Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 01-03-06, Memorial, Most Holy Name of Jesus

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Meditation
John 1:29-34

Parents-to-be often spend hours and hours flipping through books or searching the Internet for that perfect name for their child. They are looking for a name that not only sounds pleasant but has significance: “Claire,” for example, means “brilliant,” and “Drew” means “trustworthy.”

Mary and Joseph didn’t have to bother with all of that. An angel told them their son’s name before he was even born (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21). He was to be called “Jesus,” which means “God saves.” As in most Jewish families, the name of this child was seen as a sign of what kind of a man he would grow into. And more powerfully than all others, Jesus fully embodied all his name said he would be: He literally saved humanity from their sins!

So why do we still celebrate Jesus’ name today if he has already fulfilled his destiny by dying on the cross for us? Because his is the name by which we are saved. According to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, “The sweet name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. . . . This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul.”

Of course, Bernard was not implying that the name of Jesus worked like a magic spell. Like John in today’s gospel, he knew that without the Holy Spirit’s revelation and power, Jesus’ name had no power at all. The Catechism teaches us: “To pray ‘Jesus’ is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him” (CCC, 2666). So ask the Spirit to reveal Jesus to you today. Call upon his name with faith and trust. Believe that the Spirit will reveal Jesus to you in a way that fills your heart with confidence and joy, no matter what situation you may face.

“Lord Jesus, I glory in your majesty and might, for your name is my salvation! May your name, Jesus, be ever in my thoughts, on my lips, and in my heart.”

1 John 2:29–3:6; Psalm 98:1,3-6

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, January 3, 2006 >>

1 John 2:29—3:6

Psalm 98

John 1:29-34

View Readings

A LIVING HOPE (see 1 Pt 1:3)

"Everyone who has this hope based on Him keeps himself pure, as [Jesus] is pure." —1 John 3:3

The Christmas season is a time when a greater number of people commit suicide. Many others are more discouraged than usual because of family breakdowns that intensify at Christmas. At the very time the Hope of the World has come to us at Christmas, greater numbers of people are "without hope...in the world" (Eph 2:12).

Some difficult situations have persisted for so long that it's hard to believe the situation will ever change for the better. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Prv 13:12). We wait so long that we're tempted to be sick at heart, discouraged beyond hope. "But hope is not hope if its object is seen; how is it possible for one to hope for what he sees?" (Rm 8:24)

Jesus comes this Christmas to give us a living, risen hope (1 Pt 1:3) to replace any "dead" hope, which is actually hopelessness. "Hope is the confident expectation of divine blessing and the beatific vision of God; it is also the fear of offending God's love and incurring punishment" (Catechism, 2090). A living hope based on Jesus gives us strength to resist sin (1 Jn 3:3) and expect blessing, even when we are repeatedly faced with difficulties. In fact, in Jesus these constant difficulties and afflictions give us greater virtue and purity (Rm 5:3-4), and lead to greater hope that overcomes disappointment (Rm 5:5). Come to Jesus with your sufferings (Mt 11:28). In Jesus, you will find hope (Rm 15:12).

Prayer: "May God, the Source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that through the power of the Holy Spirit you may have hope in abundance" (Rm 15:13).

Promise: "Look! There is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" —Jn 1:29

Praise: Gloria's father finally was delivered from his addiction to alcohol after she prayed for him for twenty years.

Jn 1:29-34
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
29	The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him; and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.	altera die videt Iohannes Iesum venientem ad se et ait ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi
30	This is he of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is preferred before me: because he was before me.	hic est de quo dixi post me venit vir qui ante me factus est quia prior me erat
31	And I knew him not: but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.	et ego nesciebam eum sed ut manifestaretur Israhel propterea veni ego in aqua baptizans
32	And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven; and he remained upon him.	et testimonium perhibuit Iohannes dicens quia vidi Spiritum descendentem quasi columbam de caelo et mansit super eum
33	And I knew him not: but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.	et ego nesciebam eum sed qui misit me baptizare in aqua ille mihi dixit super quem videris Spiritum descendentem et manentem super eum hic est qui baptizat in Spiritu Sancto
34	And I saw: and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God.	et ego vidi et testimonium perhibui quia hic est Filius Dei

Agnus Dei

Francisco de Zurburán (1598-1664)
Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid