THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: HISTORY, PRACTICES, DEVOTIONS AND PRAYERS
THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: HISTORY, PRACTICES, DEVOTIONS AND PRAYERS
The name Jesus comes from the Greek Iesous which was derived from the Aramaic, Yeshu. It means "Yahweh is salvation". The name was not unique, even in biblical times, and today it is common in Arabic-speaking East and in Spanish-speaking countries. From apostolic times the name has been treated with the greatest respect, as honor is due the name which represents Our Lord, himself.
One Catholic Web site, beautifully describing the Holy Name, observes that "As the name of each individual person embraces the totality of the person, the most Holy Name of Jesus also embraces the totality of the divinity. When we think of a person, we remember the name, and we visualize their image. Equally, when we think of Jesus, we remember His-name and we visualize the image of God in Jesus. 'For in Jesus the whole fullness of deity dwelled bodily' (Col 1:19, 2:9)."
Richard Rolle, a mystic of fourteenth century England, taught about the Name of Jesus:
If you will be well with God, and have grace to rule your life, and come to the joy of love: this name Jesus, fasten it so fast in your heart that it come never out of your thought. And when you speak to him, and through custom say, "Jesus," it shall be in your ear, joy; in your mouth; honey; and in your heart, melody: for men shall think joy to hear that name be named, sweetness to speak it, mirth and song to think it.
If you think the name "Jesus" continually, and hold it firmly, it purges your sin, and kindles your heart; it clarifies your soul, it removes anger and does away slowness. It wounds in love and fulfills charity. It chases the devil, and puts out dread. It opens heaven, and makes a contemplative man. Have Jesus in mind, for that puts all vices and phantoms out from the lover.
In every generation the Holy Spirit has whispered the adorable Name of Jesus to the Churches, inspiring new expressions of what remains unchanged from age to age, the confession of Saint Peter in the Acts of the Apostles: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The Holy Name of Jesus is, first of all, an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises that whatever we ask the Father in His Name we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word.
When, therefore, we say, "Jesus," let us ask God for all we need with absolute confidence of being heard. For this reason, the Church ends her prayer with the words, "through Jesus Christ," which gives the prayer a new and Divine efficacy.
But the Holy Name is something still greater.
Each time we say, "Jesus," we give God infinite joy and glory, for we offer Him all the infinite merits of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. St. Paul tells us that Jesus merited the Name Jesus by His Passion and Death.
Each time we say "Jesus," let us clearly wish to offer God all the Masses being said all over the world for all our intentions. We thus share in these thousands of Masses.
Each time we say "Jesus," we gain indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, thus relieving and liberating very many of these holy souls from their awful pains. Thus they may be our best friends and pray for us-----they cannot pray for themselves, however.
Each time we say "Jesus," it is an act of perfect love, for we offer to God the infinite love of Jesus.
The Holy Name of Jesus saves us from innumerable evils and delivers us especially from the power of the devil, who is constantly seeking to do us harm.
The Holy Name of Jesus gradually fills our souls with a peace and joy we never had before.
The Holy Name of Jesus gives us strength that our sufferings become light
and easy to bear.
God in His immense goodness gives to each of us an all-powerful word with which we can do wonders for Him, for ourselves and for the world. That word is “Jesus.” Paul tells us that it is “a name above all names,” and that “…..in the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bend in Heaven, on earth and under he earth.”[i] (Phil 2:10) In an era when it is commonplace to hear the Lord's Name taken in vain on television, in movies, and out of the mouths of children as a normal course of conversation, we are called not only to make reparation, but to give witness to the wonders of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Short History of this devotion
Devotion to the Holy Name falls loosely into three periods. The first phase is the very early Church and was encouraged by the Apostles and the early disciples. In this period devotion is to the Name of Christ, to the Name of Christ Jesus, to the Name of the Lord, and to the Name of Jesus.
