The Holy Name of Jesus

01-05-2025Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

A couple of days ago, on January 3, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, and the entire month of January is dedicated to it. The name of Jesus is not simply a name; rather, it is deeply significant in the life of the Catholic Church with theological and spiritual implications. Let's take a deeper look at the significance of the Holy Name of Jesus and why it is a source of salvation, reverence, and prayer.

The name of Jesus is first revealed in Scripture, beginning with the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Gospel of Matthew, while we only read of the angel’s appearance to Joseph in a dream after having already appeared to Mary, we still receive the revelation: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh is salvation” or “The Lord saves.” The very name of Jesus encapsulates his divine mission — to save humanity from sin and death. It is central to the entirety of Christian theology. “Jesus” is not merely a name, but also a promise of redemption and hope for all believers, which was revealed to Joseph and Mary from the beginning.

Further, in the Gospel of Luke, the name of Jesus is similarly emphasized during the account of the Annunciation: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (Lk 1:31). Here, the angel declares to Mary that her son will bear the name that signifies his divine purpose. It is a profound name, intentionally chosen by God to signify the divine nature of the child. Through the name of Jesus, God reveals the identity of his Son as the Savior of the World.

Throughout the New Testament, the name of Jesus is invoked as a means of salvation, healing, and casting out demons. After Jesus' Ascension, the Acts of the Apostles reveal the apostles continued to perform miracles and cast out demons in the name of Jesus. In Acts 4:12, Peter proclaims, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” continuing the emphasis on the link between Jesus’ name and salvific work for mankind.

Now, if our very salvation is owed to a single name, how should we acknowledge or treat that name? St. Paul tells us: “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” (Phil 2:9-10). There is no greater name in existence than that of Jesus and it is, therefore, properly owed the greatest respect and reverence by every human being (whether they know it or not). Wanting to take St. Paul’s words seriously, but finding it impractical to kneel every time Jesus’ name is mentioned, Pope Gregory X wanted to find a practical physical gesture with which the faithful could express reverence at the mention of the Holy Name of Jesus. In the year 1274, he wrote a letter to the Dominicans, a portion of which was included in the book, With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections by, Francis Xavier Lasance:

Recently, during the Council held at Lyons, we deemed it a useful commendation to exhort the faithful to enter the house of God with humility and devotion, and to conduct themselves while there in a becoming manner, so as to merit the divine favor and at the same time give edification.

We have also judged it proper to persuade the faithful to demonstrate more reverence for that name above all names, the only name in which we claim salvation — the Name of Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us from the bondage of sin. Consequently, in obedience to that apostolic precept, 'In the Name of Jesus let every knee, be bent,' we wish that at the pronouncing of that name, chiefly at the Holy Sacrifice, every one would bow his head in token that interiorly he bends the knee of his heart. (Emphasis added.)

The practice of bowing one's head at the mention of the name of Jesus during Mass was practiced for centuries after the Pope's declaration. While it did fall out of practice for a period of time, you may have noticed that it has been making a comeback recently. More and more people are returning to the practice of bowing their heads as an expression of reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus during the liturgy.

In addition to messianic identity, the Holy Name of Jesus is a prayer in and of itself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us:

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. (CCC 2666)

The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always…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. (CCC 2668)

So, to say Jesus' name at any point in the day, for any reason, without any other words, is to call upon him in prayer. When you call his name, he will come. This is especially important to remember in times of temptation or torment by the Evil One. All you need to do is call upon the name of Jesus, and he will come to be with you. And as the Catechism says, it's an easy way to “pray without ceasing”(1 Thess 5:17) and keep our hearts and minds on holy things.

Fr. Chad Ripperger covers the topic of God’s Holy Name in one of his homilies included in the collection, Lincoln and Omaha Sermons. In it, Fr. Ripperger spends a good deal of time reflecting on the prevalence of cursing and taking the Lord’s name in vain in today’s culture. He says, “Today, unfortunately, the use of profanity and vulgarity seems to be unparalleled. It used to be that we would say someone ‘cursed like a drunken sailor,’ but today you can legitimately say ‘he cursed like your average man’…And it’s not just the average man on the street. I hear good traditional Catholics using the word ‘God’ profanely all the time and priests even sometimes hear people when they are in confession.” Given all that God has done for us, especially the Passion and Crucifixion of his Son, Jesus, our careless speech is of great offense to him. In addition to amending our own way of speaking, Fr. Ripperger recommends reciting the Divine Praises as an act of reparation when we hear profanations against His Most Holy Name: “Blessed be God; Blessed be His Holy Name; Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin, and Mother; and Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.”

This week, meditate on the Holy Name of Jesus and the entirety of what that one name encompasses. As you meditate on it, repeat it in your mind and heart. Take this as an opportunity to resolve to show more reverence to the Holy Name of Jesus in your own life in some practical way.