The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

"And after eight days were accomplished, that the Child should be circumcised, His Name was called Jesus, which the angel called Him before He was conceived in the womb" (Saint Luke 2:21). This is the Gospel reading for today's Holy Mass.

We place the Holy Name of Jesus at the beginning of our civil year to remind ourselves that this new year is a gift from God; it is a blessing; it is a time of grace and opportunity to secure our eternal happiness. Our daily habits direct our lives here on earth, day to day and year to year, and well into our eternity. What great blessings do we call upon ourselves when we make with faith the Sign of the Cross in the morning, evening, before we eat, after we eat, etc.? But what evils do humans bring upon themselves when they use Jesus' Name in vain, in anger, in blasphemy?

The beginning of the civil new year is for many a time to make resolutions to live better and do better; to set goals and habits to obtain what we want. We should, even more importantly, make spiritual goals and habits to obtain our eternal happiness in Heaven with Jesus. Sadly, the resolutions of many carry no weight; they are nothing more than wistful dreams.

It is a worthy goal to remove all improper use of Jesus' Name from our lives and to replace our habits of anger, frustration, and even violence with calmness, peace, and trust in Jesus' Holy Name. This is undoubtedly harder for some than it is for others, but we all can do better in sanctifying our lives by living them ever more intently in Jesus' Name.

Saint Paul instructs us to do everything in the Name of Jesus. "All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Col 3:17). We may ask what Saint Paul means when he says, "whatever you do in word or in work?" Saint John Chrysostom tells us: "Recall how Abraham sent his servant in the Name of God. And David, in the Name of the Lord, slew Goliath; great and wonderful is His Name. Again, Jacob sends to his sons, saying: 'and may my Almighty God make him favorable to you' (Gen 43:14). He who does this has God for his helper: without Whom he can do nothing. And the Lord, accepting the honor of being called upon, returns the honor by making possible what we strive to do. Invoke the Son, give thanks to the Father. For invoking the Son, we invoke the Father; and giving thanks to the Father, we give thanks also to the Son. Let us learn these things, but not restricting ourselves merely to the words, but fulfilling them in our deeds. Nothing is so great as this Name, that in every place is wondrous. 'Thy Name is oil poured out' (Cant. 1:3). He who speaks it is filled with its fragrance. 'And no man can say the Lord Jesus Christ, but by the Holy Ghost' (I Cor. 12:4)."

Saint John Chrysostom continues: "So many are the wonders wrought by this Name! If you say with faith, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, you have done what is asked. See what great things you have done; for you have created within you a man, a new man, as well as the other effects that also follow from baptism. So likewise in commanding the sick, this is a Name of power. For this reason, the devil, enjoying the honor given to us, has brought in the use of the name of angels. These are incantations of the demons. Even if it should be an angel, even an archangel, or even the very Cherubim, do not suffer it. For these very Powers will not hearken, but turn away, when they have seen that it is but an affront to the Lord."

Let us make the resolution to call upon the Name of Jesus when we first wake up so that we may begin our day well. For many, the first thing we do when we wake up is check our cell phones to see what time it is. Maybe we could use this same device to remind us to call upon Jesus. We could put the Name of Jesus as a password to access the phone. Maybe we could set an image of Jesus as the phone's wallpaper.

Even if we occasionally forget Jesus at the start of our day, let us put His Holy Name in our day as soon as we can. It can take less than a second and need not interfere with our work or duties. In fact, placing the Name of Jesus in our work and duties will make them and ourselves better.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!

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