The Holy Name

The Name of the One Who Takes Away
the Sin of the World

This Name is a refuge of sinners, that is to say, against the evil of sin—for who is the sinner that does not fear this powerful Name? Who is it…that does not tremble when he hears the Name of the God of vengeance? 

Yet, behold how the Name of Jesus is a sweet refuge into which is poured forth the power and the majesty of God, for it is sweet with piety and shows forth the great mercy of God…. Now it has been tempered in the fountain of mercy and piety, that is to say, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, through our most loving Jesus Christ…. Just as the word filius can be said to be derived from philos—which means love—so also is the immense love of God made clearly manifest to us in the New Testament. Thus it is that the angel said to Mary in Luke 1: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 

O most loving and most gracious Name! O Holy Name! O Pious Name, full of sweetness, so greatly desired by the ancient fathers, so anxiously awaited and with such prolonged weariness, called on with so much yearning and with so many tears of desire! But at last the time of grace has mercifully arrived.

Saint Bernardine of Siena