The second phase is found in the early middle ages. Here devotion to the Holy Name was fixed specifically to the Name of Jesus. Pope Gregory X (1271 - 1276) and the Council of Lyons in 1274 initiated a call of the Universal Church to this special devotion. Through the works of Blessed John of Vercelli, the fifth Master General of the Order of St. Dominic, the Dominicans began preaching on the virtues of the Holy Name and built special altars where the lay faithful could venerate the Holy Name of Jesus.
The third phase was brought to life by St. Bernardine of Siena (1380 - 1444), the Franciscan who reformed his Order and preached fiery sermons all over Italy. St. Bernardine painted a special wooden tablet with the Monogram of the Name of Jesus surrounded by rays of the sun. During these very popular sermons, he would hold up for veneration the monogram of Christ's Name.
Because of the influence of St. Bernardine's work, the Name "Jesus" was added to the Hail Mary prayer, and the Feast of the Holy Name was later added to the calendar. The office of this Mass was written by Bernardine dei Busti, and it makes use of the beautiful 12th century hymn, Iesu Dulcis Memoria which speaks of His Name and was written by another who had devotion to it, St. Bernard of Clairvaux (A.D. 1090-1153). St. Bernardine's apostleship of the Holy Name was carried on by St. John Capistran, A.D. 1385-1456, and to them both is attributed the Litany of the Holy Name. St. Bernardine and his contemporary St. John Capistran popularized this devotion and made it so widespread that the monogram of the name of Jesus, even today, stands at the side of the cross as a symbol of Christianity.
Later in 1455, Pope Callistus III asked St. John to preach a crusade invoking the Holy Name of Jesus against the vicious Turkish Moslems who were ravaging Eastern Europe; victory came in their defeat at the Battle of Belgrade in 1456.
In 1597, Pope Sixtus V granted an indulgence to anyone reverently saying, "Praised be Jesus Christ!" Pope Cement VII in 1530 allowed the Franciscans to celebrate a feast day in honor of the Holy Name, and Pope Innocent XIII extended this to the universal Church in 1721;
In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.
Pope John Paul II reinstituted the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus to be celebrated on Jan. 3. Moreover, the reverential invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus as part of prayer or work, and the recitation of the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, still convey a partial indulgence for the reparation of sin. The Holy Name Society, first organized in 1274 and granted the status of a confraternity in 1564, continues to promote at the parish and diocesan levels an increased reverence for the name of Jesus, reparation for the sins of profanity and blasphemy against the Holy Name, and the personal sanctification of its members.
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus: 3 January
At The Name of Jesus Every Knee Shall Bow
The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus 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, "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." It is observed on 3 January by Catholics following the General Roman Calendar. The entire month of January is devoted to the worship of the Holy Name and to Christ's Divine Childhood.
The Monogram
IHS This monogram of the Holy Name, common among Western Christians, comes from the first three letters in the Greek spelling of Jesus' name. Those letters are iota ("I"), eta ("H") and sigma (here rendered as its Roman equivalent: "S").
Variations: Sometimes the iota is rendered as a "J" (hence, "JHS"), or one will see the monogram in all Greek letters, or with the final sigma in a "C" shape (hence "IHC"), an alternate way of rendering the letter sigma. They all mean the same thing.
IC XC This monogram is more common among Eastern Christians. It is composed of the first and last letters of Jesus' Name in Greek (iota and sigma) with the first and last letters of Christos, the Greek word for Christ (chi and sigma, respectively). The sigmas are both rendered in "C" form, resulting in "IC XC".
This monogram is commonly written on ikons of Christ near His halo to identify Him, and in the phrase "IC XC NIKA", meaning "Jesus Christ Conquers".
The greatest promoters of the monogram were St. Bernardine of Siena and St. John Capistran. They carried with them on their missions in the turbulent cities of Italy a copy of the monogram of the Holy Name, surrounded by rays, painted on a wooden tablet, wherewith they blessed the sick and wrought great miracles. At the close of their sermons they exhibited this emblem to the faithful and asked them to prostrate themselves, to adore the Redeemer of mankind. They recommended their hearers to have the monogram of Jesus placed over the gates of their cities and above the doors of their dwelling. It became even more popularized after St. Bernardine encouraged a playing card maker in Bologna -- a man whose business had been ruined because of the Saint's preaching against gambling -- to make holy cards depicting it instead of making his usual fare. Because the manner in which St. Bernardine preached this devotion was new, he was accused by his enemies, and brought before the tribunal of Pope Martin V. But St. John Capistran defended his master so successfully that the pope not only permitted the worship of the Holy Name, but also assisted at a procession in which the holy monogram was carried. The tablet used by St. Bernardine is venerated at Santa Maria in Ara Coeli at Rome.
