall visit a church or a chapel on occasion of the Feast of the Most Holy Name, after fulfilling the usual conditions, is granted a plenary indulgence.” 

While indulgenced acts may have been reduced and are no-longer calibrated by days, the graces of these devotions remained obtainable per the broader definitions given in the new book of  indulgences and so they should not be thought abrogated.

As a parting note: St. Paul tells us, “All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father by Him.” 

Let us heed the encouragement of scripture and the Church and in all our words and work give glory to God by doing these at least mentally in the name of Jesus.

Thus, may it happen, that by now establishing a habit of frequently calling upon the Holy Name to rescue us in our times of confusion,  “Jesus, be my light”; or times of fatigue, “Jesus, be my strength”; or times when we fall,  “Jesus, be my medicine” so may it happen at the end of our life,  with our last dying breath, we may happily say, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, be Thou my reward.”