Ask Anything in the Holy Name of Jesus

I recall when I was in my mid-twenties, going to hear a Tibetan Buddhist monk speak. What I remember most clearly about his talk was the way he spoke about the power of names. I recall him saying something like this: “Call me by name, I like it, it makes me happy.” 

What stayed with me was the simplicity and cadence of his remarks. The three short phrases captured something about our human desire for dignity. In our digital culture, to hear someone’s voice calling our name with kindness feels impactful, and we can appreciate the joy it brings.

A similar dignity and joy are echoed in the experience of naming others. For example, in the case of young parents who are in search of a name for their first child. In them, we see excitement, joy, concerns, expectations, agony, playfulness, and many other emotions as they discern what to name their newborn.

Personally, I have seen new parents agonize over what name to choose. Of course, I have also witnessed lots of creativity and playfulness.  Never being one to let go of a good opportunity, I often find myself saying to pregnant parents: I think 'Javier' is a great name for a baby or a first toy! This friendly suggestion has not worked in my favor, but it sure makes for interesting reactions and conversations. 

Coming from a small town and a Mexican family, I knew early on about the power of names. What name or nickname you received was significant. In fact, my siblings and close friends all had nicknames, and I was no exception. I was called “Negrito” in my family because most of my siblings were of a lighter complexion. Of my eight sisters, seven have nicknames. In the case of my sister María de los Ángeles, she grew up being called “Kilo”—a reference and association to her petite size and light birth weight. 

In our faith, names play an important role, as well. Our names are connected to holy men and women—saints—that our parents admire with great devotion.  In my case, I was named after the Jesuit missionary, “Francisco Javier.”  I confess that I have other names I would have chosen for myself; however, over the years, I have grown to appreciate the gift of my name and the care my parents took in selecting it for me.  We can also point to Pope Leo XIV’s recent election and the amount of energy and commentaries the selection of his name engendered.  Even before he uttered his first words as Pope, we were already speculating on who he would be for us, simply based on the name he chose for himself. 

The faith connection between names and grace takes on even greater meaning in the name of “Jesus.”  In the narratives and stories of the early Church, we see how powerful his name was in guiding their own identity and spiritual growth. St. Paul in conveying something about this experience writes, “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). 

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci, circa 1500, oil on canvas

The exaltation of the glorious name of Jesus, also, connects us to the joyful expectation uttered by the prophet Isaiah: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rest in his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  In our own time and faith journey we, too, encounter in the person and name of Jesus a “Prince of Peace,” and ‘Wonderful Counselor.” 

Similarly, in the Acts of the Apostles, we get a glimpse at the profound devotion to Jesus’ powerful name. In responding to the needs of the community, St. Peter says, “I have neither silver or gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise] and walk” (Acts 3: 1-10). It is not difficult, then, for us, as Christians, to relate to Jesus through the powerful and exalted titles or “nicknames” of Jesus.  

At the same time, we can humbly relate to Jesus. Because of Jesus’ nearness to us in the mystery of the Incarnation, we feel comfortable seeing him as one of us. In stressing Jesus’ humility, our faith teaches us that “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 death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).  

For us who appreciate St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise de Marillac, the connection between humility and Jesus feels close to our Vincentian spirituality. As a Vincentian community and family, we are invited to discover the holy name and person of Jesus in the poorest among us. Recently, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te, reminded us, also, of Jesus’ identification with the poor: “His was a radical poverty, grounded in his mission to reveal fully God’s love for us” (n.18). 

No doubt we each have our own experiences with the name and person of Jesus. In our own ways and times, we continue to encounter the living Lord in those around us. The fact that we, as Catholics, celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus on a specific date (January 3) encourages us to come to Jesus as we know him to be for us.  We can imagine Jesus feeling happy in being called by his name! After all, he says to us, “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13).