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Saints writings
“Glorious name, gracious name, name of love and of power! Through you sins are forgiven, through you enemies are vanquished, through you the sick are freed from their illness, through you those suffering in trials are made strong and cheerful. You bring honor to those who believe, you teach those who preach, you give strength to the toiler, you sustain the weary”
--St. Bernardine of Siena
Formalized devotion to the Holy Name is the fruit of the work of St. Bernardine of Siena, A.D. 1380-1444, the Franciscan who reformed his Order and preached fiery sermons all over Italy. An excerpt from one of his sermons:
When a fire is lit to clear a field, it burns off all the dry and useless weeds and thorns. When the sun rises and darkness is dispelled, robbers, night-prowlers and burglars hide away. So when Paul's voice was raised to preach the Gospel to the nations, like a great clap of thunder in the sky, his preaching was a blazing fire carrying all before it. It was the sun rising in full glory. Infidelity was consumed by it, false beliefs fled away, and the truth appeared like a great candle lighting the whole world with its brilliant flame.
By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles, and by the example of his own life, Saint Paul bore the Name of Jesus wherever he went. He praised the Name of Jesus "at all times," but never more than when "bearing witness to his faith."
Moreover, the Apostle did indeed carry this Name "before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel" as a light to enlighten all nations. And this was his cry wherever he journeyed: "The night is passing away, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves honorably as in the day." Paul himself showed forth the burning and shining-light set upon a candlestick, everywhere proclaiming "Jesus, and Him crucified."
And so the Church, the Bride of Christ strengthened by his testimony, rejoices with the psalmist, singing: "O God from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds." The psalmist exhorts her to do this, as he says: "Sing to the Lord, and bless His Name, proclaim His salvation day after day." And this salvation is Jesus, Her savior.
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And here are the thoughts of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (who wrote the hymn "Iesu Dulcis Memoria" ) on the most holy Name of Jesus:
The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. All spiritual food leaves the soul dry, if it contain not that penetrating oil, the Name Jesus. When you take your pen, write the Name Jesus: if you write books, let the Name of Jesus be contained in them, else they will possess no charm or attraction for me; you may speak, or you may reply, but if the Name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and without charm. Jesus to me is honey in the mouth, light in the eyes, a flame in our heart. This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds disperse, and peace descends anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish.
Never yet was human being in urgent need, and on the point of perishing, who invoked this help-giving Name, and was not powerfully sustained. It was given us for the cure of all our ills; to soften the impetuosity of anger, to quench the fire of concupiscence, to conquer pride, to mitigate the pain of our wounds, to overcome the thirst of avarice, to quiet sensual passions, and the desires of low pleasures. If we call to our minds the Name of Jesus, it brings before us His most meek and humble heart, and gives us a new knowledge of His most loving and tender compassion. The Name of Jesus is the purest, and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of names, the Name of all blessings and of all virtues; it is the Name of the God-Man, of sanctity itself. To think of Jesus is to think of the great, infinite God Who, having given us His life as an example, has also bestowed the necessary understanding, energy and assistance to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts, inclinations, words and actions. If the Name of Jesus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there. We say, therefore, with our great master, St. Paul the Apostle: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.
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St. Bernard said, “Nothing so curbs the onset of anger, so allays the upsurge of pride. It cures the wound of envy, controls unbridled extravagance, and quenches the flame of lust; it cools the thirst of covetousness and banishes the itch of unclean desire… For when I name Jesus, I set before me a man who is meek and humble of heart, kind, prudent, chaste, merciful, flawlessly upright and holy in the eyes of all; and this same man is the all-powerful God whose way of life heals me, whose support is my strength.” (Sermon 15 On the Song of Songs).
