THE HOLY NAME

 

Dear Diary,

It was 18 degrees when we stood out by the mailbox, waiting for Robert. The cold made everything look extra clear, like even the bare trees were holding their breath. When Robert’s truck came, it felt like a little rescue, and off we went to Mass with MINI tucked in close.

Today’s meditation was about the Holy Name of Jesus, and Fr. LeRoy helped us understand why that name is not just a name—it is a gift Heaven chose on purpose. He reminded us how the angel told Mary and St. Joseph exactly what to call Him: Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins. That part made me feel both small and safe at the same time. Small, because I forget how serious sin is. Safe, because Jesus didn’t come to scold us from far away—He came to save us from close up.

The meditation said that from the very beginning, even as a tiny Baby, Jesus already showed He was willing to suffer for love of us. And Fr. LeRoy said something like, “If the first drops of His Precious Blood were given so early, then His love is not a late thing—it is an early thing, a forever thing.” I thought about that all through Mass.

But the part that stayed brightest in my mind was how the meditation ties the Holy Name to our whole day. It said we should do everything in the Name of Jesus—our thoughts, words, chores, joys, and even the hard parts. And then it said the motto plain as day:

All for Jesus.

That’s the part I was particularly taken with. Because “All for Jesus” doesn’t feel like a poster or a slogan when you really think about the Holy Name. It feels like a key that opens the right way to live. Like if I say, “Jesus,” with reverence, it pulls my mind back into the light, and makes me want my actions to match my prayers.

So I decided I want to begin things more carefully. Not only the big things—also the little ones, like washing up, doing chores, starting my schoolwork, and being patient when I don’t feel like it. If Jesus’ Name is above all names, then my day should lean toward it, like a sunflower leans toward the sun.

After Communion, I whispered His Name very softly—just “Jesus”—and it felt like a small peace dropped right into my heart. MINI was quiet and steady too, and I noticed that even her stillness helped me stay still inside.

On the ride home, I kept thinking how the meditation said we should carry His Name in our hearts and on our lips. I want that this year. I want to belong to Him in a real way—not halfway.

Resolution: I will often whisper the Holy Name “Jesus” today with love and confidence, and I will begin my work by saying, “All for Jesus.”

Spiritual Bouquet: “O Jesus, be to me Jesus, and save me.”

Love,

Kathy