January is a favorable time to strengthen our bond with the beautiful name of our Lord. Only the name of Jesus saves. We must grow in this awareness and become witnesses to it in our daily lives. Discover more.
“When I say Jesus, I feel strong”
Pope Francis shared a personal memory of a man, the father of eight children, who constantly invoked the name of Jesus. “Before going out, before doing anything he had to do, he would always whisper to himself: ‘Jesus!’ Once,” the Holy Father recalls, “I asked him: ‘But why do you always say Jesus?’ ‘When I say Jesus,’ this humble man replied, ‘I feel strong, I feel able to work, because I know that he is at my side, that he watches over me.’”
Remaining “Tuned In” to the Lord
In a world that moves so quickly, it seems increasingly difficult to devote time to the Lord. We often reach the end of the day regretting that we have left too little room for prayer. Pope Francis reminds us that “perhaps a wise spiritual practice can help with this difficulty, which is real—a practice that has been somewhat forgotten today, but that our elders, especially grandmothers, know well: that of the so-called aspirations. The name is somewhat outdated, but the substance is good. What does it involve? Very brief prayers, easy to memorize, that we can repeat often during the day, throughout our various activities, to remain “tuned in” to the Lord.”
Small Practices for Honoring the Most Holy Name of Jesus
How, then, can we honor the Most Holy Name of Jesus? We can do so by repeating a prayer that Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer taught: “Jesus, Jesus, always be Jesus for me”. We can also celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus by attending Mass on January 3 or Eucharistic adoration. As we pray, let us say the words of the Our Father “Hallowed be thy name” with intensity, committing ourselves to live according to this teaching and helping to keep God’s name holy. Our mission as Christians is to spread the fragrance of this name among those we meet along our journey.
Sometimes small daily practices can become anchors of salvation and moments of spiritual reflection. It takes little to remain “tuned in” to Jesus. Sometimes it is enough simply to repeat his name.
And how do you honor the Name of Jesus? You can share your experience in the comments.