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St. Peter, first dominican Martyr (d. 1252); John of Vercelli, a contemporary of St. Dominic; Blessed Ambrose of Siena (d. 1286) are said to have been great propagators of the devotion. In the fourteenth century Blessed Henry Suso (d. 1365) is the most notable apostle of devotion to the Holy Name.
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"The incessant invocation of God's name," says Barsanuphius the Great, "is a medicine which mortifies not just the passions, but even their influence. Just as the physician puts medications or dressings on a wound that it might be healed, without the patient even knowing the manner of their operation, so also the name of God, when we invoke it, mortifies all passions, though we do not know how that happens"
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Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name is the greatest spiritual force in the world today. It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth; of strength in our manhood, when only His Holy Name and His grace can enable us to overcome temptation; of hope, consolation, and confidence at the hour of our death, when more than ever before, we realize that the meaning of Jesus is "Lord, the Savior." We should bow in reverence to His Name and submission to His Holy Will. --Blessed Henry Suso
"Any you shall call His name Jesus, because in His Name we adore the entire majesty of the Godhead. All who dwell in the heavens, those who abide upon the earth, and every one of those who are held in the depths of hell, bow down prostate to this Name. This is the Name which gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, agility to the lame, speech to the mute, and life to the dead; the power of this Name forced the mastery of the devil entirely from the bodies of the possessed." --St. Peter Chrysologus
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Prayers
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Chaplet of the Holy Name of Jesus
The Chaplet of the Holy Name is prayed on a 33 bead chaplet (3 decades of 1 large bead followed by ten small beads). 33-bead "rosaries" or 33-knot "chotki" of the Eastern tradition can be used for this devotion. To pray the Chaplet of the Holy Name:
Make an Act of Contrition (i.e., pray this prayer earnestly):
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
And pray:
Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
First Decade:
On the first large bead:
Lord, Thou hast said: "Ask and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," I seek, I knock, I ask this favor [name your intention].
On each of the first group of ten small beads:
Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Second Decade:
On the second large bead:
"Amen, I say unto you, if ye ask the Father anything in My Name it shall be given unto you." It is of the Father and in Thy Name, Lord, I ask this favor.
On each of the second group of 10 small beads:
Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Third Decade:
On the third large bead:
Lord, Thou hast said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Word shall not pass away," Thou wilt grant me this favor because Thou hast said it and Thy word is true.
On each of the third group of 10 small beads:
Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
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Novena to the Holy Name of Jesus
(Say once a day for 9 days)
O Merciful Jesus, Who didst in Thy early infancy commence Thy office of Savior by shedding Thy Precious Blood, and assuming for us that Name which is above all names; we thank Thee for such early proofs of Thine infinite love. We venerate Thy sacred Name, in union with the profound respect of the Angel who first announced it to the earth, and unite our affections to the sentiments of tender devotion which the adorable name of Jesus has in all ages enkindled in the hearts of Thy Saints.
Animated with a firm faith in Thy unerring word, and penetrated with confidence in Thy mercy, we now most humbly remind Thee of the promise Thou hast made, that where two or three should assemble in Thy Name, Thou Thyself wouldst be in the midst of them. Come, then, into the midst of us, most amiable Jesus, for it is in Thy sacred Name we are here assembled; come into our hearts, that we may be governed by Thy holy spirit; mercifully grant us, through that adorable Name, which is the joy of Heaven, the terror of Hell, the consolation of the afflicted, and the solid ground of our unlimited confidence, all the petitions we make in this novena.
Oh! blessed Mother of our Redeemer! Who didst participate so sensibly in the sufferings of thy dear Son when He shed His Sacred Blood and assumed for us the Name of Jesus, obtain for us, through that adorable Name, the favors we petition in this novena.
Beg also, that the most ardent love may imprint on our hearts that sacred Name, that it may be always in our minds and frequently on our lips; that it may be our defense and our refuge in the temptations and trials of life, and our consolation and support in the hour of death. Amen.
