Sunday, January 03, 2016

 

THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

04 January 2016
THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS,
Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus 
Solemnity.    White.   Sir 51: 11 - 17.  Phil 2: 1 - 11.     Lk 2: 21 - 24.
[Transferred from 03 January]

From the 1st Reading:    Sir 51: 11 – 12
And my prayer was heard, you saved me from destruction and delivered me from an evil plight.  That is why I give you thanks and praise and bless the Name of the Lord.

From the 2nd Reading:    Phil 2: 5 – 11
Let what was seen in Christ Jesus be seen in you:  Though being divine in nature, he did not claim in fact equality with God, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man.  He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross.  That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names, so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead, and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father. 

From the Gospel  Reading:      Lk 2: 21
On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed; he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.  

Reflection
The Society of Jesus celebrates today its Titular Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.  The Formula of the Institute of the Society of Jesus originally approved by Pope Paul III on 27 September 1540 begins: "Whosoever would enlist in the cause  of God neath the standard of the cross, to serve the Lord alone and the Roman Pontiff, his Vicar on earth, and wishes to do this in our Society, which we want to be distinguished by the name of Jesus. . ."

This is reiterated at the beginning of the confirmation of the institute of the Society of Jesus by Pope Julius III in 21 July 1550: "Whosoever would enlist in the cause of God neath the standard of the cross, to serve the Lord alone and his bride the Church under the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth, and wishes to do this in our Society, which we want to be distinguished by the name of Jesus. . . "

The name of a person (or even of a pet animal?) is important and affirms the uniqueness of the person.  

At the core of the religious history of Israel is their liberation from the slavery of Egypt and their journey to the promised land.  When Moses was commissioned by God to lead Israel, Moses asks God: "If I go to the Israelites and say to them: 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' they will ask me: 'What is his name?' What shall I answer them?"  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO AM. This is what you will say to the sons of Israel: 'I AM sent me to you." (Ex 3:  13 – 14)

The name Jesus came from God himself: at the Annunciation the angel of the Lord tells Mary, "You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus." (Lk 1: 31)   The angel of the Lord gave the same message to Joseph, Mary's husband and the foster-father of Jesus, "She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You shall call him 'Jesus' for he will save his people from their sins." (Mt 1: 20c – 21)

In the second reading from the letter to the Philippians, Paul extols the Name Jesus: "That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names, so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead, and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2: 9 – 11) 

We praise and honor the Name Jesus.  We praise and honor him for saving us from our sins.   We praise, honor and thank God for giving us Jesus as our Savior and brother.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

THANKSGIVING
     Vincent Tintoc & Jimmy Tintoc

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
     James & Gloria Yu

IN MEMORIAM (+)
     Ong Ai Gui

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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