Holy Name of Jesus

Today we keep the restored feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. It was St. Bernadine of Siena, the great preacher of the Holy Name, that had the Name of Jesus added to the Hail Mary. But the long term promoters of the Holy Name were Dominicans! In 1274 Blessed Pope Gregory X ordained that The Dominican Order should take up preaching the faithful great reverence and love for the Holy Name of Jesus. Blessed John of Vercelli, fifth Master General ardently took up this project and in every Church of the Order there was an altar dedicated to the Holy Name. By 1423 processions in honor of the Holy Name were being held everywhere and the Confraternity of the Holy Name of Jesus (now called the Society of the Holy Name) was erected. It was always under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Dominican Order. In each monastery and convent of the Order, on the Second Sunday of each month a procession in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus should take place.

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus,

LORD have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Jesus hear us.
Jesus graciously hear us.
O God the Father, of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
O 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, Son of the Virgin Mary,
Etc.
Jesus, Son of David,
Jesus, most kind,
Jesus, most loving,
Jesus, most meek,
Jesus, most gentle,
Jesus, most mild,
Jesus, most sweet,
Jesus, full of pity,
Jesus, most amicable,
Jesus, most merciful,
Jesus, most bountiful,
Jesus, most gracious,
Jesus, most lovely,
Jesus, most noble,
Jesus, most renowned,
Jesus, most glorious,
Jesus, chosen of ten thousand,
Jesus, Splendour of the Father's glory,
Jesus, Figure of the Father's substance,
Jesus, Spouse of chaste souls, flowing with de lights,
Jesus, vivifying Gem of Divine Honour,
Jesus, unfading Flower of human dignity,
By Thy sweetest Name,
By the compassion of Thy Divine Heart,
By the union of the Divinity with Thy Humanity,
By the love wherewith Thou didst come down from Heaven and complete the work of human redemption,
By the love wherewith Thou didst will to be laid in the manger,
By the love wherewith Thou didst suck the chaste breasts of the Virgin Mary,
By the love wherewith for thirty-three years Thou didst endure all our miseries,
By the love wherewith Thou didst undergo a most bitter death,
By the love wherewith Thou didst will Thy Heart to be pierced,
By the love wherewith at Thy Resurrection Thou didst glorify Thy sacred Body,
By the love wherewith Thou hast placed Thy Humanity at the right hand of the Father,
By the love wherewith Thou dost make glad Thy Saints with the comeliness of Thy Face,
By the love wherewith Thou dost show Thy deified Heart to the Father for us sinners,
By the mutual love of Thy Divinity and Thy Humanity,


Jesus Christ,
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,
Graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Jesus.

V. Graciously hear us, O Jesus, Saviour of the world.
R. To Whom nothing is impossible, save to refuse mercy to the wretched.

Let us pray.

O MOST tender Jesus, true Sweetness of all who flee to Thee for refuge, receive this my prayer which I devoutly offer Thee through Thy sweetest Heart, to the everlasting praise of Thy sweetest Name; beseeching Thee, by that love wherewith Thou didst will to receive that most holy Name and to make it so sweet and so lovely to all the faithful, that by the virtue of that most sacred Name Jesus Thou wouldst vouchsafe to strengthen me in all temptations, and to be with me in my last hour, according to Thy faithful promise: Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen