Monday, 3rd January 2022 Feast of Holy Name of Jesus

Happy New Year! Today, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, the Church finds her whole good, she invokes it unceasingly; she proclaims it with ever new ardor. It is the divine name which alone brings salvation “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus Himself shows us the saving power of His name, giving us this consoling certitude: “If you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in my name” (John 16:23).

Jesus was the name given by the angel before Christ’s birth “You shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1: 31). It was the name by which our Lord was known in His family and among His friends in Nazareth. Exalted by the crowds and invoked by the sick during the years of His public ministry, it calls to mind His identity and mission as Savior. “Jesus” means “God saves”. A blessed name, which also proved to be a sign of contradiction, it was written on the Cross in justification of His death sentence – “Jesus, King of the Jews”. But this name, in the supreme sacrifice of Golgotha, shone forth as a life-giving name in which God offers the grace of reconciliation and peace to all.

Have you ever noticed such symbols like IHS or IHC on various liturgical items, like priest’s vestments, baptismal fonts, or stain glass windows? The use of Christogram or a monogram of Jesus Christ’s name started in the early days of Christianity. The Christogram “IHS” or “IHC“, denotes the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, spelt in Greek capitals, “ΙΗΣΟΥΣ” or has the abbreviations ΙΗΣ. The Greek letter iota is represented by I, and the eta by H, while the Greek letter sigma is represented by S. Within the Eastern Christian tradition, a Christogram with four-letter abbreviation, ΙϹΧϹ is used.


Throughout the history of the Church Christians have venerated the name of Jesus. Honoring our Savior’s name fulfills the word of Saint Paul: “God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that 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.” (Philippians 2:10)

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux promoted devotion to the holy name of Jesus. He wrote: “The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it.”

The Catechism summarizes the power of Jesus’ name when it says: “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” (2666).

Saint Paul says “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17).

There are many other references to the power of Jesus’ name in Scriptures. In the Acts of the Apostles, the name of Jesus healed the lame and brought the dead back to life. Saint Peter heals a man at the Beautiful Gate by invoking the Holy Name of Jesus. He said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise and walk.” (Acts 3: 6)

The holy name is a protection from the devil, who has been conquered by Jesus on the cross and fears his name. In the name of Jesus the blind regain sight, the paralytics or lame walk, the sick are healed, the oppressed are set free, those possessed by demon are set free, and the poor has the good news proclaimed to them.

As we begin new year, let us learn to call on the Holy Name of Jesus, invoking the name of Jesus with adoring love, putting it at the center of our prayer. “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”

May Mary put on our lips and impress on our hearts this most holy Name from which comes our salvation, each day in our lives, Amen.

Merry Christmas!
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About the Author

My name is Fr. Peter Eke, a priest of the Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan. I was called to the Catholic priesthood in July 19th, 1997. I studied Canon Law at the Pontifical Lateran University, in Rome, Italy, with JCL Degree in 2001 and JCD (doctorate) Degree in 2003. Currently, I am the pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Prudenville, Saint James in Houghton Lake, and Saint Hubert in Higgins Lake. I am also a Judge at the Marriage Tribunal in my Diocese. In my free time, I love reading, listening to music, and taking a long walk. Since my ordination my inspiring message has been “with God the oil in the flask will not dry” (1Kings 17:14).

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6 Comments

  1. Simply refreshing! Thank you so much Fr Peter for the beautiful reflection and a happy new year to you too. Remain blessed Fr.

  2. A beautiful new year resolution “to call on the Holy Name of Jesus, invoking the name of Jesus with adoring love, putting it at the center of our prayer”. Happy new year to you Father and too all three CM readers.

  3. Thank you Fr. Peter for a very deep and inspiring reflection. May we remember the power the name of Jesus holds and to always pray ‘in the name of Jesus’. Happy New Year to you. God bless.

  4. Fr. Pete, thank you for your reflection. I will try to keep in mind to invoke His name more often.
    God bless and happy new year.

  5. Thank you Father. Wonderful and informative reflection bringing more light to the Christmas season. Peace with you.

  6. Way too many times I have wrongly used the Name of Jesus in anger. I prefer the approach you suggest, Father Peter. May God heal the wrongs of my tongue and the fiery temper I have, and set my mind on Jesus. I ask this in the blessed and holy Name of our Savior, Jesus, the Son of God!

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