...and the Name of Jesus

"It is the duty of others (that live active lives either in the world or religion) to serve God; but it is the contemplative's duty to adhere inseparably unto Him. It belongs to others to believe, to know, to love, to adore God; but it belongs to contemplatives to taste, to understand, to be familiarly acquainted with, and to enjoy Him." (St. Bernard)

"For love is sufficient of itself; it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in the practice. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return. The sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him. (St. Bernard)

"For the humble, says St. Bernard, "the sweet name of Jesus, or His Sacred Humanity, is their entire delight and the object of their affections. Thus the sweet fragrance of the name of the Savior, a balsam poured into as many devotions and pious institutions as are generated within the Holy Church, causes those souls that are pure, and those that are humble to come to Him, and, entering into His mystical kingdom to succeed in loving Him truly, and even with ardor and to an extreme degree, and so deserve to enjoy one day His intimate union and communication.

"When they pray before a sacred image of the Man-God, whether newly born, or at the breast, or preaching, or dying on the Cross, or ascending up to the heavens or at some other stage in His life, they feel their hearts full of love for virtue and full of hatred for vice. In this way the Invisible One makes Himself visible so as to attract the hearts of men to the spiritual love of His Sacred Humanity, men who could otherwise love Him in only a human way. Thereby, he gradually, and through progressive stages, elevates them to a more spiritual and purer love.

"Let those souls, then, rest here in the shade of this good God, souls that are humble and do not "It is the duty of others (that live active lives either in the world or religion) to serve God; but it is the contemplative's duty to adhere inseparably unto Him. It belongs to others to believe, to know, to love, to adore God; but it belongs to contemplatives to taste, to understand, to be familiarly acquainted with, and to enjoy Him." (St. Bernard)

"For love is sufficient of itself; it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in the practice. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return. The sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him. (St. Bernard)

"For the humble, says St. Bernard, "the sweet name of Jesus, or His Sacred Humanity, is their entire delight and the object of their affections. Thus the sweet fragrance of the name of the Savior, a balsam poured into as many devotions and pious institutions as are generated within the Holy Church, causes those souls that are pure, and those that are humble to come to Him, and, entering into His mystical kingdom to succeed in loving Him truly, and even with ardor and to an extreme degree, and so deserve to enjoy one day His intimate union and communication.

"When they pray before a sacred image of the Man-God, whether newly born, or at the breast, or preaching, or dying on the Cross, or ascending up to the heavens or at some other stage in His life, they feel their hearts full of love for virtue and full of hatred for vice. In this way the Invisible One makes Himself visible so as to attract the hearts of men to the spiritual love of His Sacred Humanity, men who could otherwise love Him in only a human way. Thereby, he gradually, and through progressive stages, elevates them to a more spiritual and purer love.

"Let those souls, then, rest here in the shade of this good God, souls that are humble and do not feel themselves virtuous enough to seek the sun's invisible rays. Let them be sustained by the sweetness of the flesh of Jesus Christ. Let them be consoled with this material consolation until the Vivifying Spirit visits them, possesses them and lifts them to other exalted degrees of love. For the celestial fragrance of the mysteries of the Humanity of Christ will always be attracting pure and sincere souls to this, the only

"Way," which will lead with certainty to the delightful and spacious regions of light and life that are the mysteries of the Divinity. For it is not possible to enter save through Him Who is the Gate and the Way, as St Augustine observes. Only the humble and pure souls are able to feel and Savior the gentleness and sweetness of the Mysteries of Jesus.

"Only the humble, writes Fray Juan de Los Angeles, "are allowed to experience the sweet smell and fragrance of this name. The proud also have access to this balsam, but it is closed; they have it in books but not in their hearts; they have it externally in the written word, but not within themselves, in their spirit.

"For this reason, writes Maria Dolorosa, the enamored soul tells Him "that simply to name Him brings the scent of grace, just as the balsam that is poured out gives off fragrance. And just as oil keeps lamps alight, so the name of Jesus, imprinted in souls, keeps the lamp of love aflame within them and enlightens them, showing them the way of the divine law."

Therefore, "You children praise the Lord Jesus, praise the holy name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ henceforth and forever. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, praise the name of the Lord Jesus."

