The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus is of divine origin. It was the name given to him by God the Father from all ages – that is, before time began. The angel revealed this name to Mary before he was conceived in her womb and to Joseph after the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. The angel also announced the name to the shepherds. (Mt. 1:21, 25; Lk. 1:31; 2:21).

The apostles had great devotion to the name of Jesus. They made the lame walk in the name of Jesus. For example, John wrote his gospel so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and so that we may believe in his name and have eternal life. (Jn. 20:31). Peter restored, by a miracle, the limbs of the crippled in the name of Jesus. (Acts 3:6; 4:12). Upon their release from jail, Peter, John, and the early Church community praised God in prayer and said: “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:30). They believed that there is no other name given to us under the heavens by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus. (Acts 3:6; 4:12). The early disciples of the Lord held it with great esteem. It is the name upon which they placed their faith and trust.

The devotion to the holy name of Jesus was formally instituted by the Church to make reparation for the blasphemies committed against the holy name of Jesus. One way to make reparation to Jesus for the blasphemies committed against his holy name of Jesus is to recite the litany of the holy name of Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the “invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always. When the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases, but holds fast to the word and ‘brings forth fruit with patience.’” (n. 2668).

Devotion to the holy name of Jesus helps to increase our own sanctification, to foster a deep love for his name, to preclude us from using his name in vain, and to obtain his divine assistance. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21; Rm. 10:13). Devotion to the holy name of Jesus also helps us in our spiritual battles; it protects us from snares of the enemies of Christ; it bestows graces; and it leads to a virtuous life.

According to Blessed Henry Suso, faith in Jesus and in the power of his holy name is the greatest spiritual force in the world. It is a source of joy, inspiration, and strength. His holy name and his grace enable us to overcome temptation. It is also a source of hope, consolation, and confidence at the hour of our death.

Let us pray. May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most mysterious, and most ineffable 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. May the most gracious, most One of the oldest symbols for the name of Jesus is the Chi-Rho ((), which consists of the Greek letters chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ), which are the first two letters of the Greek word, “χριστός” (Christos). loving, most kind, most sovereign, most transcendent, most effulgent, most serene, and most holy Trinity be praised for the most sacred name of Jesus forever and ever. Amen.