On January 3rd we will celebrate the “Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus”.
Scripture is full of wonderful words about our Lord’s name – “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matt 12:21)
How His name drives away evil – “Paul became annoyed, turned, and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ Then it came out at that moment.” (Acts 16:18)
How we should use His Holy name – “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Col 3:17) “…giving thanks always and for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” (Eph 5:20)
And the effects of His name – “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
There are also warnings in scripture about how NOT to use God’s name – “You shall not invoke the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. For the Lord will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) In Leviticus it states that using God’s name as a curse is punishable by stoning. It is so important to use Our Lord’s name properly, that God made it one of the ten commandments.
Using God’s name properly means you are either talking to Him or about Him.
While just about everyone knows that using God’s name as a curse, or in anger is sinful, there are others ways of using His name in a disrespectful way.
Using the phrase “Oh my God” as a filler or exclamation can be sinful. For example, if someone said, “Oh my God, it’s so cold out today”.
Try a little experiment. For the next couple of days, listen for the phrase “Oh my God” or the name of “Jesus”. You will be amazed at how often you hear them being used carelessly. Not only in conversations you have with other people, but on television shows and in movies.
There are prayers of reparation for the disrespect given to the Holy Name. Two of them are listed below.
But even if you don’t remember these prayers, each time you hear the Lord’s name used in vain, why not say (out loud or to yourself) the name of Jesus in a loving way, to make up for the disrespect so often given the Holy Name.
It is written “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” (Phil 2:10)
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 hast 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. (from The Prayer Book by Rev. John O’Connell)
May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible 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. Amen. (ourcatholicprayers.com)