The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-01-13
FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME.


The Feast of the Holy Name occurs
on the second Sunday after Epiphany,
and, no doubt, the pious wish to honor
as much as possible the name of the
Saviour, was the occasion Of it's in
stitution. In the name Of Jesus, ac-
cording to the words of the apostles,
every knee shall bend; and hence,
when we pronounce this holy name,
we at least bow the head. If we are
admonished by the apostle at all times
outwardly to manifest our interior
generation for this holy name, it is
certainly proper that we should do it
in particularly solemn manner on a
special day. Hence this festival was
celebrated centuries ago in many
monasteries with the approval of the
Sovereign Pontiffs, until, in the year
1921, it was appointed feast for gen.
eral observance in the entire Church.
Let every Christian on this day call to
mind that in Jesus he had Redeemer
and Saviour, and let him endeavor to
strengthen his hope and confidence in
Him. But not only on this day, but at
all times, let us have the name of
Jesus in our hearts and upon our lips;
this Holy Name will afford us en-
enlargement in virtue, comfort in
saffliction, courage in dependency,
peace in anxiety, and will fill our
souls with true horror and detestation
of sim know of no more beautiful
prayer than to address the Saviour
with the sweet name of Jesus" And
there is no prayer better adapted to
those moments when we are unable to
say long prayers-for instance, in the
time of severe illness. And again
there is no more powerful prayer If
we are tormented by sufferings and
trials, the mere recollection of the
Saviour, and the devout pronouncing
of His name, can make new beings of
us, and give us patience and submits
sion One needs to have been sick in
order to know what comfort there is
in this Holy Name.
How beautiful, also is the Litany
of the Holy Name of Jesus! In it
we are reminded, in detail, of all
that our Saviour became for us,
and of all the favors we may
expect from Him. We are first re-
minded of His divinity, and call Him
"Son of the Living God, Splendor of
the Father, King of Glory" Then we
recall His Incarnation by addressing
Him as the "Son of the Virgin Mary"
then we contemplate Him both in His
divine and human attributes; we adore
Him as the Powerful God, Eternal
Wisdom, Infinite Goodness, and the
Father of the World to Gomez and
as the "Obedient, the Patient, and the
Meek Son of Man." we think of His
love for us, and appeal to Him as the
Model of all Virtues, the Author of
Life, Jealous for Souls as "Our
Refuge, Father of the Poor, Treasure
of the Faithful, the Good Shepherd,
the True Light, our Way and our
Life;" we recognize and acknowledge
that without Him there is nothing;
He is ''the Joy of Angels, the Master
of the Apostles, the Strength of
Martyrs, the Light of Confessors, the
Purity of Virgins, and the Crown of
all Saints" After having by these
titles glorified the Saviour, we implore
Him to deliver us. from all evil and
sin, and the consequences of sin
namely, His wrath and eternal death;
we implore Him not to permit us to
neglect His holy aspirations, and to
defend us against the snares af Satan.
We beseech Him, for the sake of all
that He has done for us, to hear us.
We beseech Him, for the sake of His
Incarnation and Nativity, His holy
Life, His Agony and Passion, His
Resurrection, Ascension, and eternal
Glory, graciously to hear our prayers.
And we beg Him, finally, as the Lamb
that has taken away the sins of the
world, to spare us and be merciful to
us.