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Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Consoler.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
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Invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus
This short invocation of the Holy Name is a type of prayer known as an aspiration or an ejaculation. It is meant to be prayed repeatedly throughout the day, especially during January, the Month of the Holy Name.
"Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!"
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The Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
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Prayer of Petition in the Holy Name of Jesus
O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.
O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.
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Act of Reparation for Blasphemies Uttered Against the Holy Name
It only takes a minute to pray this Act of Reparation before the Blessed Sacrament every time we attend Mass. It makes a very good post-Communion prayer, especially during January, the Month of the Holy Name of Jesus.
"O Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, Son of the living God, behold, we kneel before Thee and offer Thee our reparation; we would make amends for all the blasphemies uttered against Thy holy name, for all the injuries done to Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, for all the irreverence shown toward Thine immaculate Virgin Mother, for all the calumnies and slanders spoken against Thy spouse, the holy Catholic and Roman Church. O Jesus, who has said: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you," we pray and beseech Thee for all our brethren who are in danger of sin; shield them from every temptation to fall away from the true faith; save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss; to all of them give light and knowledge of the truth, courage and strength for the conflict with evil, perseverance in faith and active charity! For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus, in Thy name, unto God the Father, with whom Thou livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost world without end. Amen."
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Act of Consecration
To You, Lord Jesus Christ, I consecrate myself today
through Your Most Holy Name.
I consecrate to You all my thoughts, words and deeds,
all my sufferings and labors, all my hopes, consolations and joys.
I consecrate to You my body with all its senses,
my soul with all its faculties, my entire being without reserve.
In particular I consecrate to You my heart
so that it may love only You and may be consumed
as a victim in the fire of Your divine love.
Jesus, I place my trust in Your most Holy and Sacred Name.
I beg for the remission of all my sins through Your infinite mercy.
I place within Your hands all my cares and anxieties.
Do with me what You will, my Jesus.
Take this offering of myself and give me
a place within Your Divine Heart forever.
I promise to love You and honor You and to spread,
as much as I can, devotion to Your most
Holy Name, until I draw my dying breath.
Amen
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Short Prayers to the Most Holy Name
O sweet Name of Jesus, holy above all names in heaven and on earth, and to which every knee, both of men and of angels in heaven, on earth and in hell bends. You are the the way of the just, the glory of the saints, the hope of those in need, the balm of the sick, the love of the devout and the consolation of those that suffer.
O, Jesus be to me a help and a protector so that your Name may be blessed for all times…
--Thomas A. Kempis
The Golden Arrow
This prayer was revealed by Jesus Himself to a Carmelite Nun of Tours in 1843 as a reparation for blasphemy. "This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully," He said, "and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy."
May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most mysterious and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in heaven on earth and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
Prayer to the Holy Name - St. Bernardine of Siena
Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength! You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who morn, the delight of those who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those who toil, the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires; by You our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, You are the glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen.
--St. Bernardine of Siena
Prayer Petition to the Holy Name of Jesus
God, You appointed Your only-begotten Son to be the Savior of mankind, and You commanded His Name to be Jesus. I beg that a most ardent love of Your Divine Son imprint that Name upon my heart; that it always be on my mind, and frequently on my lips; that it be my defense in temptation, my refuge in danger, and my consolation and strength in the hour of my death.
Holy Name Prayer of Contrition
Most Merciful Jesus, by that Precious Blood which you willingly shed for sinners, I beg You to wash away all my sinfulness and to look mercifully upon me, a poor and unworthy sinner, as I call upon Your Holy Name. Mercifully grant me, through Your adorable Name, which is the joy of heaven, the terror of hell, the consolation of the afflicted, the refuge of sinners and the strength of those who repent, the grace of eternal salvation through the holy Name of Jesus.
I ask this in Your Name, who live and reign with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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An Offering to Jesus
Jesus, I offer Thee my thoughts that You may keep them pure; my actions that they may always glorify Your Name; my words that they may forever give you praise!
