Day 61: The Name of Jesus

Jesus means in Hebrew: "God saves." At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission. Since God alone can forgive sins, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son made man, "will save his people from their sins". In Jesus, God recapitulates all of his history of salvation on behalf of men. CCC 430

In today's reading, the Catechism focuses on "the name that is above every name" for which "every knee should bend" (Phil 2:9-11): our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is no other name through which we will be saved from our sins (Acts 4:12). He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity and His name is invoked in the Apostles' Creed, "and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord." The demons fear Him (Luke 8:27-39), and by His name, they are cast out (Mark 16:17). Sadly, in English at least, His name is abused in vulgar slang. The Catechism Companion, Vol I notes:

Jesus' name is widely abused in our society. We are accustomed to taking the name of Jesus in vain - casually, in anger, or in frustration - even though this is the name through which God saved us from our sins. (p. 126)

I confess that I too have been guilty of this. How this developed in our language as a curse word I do not know. This is blasphemy and should be confessed during Penance & Reconciliation and be on one's mind during the Penitential Act at Mass.

More positively, the Catechism closes out this section by noting how the name of Jesus is invoked during prayer:

The name of Jesus is at the heart of Christian prayer. All liturgical prayers conclude with the words "through our Lord Jesus Christ". the Hail Mary reaches its high point in the words "blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." the Eastern prayer of the heart, the Jesus Prayer, says: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Many Christians, such as St. Joan of Arc, have died with the one word "Jesus" on their lips. CCC 435

IHS monogram, with kneeling angels, atop the main altar, Church of the Gesù, Rome

IHS = Iesus Hominum Salvator, Latin for "Jesus, Savior of Humanity"