January 2, 2024

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. ~Philippians 2:10-11

Traditionally the month of January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. Meaning Savior, it was told in a dream to St. Joseph and to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel. Reverence for the Holy Name of our Lord began with St. Paul, and was venerated in the 12th Century by St. Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercians. However, it wasn’t until the 15th Century that the devotion became widespread, thanks primarily to the fervent promulgation of St. John of Capistrano and St. Bernardine of Siena, who devised the monogram emblem with IHS (the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek) on a blazing sun. Though closely associated with the Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord, it was historically celebrated on different dates throughout Christendom. Extended to the Universal Church in 1721 by Pope Innocent XIII, the feast was eventually moved to the Sunday between January 2nd—5th. However, in keeping with the Traditional Liturgical Calendar following the Rubrics of Pope St. Pius X, if none of these days are a Sunday, it is held on January 2nd. In celebration I’m posting The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 
have mercy on us
God the Holy Ghost, 
have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, Son of the living God, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, splendor of the Father, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, brightness of eternal light, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, King of glory, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, sun of justice, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, most amiable, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, most admirable, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, the mighty God, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, father of the world to come, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, Angel of great counsel, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, most powerful, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, most patient, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, most obedient, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, lover of chastity, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, lover of us, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, God of peace, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, author of life, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, example of virtues, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, zealous lover of souls, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, our God, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, our refuge, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, father of the poor, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, treasure of the faithful, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, good Shepherd, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, true light, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, eternal wisdom, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, infinite goodness, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, our way and our life, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, joy of Angels, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, King of Patriarchs, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, Master of the Apostles, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, strength of Martyrs, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, light of Confessors, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, purity of Virgins, 
have mercy on us
Jesus, crown of all Saints, 
have mercy on us
Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From all sin, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
From Thy wrath, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
From the snares of the devil, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
From the spirit of fornication, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
From everlasting death, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
From the neglect of Thine inspirations, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy Nativity, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thine Infancy, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy most divine Life, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy labors, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thine agony and Passion, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy Cross and dereliction, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy sufferings, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy Resurrection, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thine Ascension, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thine institution of the most Holy Eucharist, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy joys, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
By Thy glory, 
deliver us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Jesus.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us. 
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said: Ask and ye shall receive, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you; mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the gift of Thy divine charity, that we may ever love Thee with our whole heart and with all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising Thee.
Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name, for Thou never failest to help and govern those whom Thou dost bring up in Thy steadfast fear and love; who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.