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The Holy Name Prayer
O Merciful Jesus, in your infancy you began your ministry as prophet and priest. You became my Savior by shedding your Precious Blood for me, and assuming for us all that Name which is above all names; I thank you for these revelations of your infinite love. I venerate your sacred Name with Gabriel, the angel who first announced your Name, Emmanuel, to the earth, and unite my affections to the tender love which the name “Jesus” has inflamed in the hearts of your Saints.
Animated with a firm faith in your unerring word, and strengthened with confidence in your mercy, I now humbly remind you of the promise you made, that where two or three assemble in your Name, you yourself would be in the midst of them. Jesus, come to me and the company of your saints and angels, for it is in your sacred Name that I am here; come into my heart, that I may be ruled by your holy spirit; in your mercy give to me, through your adorable Name, which is the joy of Heaven, the terror of Hell, the consolation of the suffering, and the solid ground of my unshakable confidence, all my holy needs.
Blessed Mother of our Redeemer! You suffer with your Son as he sheds his sacred blood and assumes for me the Name of Jesus, obtain for me, through his adorable Name, all my holy needs and the needs of those for whom I pray.
Pray, Blessed Mother, that your son's passionate love may imprint his sacred Name on my heart, that his Name may always be in my mind and always on my lips; that his Name may defend me from despair and be my refuge from all the temptations and trials of this life; and in the hour of my death, may his Name be my consolation and support. Amen.
(Best used before the Blessed Sacrament)
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Psalter of Jesus
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O GOOD Jesu, according to Thy great mercy, have mercy on me. O most merciful Jesu, by that Precious Blood which Thou didst will to shed for sinners, I beseech Thee to wash away all mine iniquities and to look graciously upon me, a poor and unworthy sinner, as I call upon Thy holy Name. Therefore, O Jesus, do Thou save me for Thy holy Name's sake. Amen.
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BESTOW upon us, O Lord, both an abiding fear and an abiding love of Thy Holy Name. For those to whom Thou teachest the depths of Thy love, never dost Thou fail to govern by Thy grace. Through our Lord. Amen.
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The Thirty-Three Petitions in Honor of the Sacred Humanity
(For Private Use Only)
O good Jesus, Word of the Eternal Father,
Convert me.
O good Jesus, Son of Mary,
Make me her child.
O good Jesus, My Master,
Teach me.
O good Jesus, Prince of peace,
Give me peace.
O good Jesus, my Refuge,
Receive me.
O good Jesus, my Pastor,
Feed my soul.
O good Jesus, Model of patience,
Comfort me.
O good Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Make my heart like unto Thine.
O good Jesus, my Redeemer,
Save me.
O good Jesus, my God and my All,
Possess me.
O good Jesus, the true Way,
Direct me.
O good Jesus, Eternal Truth,
Instruct me.
O good Jesus, Life of the blessed,
Make me live in Thee.
O good Jesus, my Support,
Strengthen me.
O good Jesus, my Justice,
Justify me.
O good Jesus, my Mediator,
Reconcile me to Thy Father.
O good Jesus, Physician of my soul,
Heal me.
O good Jesus, my Judge,
Absolve me.
O good Jesus, my King,
Govern me.
O good Jesus, my Sanctification,
Sanctify me.
O good Jesus, Abyss of goodness,
Pardon me.
O good Jesus, Living Bread from Heaven,
Satiate me.
O good Jesus, the Father of the prodigal,
Receive me.
O good Jesus, Joy of my soul,
Refresh me.
O good Jesus, my Helper,
Assist me.
O good Jesus, Magnet of love,
Attract me.
O good Jesus, my Protector,
Defend me.
O good Jesus, my Hope,
Sustain me.
O good Jesus, Object of my love,
Make me love Thee.
O good Jesus, Fountain of life,
Cleanse me.
O good Jesus, my Propitiation,
Purify me.
O good Jesus, my Last End,
Let me obtain Thee.
O good Jesus, my Glory,
Glorify me. Amen.
