For Part 1 first, click here–> Jesus Part 1: The Wonders of The Holy Name
For Part 2, click here–> Jesus Part 2: The Wonders of The Holy Name–What Does the Name of Jesus Mean?
Jesus Part 3: The Wonders of The Holy Name–The World in Danger Saved by the Holy Name
In the year 1274 great evils threatened the world. The Church was assailed by fierce enemies from within and without. So great was the danger that the Pope, Gregory X, who then reigned, called a council of Bishops in Lyons to determine the best means of saving society from the ruin that menaced it. Among the many means proposed, the Pope and Bishops chose what they considered the easiest and most efficacious of all — the frequent repetition of the Holy Name of Jesus.
The Holy Father then begged the Bishops of the world and their priests to call on the Name of Jesus and to urge their peoples to place all their confidence in this all-powerful Name, repeating it constantly with boundless trust. The Pope entrusted the Dominicans especially with the glorious task of preaching the wonders of the Holy Name in every country–a work they accomplished with unbounded zeal.
Their Franciscan brothers ably seconded them. St. Bernardine of Siena and St. Leonard of Port-Maurice were ardent apostles of the Name of Jesus. Their efforts were crowned with success so that the enemies of the Church were overthrown, the dangers that threatened society disappeared, and peace reigned supreme once more.
This is a most important lesson for us because dreadful sufferings are crushing many countries, and even greater evils threaten all the others today. No government or governments seem strong and wise enough to stem this awful torrent of evils. But, there is one remedy…and that is prayer.
Every Christian must turn to God and ask Him to have mercy on us.
The easiest of all prayers, as we have seen, is the Name of Jesus.
Everyone without exception can invoke this Holy Name hundreds of times a day, not only for his own intentions, but also to ask God to deliver the world from impending ruin.
It is amazing what one person who prays can do to save his country and save society. We read in Holy Scripture how Moses saved by his prayer the people of Israel from destruction, and how one pious woman, Judith of Betulia, saved her city and her people when the rulers were in despair and about to surrender themselves to their enemies.
Again, we know that the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, which God destroyed by fire for their sins and crimes, would have been pardoned had there been only ten good men to pray for them!
Over and over again we read of kings, emperors, statesmen and famous military commanders who placed all their trust in prayer, and thus working wonders. If the prayers of one man can do this much, what will not the prayers of many do?
The Name of Jesus is the shortest, the easiest and the most powerful of all prayers. Everyone can say it, even in the midst of his daily work. God cannot and will not refuse to hear it.
Let us then invoke the Name of Jesus today, asking Him to save us from the calamities that now threaten us.
Say it passionately, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!“
[Continue reading Part Four here–> Jesus Part 4: The Wonders of His Holy Name–The Plague in Lisbon – The City Saved By the Holy Name]
Dear Friend, Read these words slowly and with intention, not once, but many times, and you will thank God all the rest of your life.
It will give you much happiness, and it will enable you to obtain from God wonderful graces and blessings.
It teaches the wonders of the Holy Name of Jesus, which few Christians understand.
The frequent repetition of this divine name will save you from much suffering and great dangers.
The world is now threatened with the direst calamities. Each one of us can do much to save himself from the impending evils, and we can do much to help the world, the Church and the Pope, simply by repeating frequently, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”
–Adapted from “The Wonders of the Holy Name” by Fr. Paul O’Sullivan, O.P. (E.D.M.)