"O Christian soul, exhorts the V. Granada, "praise, embrace and kiss this holy name that is sweeter than honey, richer than oil, more soothing than balsam, and more powerful than all the powers of the world. This is the name desired by the patriarchs, longed for by the prophets, and repeated and hymned by every generation. This is the name that angels adore, that devils fear, from which opposing forces flee, and at whose invocation sinners are saved, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the dead are resurrected to life. This is the heaven sent name of "Savior," that bears the life, health and happiness of the whole of mankind and upon which all these depend. At all times, let the Holy Name of Jesus be on your lips and in your heart."

"Blessed be this name”, exclaims the same venerable Father, "blessed be this health, and blessed the day when such news was heard in the world. Oh, glorious name! Oh, sweet name of priceless virtue and reverence invented by God in His eternity and brought down from heaven by angels...Oh name of all delight and consolation of the lonely. Oh glorious name, worthy of being written and engraved in our hearts.”

"Your name, oh Divine Word”, exclaims St Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, "calms the wrath of the Father, delights the angels and the blessed and instills fear in the devils. In this name it is that God became Man and took our suffering and punishment upon Himself. In this name the Eternal Father gives us His graces: may You vouchsafe to write it with Your Blood in the hearts of Your brides. It is a name of goodness and if they keep it in their hearts, what else but words of goodness can spring from their lips. "Oh how sweet are the words of those who keep it in their hearts! What wonderful music to hear them pronounce this sacred name, by which we attract to ourselves the gaze of the Eternal father, cause angels to want to see us in their company and become frightening to devils. Oh Jesus, our sweet Lord! How wonderful is your name in all the earth! Above the heavens is your majesty chanted by the mouths of children, babes in arms. You set Your stronghold firm against Your foes to subdue enemies and rebels."

"The excellence of this holy Name, writes Fr. Juan de Los Angeles, "refers to its sovereignty, sweetness and utility. Its sovereignty showed itself when our Lord invoked it to bring about the curing of the sick, the resurrection of the dead...the protection from every kind of danger: "In my name demons are cast out." (Mark l6, 27) St Paul describes this Majesty of the Divine Name very well when he wrote that: 'At the name of Jesus every knee should bend...'

"The name of Jesus is a balsam poured out for mankind, the antidote and panacea that the Lord gave to the Church and that He wanted to be carried everywhere for the good and remedy of all. This was the purpose for which Saul was chosen: 'to carry the name of Jesus as proven medicine with which to heal souls and bodies. "In the name of Jesus, said St Peter to the lame man, "rise and walk!" The lame man stood up and, jumping with joy, gave thanks to the Lord. In the same way the regular silent repetition of this name is a most efficient cure for the lonely, the melancholy, and sick in heart. It is medicine that came down from heaven, for there is no medicine so effective and universal on earth. An angel received that Name from the mouth of God and with great reverence brought it into the world and placed it in the ear and heart of the Virgin, whence it spread into the Church, and transformed the world."

"The Son of God came into the world, adds Fray Angeles," for the joy of the world; He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly; He came anointed as to a wedding feast; He came to dispel melancholy and sorrow from the hearts of men, who knew only how to weep and grieve. His name embraces all that He is and did. His name embraces the kingdom of God. St Paul said that the kingdom of God means righteousness and peace and joy brought by the Holy Spirit. And indeed these three things are embraced by the Holy Name. For where there is righteousness there is peace, and where there is peace and righteousness there is contentment and perpetual joy, which no event can prevent or disturb, as the sage testifies.

"The name of Jesus is a name that spreads and becomes absorbed in the soul like oil, entering into its most secret and intimate regions, leaving no corner unvisited and uncomforted. It is not a high sounding name that frightens and awakens fear, but soft and loving, inviting and provoking love, a name which, heard in the ear or spoken with the mouth, enters into the sphere of the soul, wins over the heart and, inspiring it with love, draws it behind it, a name which, once known, encourages us and gives trust to await the Lord without fear, a name which teaches the how and when of the divine praise, a name which sums up all that God has done for men and the reverential adoration of the Son for the Father in the Holy Spirit."

In time, this name fires a love within by which certain souls are carried away and transported into an exalted prayer of contemplation, going out of themselves with their understanding enlightened by divine light. It is not an exaggeration to say that the repetition of this Holy Name through the regular practice of the Jesus Prayer can raise one to divine union. The Name of Jesus can exalt the soul to such a sovereign height that it exceeds all human power and possibility and achieves a wonderful union with God; such union is a foretaste of heaven, and leads the soul toward a glorious transformation in the Eternal, Self-Giving Love of the Holy Trinity.