V. Jesus, hear my prayer.
R. Jesus, graciously hear me.
Let Us Pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you," mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the gift of Thy Divine Charity, that we may ever love Thee with our whole hearts, and may never cease from praising Thee, Who livest and reignest world without end. R. Amen.
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Prayer to the Holy Name - St. Alphonsus De Liguori
Oh, that I had always called upon thee, my Jesus; for then I should never have been conquered by the devil! I have miserably lost Thy grace, because in temptation I have neglected to call Thee to my assistance. But now I hope for all things through Thy holy name: I can do all things in Him who comforts me.[8] Write, therefore, O my Savior, write upon my poor heart Thy most powerful name of Jesus, so that, by having it always in my heart by loving Thee, I may have it always on my lips by invoking Thee, in all the temptations that hell prepares for me, in order to induce me to become again its slave, and to separate myself from Thee. In Thy name I shall find every good. If I am afflicted, it will console me when I think how much more afflicted Thou hast been than I am, and all for the love of me; if I am disheartened on account of my sins, it will give me courage when I remember that Thou camest into the world to save sinners; if I am tempted, Thy holy name will give me strength, when I consider that Thou can help me more than hell can cast me down; finally, if I feel cold in Thy love, it will give me fervor, by reminding me of the love that Thou bearest me.
I love Thee, my Jesus! Thou art, and I trust Thou wilt always be, my only Love. To Thee do I give all my heart, O my Jesus! Thee alone will I love! Thee will I invoke as often as I possibly can. I will die with Thy name upon my lips; a name of hope, a name of salvation, a name of love. O Mary, if thou lovest me, this is the grace I beg of thee to obtain for me, - the grace constantly to invoke thy name and that of the Son; obtain for me that these most sweet names may be the breath of my soul, and that I may always repeat them during my life, in order to repeat them at my death with my last breath. Jesus and Mary, help me; Jesus and Mary, I love you; Jesus and Mary, I recommend my soul to you.
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O GOOD JESUS, according to Thy great mercy, have mercy on me.
O most merciful Jesus, by that Precious Blood which Thou didst will
to shed for sinners, I beseech Thee to wash away all mine iniquities
and to look graciously upon me, a poor and unworthy sinner, as I
call upon Thy Holy Name. Therefore, O Jesus, do Thou save me for
Thy Holy Name's sake.
O God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be the Savior
of mankind and didst command His Name to be called Jesus;
mercifully grant that we may enjoy the vision of Him in Heaven,
Whose Holy Name we venerate on earth. Through the same
Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Blessed be the Most Holy Name of Jesus without end!
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PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE MOST HOLY AND ADORABLE NAME OF JESUS
JESUS! O Name of Jesus! Sweet Name! Delightful Name! Consoling Name! For what else is Jesus than Savior! Therefore, O Jesus, for Thy sweet Name's sake, be to me a Jesus, and save me. Suffer me not to be eternally lost. O good Jesus! Let not my iniquities destroy me, whom Thy bounty made. O sweet Jesus! Recognize in me what is Thine, and efface all that is not Thine. O sweet Jesus! Show mercy now in the time of mercy, and condemn me not in the day of justice. What profit to Thy Precious Blood, or what honor will my destruction give Thy Holy Name, O Jesus! "The dead shall not praise Thee, O Lord Jesus! Nor all they that go down to Hell."
Most amiable Jesus! Most meek, most loving Jesus! O Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Admit me to the number of Thy elect. O Jesus, salvation of those who believe in Thee! Comfort of those who fly to Thee! O Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary! Give me grace, wisdom, charity, purity, and humility,
that I may love Thee perfectly, praise Thee, enjoy Thee, serve Thee,
and be glorified in Thee, with all those who call upon Thy Name, Thy Holy Name, Thy Sweet name-----Jesus. Amen.
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Ebooks
The Wonders of the Holy Name of Jesus - Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, O.P
Discourse on the Name of Jesus - St. Alphonsus Liguori
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Jesu Dulcis Memoria
[ --A Vespers hymn by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux]
Jesu, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far thy face to see,
And in thy presence rest!
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind!
O hope of every contrite heart!
O joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind thou art,
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find? Ah this
Nor tongue nor pen can show:
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but his lovers know.
O Jesu, light of all below!
Thou Fount of life and fire!
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire!
Thee will I seek, at home, abroad,
Who everywhere art nigh;
Thee in my bosom's cell, O Lord,
As on my bed I lie.
With Mary to thy tomb, I'll haste,
Before the dawning skies,
And all around with longing cast
My soul's inquiring eyes;
Beside thy grave will make my moan,
And sob my heart away;
Then at thy feet sink trembling down,
And there adoring stay;
Nor from my tears and sighs refrain,
Nor those dear feet release,
My Jesu, till from thee I gain
Some blessed word of peace!
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The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is one of the three main litanies in honor of our Lord, the other two being, the Litany of the Sacred Heart and the Litany of the Precious Blood.
This Litany carries a partial indulgence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.God, the Father of Heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the living God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Splendor of the Father,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, King of Glory,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Sun of Justice,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, most amiable,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, most admirable,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, the mighty God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the world to come,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Angel of great counsel,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, most powerful,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, most patient,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, most obedient,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Lover of Chastity,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, our Lover,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, God of Peace,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Author of Life,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Model of Virtues,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, zealous for souls,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, our God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, our Refuge,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the Poor,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, good Shepherd,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, true Light,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, eternal Wisdom,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, infinite Goodness,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, our Way and our Life,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, joy of the Angels,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, King of the Patriarchs,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Master of the Apostles,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Strength of Martyrs,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Light of Confessors,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Purity of Virgins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, Crown of all Saints,
have mercy on us.Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus!
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus!From all evil,
deliver us, O Jesus.
From all sin, etc.
From Thy wrath,
From the snares of the devil,
From the spirit of fornication,
From everlasting death,
From the neglect of Thine inspirations,
Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation,
deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thine Nativity, etc.
Through Thy Infancy,
Through Thy most Divine Life,
Through your Labors,
Through Thine Agony and Passion,
Through Thine Cross and Dereliction,
Through Thine Sufferings,
Through Thy Death and Burial,
Through Thine Resurrection,
Through Thine Ascension,
Through Thine Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist,
Through Thy Joys,
Through Thy Glory,Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Jesus!
graciously hear us, O Jesus!
have mercy on us, O Jesus!Jesus, hear us.
The first names of Jesus recorded for us are found in the Bible. Some, but not all of these are listed here:
Star from Jacob [Num 24:17]
Prince of Peace, Wonder-Counselor
[Isaiah 9; 11; Jeremiah 23:5]
Man of Suffering [Isaiah 53:3] Son of Mary [Mark 6:3]
Nazorean [Matt. 2:23]
Word of God [John 1:1; Rev. 19:13] Lamb of God [John 1:29, 36]
Messiah (Anointed One) [John 1:41]
Jesus, Son of Joseph [John 1:45]
Bread of Life [John 6:35]
Gate of the Sheep [John 10:1, 7, 9]
Good Shepherd [John 10:11, 14; Heb. 13:20]
Holy and Just One [Acts 3:14]
Apostle and High Priest [Heb. 3:1]
Alpha and Omega [Rev. 1:8]
Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Root of David [Rev. 5:5]
Lamb Slain [Rev. 5:6]
Lord of Lords, King of Kings [Rev. 17:14; 19:16]
Holy Name of Jesus
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Comment
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Comment by Michael on Thursday
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Amen.
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Comment by Flavia Talladen Schott on January 14, 2024 at 3:27pm
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Amen.
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Comment by John Edward Czarnomski on January 2, 2024 at 9:00am
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+ Amen +
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Comment by Dawn Marie on December 19, 2023 at 3:01am
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† Amen †
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† Amen †
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+ Amen +
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Amen.
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Act of Reparation for Blasphemies Uttered Against the Holy Name
Act of Consecration
Golden Arrow
Amen.
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Act of Reparation for Blasphemies Uttered Against the Holy Name
Act of Consecration
Golden Arrow
Amen.
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Amen.
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