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| “The Adoration of the Name of Jesus” by El Greco, 1578-79 |
Readings for The Most Holy Name of Jesus [1]
Additional information about the Most Holy Name of Jesus [2]
FIRST READING
Philippians
2:1-11*
Brothers and sisters:
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with
the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of
vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important
than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.
Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the
earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
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Commentary on Phil
2:1-11
This selection from St. Paul’s letter to the
Philippians contains two specific instructions to the community. He begins
by exhorting them to unity and harmony (see below), and then continues with the kenotic (emptying) hymn which focuses on humility. It is believed that the
verses of the hymn are a liturgical song in use at the time the letter was
penned. Christ empties himself of the complete divinity that is his
essence, and accepts the human condition. As true man he suffers the ultimate
humiliation of death on the cross. The second section of the hymn focuses on
God’s resulting actions of exaltation. The Christian sings to God’s great glory
in Christ, proclaiming him Lord and Savior.
CCC: Phil 2:1 2842; Phil 2:4 2635; Phil 2:5-8 461; Phil 2:5 520, 1694, 2842; Phil 2:6-11 2641, 2667; Phil 2:6 449; Phil 2:7 472, 602, 705, 713, 876, 1224; Phil 2:8-9 908; Phil 2:8 411, 612, 623; Phil 2:9-11 449, 2812; Phil 2:9-10 434; Phil 2:10-11 201; Phil 2:10 633, 635
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RESPONSORIAL
PSALM
Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R.
(2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your
fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name
in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your
hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name
in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name
in all the earth!
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Commentary on Ps
8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 8 is a song of thanksgiving for the
creation event described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, his
creation, and the life he gave us. The singer expresses the humility of a
people who, through no merit of their own, God has made little less than angels
and given a place of honor. Having done all this, mankind accepts great
responsibility for stewardship.
CCC: Ps 8:6 2566, 2809
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GOSPEL
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Commentary
on Lk
2:21-24
St. Luke begins the account of the Lord’s presentation recalling that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, followed Mosaic Law by observing the rite of purification, which, by tradition, was required of any member of the community who had come in contact with the “mystery,” life and death (the birth of a child or the burial of the dead). The sacrifice offered, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," is prescribed in Leviticus 14:22 as a purification offering following childbirth.
Reflection:
A celebration of the Most Holy Name of Jesus must start with the whole idea of the giving of names. Names provide an identity for persons, places, and things. When we apply that entire concept to the Most Holy Name of Jesus we come almost at once to the Litany of the Most Holy Name which has its origins in the fifteenth century. Within that litany we find the many names associated with the Lord’s identity as Triune God, but also his character and inspiration to his followers. Here are just the titles given in that lengthy litany:
God the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the World, God the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, one God, Jesus, Son of the living God, Jesus, Splendor of the Father, Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light, Jesus, King of Glory, Jesus, Sun of Justice, Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, most amiable, Jesus, most admirable, Jesus, the mighty God, Jesus, Father of the world to come, Jesus, angel of great counsel, Jesus, most powerful, Jesus, most patient, Jesus, most obedient, Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Jesus, Lover of Chastity, Jesus, our Lover, Jesus, God of Peace, Jesus, Author of Life, Jesus, Model of Virtues, Jesus, zealous for souls, Jesus, our God, Jesus, our Refuge, Jesus, Father of the Poor, Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful, Jesus; good Shepherd, Jesus, true Light, Jesus, eternal Wisdom, Jesus, infinite Goodness, Jesus, our Way and our Life, Jesus, joy of the Angels, Jesus, King of the Patriarchs, Jesus, Master of the Apostles, Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists, Jesus, Strength of Martyrs, Jesus, Light of Confessors, Jesus, Purity of Virgins, Jesus, Crown of all Saints.
When we consider all of these descriptive titles, we must recall the early biblical references to names and naming. We start with the creation accounts in Genesis. God created and named everything, the universe, the earth, the mechanisms, the natural laws by which life is created and sustained. To all of these, over a period of six days (God’s time not ours) he did this. And last of all, he created humankind and one of our Creator’s first acts was to delegate the naming of all that lived to his favorite creation whom he called “man” (Genesis 2:20) This act of delegation gave the dominion of all that lived to humankind. Later this idea of empowering one who names a thing to have dominion over it would be the earliest form of existentialism creating a reality by defining it with words.
We jump ahead now to the naming of God (actually the attempt to have God named). We recall Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush on Mt. Horeb (Exodus 3:13-15). Moses demanded to know the name of God who had announced himself to Moses only as “I am the God of your father, he continued, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And out of that dialogue, God’s only name, which was no name, came “I AM.”
Though the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus does not mention this name, Jesus himself used it at critical points in his own ministry. We recall a number of times when the Lord used that same name. In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus is being grilled by some Pharisees and is asked:
“So the Jews said to
him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (John 8:57-59)
And in another situation, in a garden at night outside of Jerusalem the Lord encountered those who had come to arrest him. When he asked them who they were looking for, again the Lord picked up that ancient designation:
They answered him,
“Jesus the Nazorean.” He said to them, “I AM.” Judas his betrayer was also with
them.
When he said to them,
“I AM,” they turned away and fell to the ground.
So he again asked
them, “Whom are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
Jesus answered, “I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” (John 18:5-8)
In these examples we see the Jews to whom he was speaking knew exactly what he was saying when he named himself “I AM.” In the first instance they were ready to stone him for blasphemy and in the second, those who clearly knew they were confronting the Savior, fell to the ground.
In the great kenotic hymn from Philippians used as the first reading for this feast, St. Paul uses words from what scholars propose was a liturgical song being used in St. Paul’s day. It praises the Lord's great humility, putting aside his godhead and accepting the human condition. In conclusion we hear those words which should shake the heart of every believer:
Because
of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the
earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
In this short statement we finally come to understand that the name bestowed upon the Lord by the Father was an identity within the Trinity that describes a set of characteristics we should enshrine in our own lives as being the ultimate goal of our attempt to perfectly emulate Jesus. In two short verses, the name given to Joseph and to Mary by the angels independently (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:32ff) will become a reverential title, one at which every knee must bend as the glory of the Father shines through it.
Today we continue our reverence for the Most Holy Name of Jesus, recalling that it represents more than any other name ever given. For us it is our life’s ambition to more closely emulate that which is represented by that Holy Name. All of those many titles given to our Lord represent that his kingdom is within the heart of those who love him and that kingdom has the Name of Jesus.
Pax
[2] The picture used is “The Adoration of the Name of Jesus” by El Greco, 1578-79.
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