Daily Reflection

Reflection for January 3, 2026

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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 2:10-11)

Today, the Church invites us to pause in the wake of the Nativity and to bend the knee of our hearts before the holy, powerful, and beautiful name bestowed upon the Savior: Jesus.

This name was not chosen by human whim, but delivered from heaven itself through the message of an angel: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). In this, we see the name is not merely a label, but a mission, a definition, a revelation. Jesus—Yeshua in Hebrew—means “God saves.” From the very moment of His Incarnation, His identity is proclaimed as our salvation. The name encapsulates the entire Gospel: the merciful heart of the Father, reaching down into our brokenness to lift us up.

To celebrate the Holy Name is to recall the humility of the Christ who, though being “in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself” (Philippians 2:6-7). The infinite God, whose name was considered too sacred to pronounce in ancient Israel, now takes a human name that can be spoken by a child, whispered in prayer, and cried out in need. In this humility, there is not a diminishment of His majesty, but a profound revelation of His approachable, intimate love. He gives us a name to call Him by, bridging the chasm between Creator and creature.

For the Catholic, the name of Jesus is a source of power and protection. It is the seal of our prayers, as the Church teaches: “The prayer of the Church is nourished by the name of Jesus; it is at the heart of all Christian prayer” (CCC 435). In temptation, it is a shield; in fear, a stronghold; in suffering, a comfort. The demons tremble at its sound, for it recalls the victory of the Cross. The sick and sorrowful find healing in its invocation, for it calls upon the very Physician of souls. This power is not magical, but relational—it flows from the person it signifies, the Risen Lord who is present when He is named with faith.

This feast also calls us to a profound reverence. In a world where names are often used carelessly, even as tools for mockery or profanity, we are reminded to “hallow” this name. To speak it with love, not as a casual exclamation. To let it shape our inner dialogue, becoming the rhythm of our heart’s prayer—the ancient “Jesus Prayer” being a perfect echo of this devotion: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Finally, the Holy Name is our commission. To be a Christian is to bear the name of Christ. We are “Christ-ians,” little Christs. His name, spoken over us at our Baptism, marks us as His own. Do our lives, then, reflect the meaning of that name? If Jesus means “God saves,” does our presence in the world bring a touch of that saving grace—of healing, forgiveness, and reconciling love? To honor His name is not only to speak it with our lips, but to conform our lives to His mission.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, whose name is honey on our lips and a fortress for our souls,
teach us the depth of its meaning, the power of its invocation, and the reverence it deserves.
May our every thought, word, and deed proclaim that You are the salvation of the world.
Help us to bear Your name with such fidelity that seeing our lives, others may bow the knee and confess the glory of Your Father in heaven.
We ask this in Your holy and saving name. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Holy Name of Jesus, be our salvation.