According to The Catholic Encyclopedia "The Name of Jesus invoked with confidence
- brings help in bodily needs, according to the promise of Christ: "In my name They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover". (Mark 16:17-18). In the Name of Jesus the Apostles gave strength to the lame (Acts 3:6; 9:34) and life to the dead (Acts 9:40).
- It gives consolation in spiritual trials. The Name of Jesus reminds the sinner of the prodigal son's father and of the Good Samaritan; it recalls to the just the suffering and death of the innocent Lamb of God.
- It protects us against Satan and his wiles, for the Devil fears the Name of Jesus, who has conquered him on the Cross.
- In the Name of Jesus we obtain every blessing and grace for time and eternity, for Christ has said: "If you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it you." (John 16:23) Therefore the Church concludes all her prayers by the words: "Through Our Lord Jesus Christ", etc.
A special lover of the Holy Name was St. Bernard, who speaks of it in most glowing terms in many of his sermons. But the greatest promoters of this devotion 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."
In the Daily TV Mass celebrated at Loretto Abbey Chapel and seen by thousands in Canada, the United States and other countries in the world, and online here, the celebrant Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A. said that everyone is given a name that tells his story - The most holy name of Jesus is the name that has changed the world - a name that everyone knows and by which the Redeemer is identified in holy scripture. In his eloquent homily, he said "The only time we use [the holy name of Jesus] is when we give glory to God for sending us his only Son...We celebrate a name, but behind that name is our Lord and Savior who saves us; who gives us what we need; and who never ever leaves us..." Then he asked those Christian listeners "How are you journeying through life with Jesus? How do you call his name?... How do you proclaim his name? How good it is that we are here to celebrate and honor and praise the most holy name of Jesus..." He prayed for the Holy Father and Church leaders, government officials that they may truly work for the betterment of all people, and for ourselves as we begin this new year that we may truly be people who praise and honor the most holy name of Jesus, the special intentions for our families and friends especially for the young people as they listen to their vocational call in an increase in vocations to priesthood and religious life, and for the sick that they may be touched by the healing power of Jesus especially those that have no one to pray for them...As he prayed over the gifts imploring the Holy Spirit to sanctify and transform the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, we could feel the power of Christ who chose to remain with us in his mystical presence in the Eucharist. Christ is the sacrificial "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" given to those who receive the Eucharist in the state of grace. All are invited! Beautiful is the "Ark of Noah"; the "Star before Dawn" the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God and our mother who, above the angels and saints and with them, prays before the throne of Christ for the needs of everyone of her children - the entire human race - to be received at the end of their lives in the kingdom of the abundantly merciful Father...
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