At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those 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.
(Entrance Antiphon, Mass proper)
Dear brethren in Christ, Happy Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus! The feast has been celebrated in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, at least at local levels, since the end of the fifteenth century. The veneration of the Holy Name was extended to the entire Roman Catholic Church on 20 December 1721, during the pontificate of Pope Innocent XIII. The celebration has been held on different dates, usually in January, because 1 January, eight days after Christmas, commemorates the circumcision of the child Jesus; as recounted in the Gospel read on that day.
Today, we especially thank Our Lord Jesus Christ for all He has done for us and ask His help so that we may grow more in our love and intimacy with Him through daily deeds of self-abnegation and service for others, done out of love for Him.
Let us always seek Him in daily prayer, in our daily heart-to-heart conversation with Jesus, thank ing Him, telling Him that we love Him, that we ask pardon for all our sins, and ask His help in all our undertakings so that in them we may please Him and fulfill God’s Will which will bring us to true happiness. As St. Jerome said:
Let us love Christ. Let us always seek his company. Then everything that is difficult will appear easy.
St. Jerome
We should never feel abandoned by God, trying to find solutions or work things out on our own. Rather, we should direct everything to Him, everything that concerns us. For then, we shall see things from his viewpoint and talk to him trustingly about them. Everything, from the most extraordinary things to the most ordinary, can be a topic of conversation with Jesus, as between two people who love each other, live close together and understand each other perfectly. And, the fruit of our intimate dialogue with God is love, and a greater likeness to and identification with Him each day.
In intentions, may Jesus be our aim; in affections, our Love; in conversation, our theme; in actions, our model.
– St. Josemaría-
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.
FOR THE LITANY OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS, CLICK HERE. FOR THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS MASS PRAYERS AND READINGS, CLICKHERE.
WATCH OUR AV SUMMARY FOR TODAY’S FEAST.
Stay updated: subscribe by email for free TO OUR NEW WEBSITE www.catholicsstrivingforholiness.org (PUT YOUR EMAIL IN THE SUBSCRIBE WIDGET). We are also in www.fb.com/Catholicsstrivingforholiness. Kindly help more people in their Christian life by liking our page and inviting your family, friends and relatives to do so as well. Thanks in advance and God bless you and your loved ones! Fr. Rolly Arjonillo
PHOTO CREDIT: AP, ANSA VIA VATICAN RADIO
Share to help others in their Catholic faith and life.
