Written for the Worth Commandery Facebook page, and published on New Year’s Day, 2023.
Happy New Year, Sir Knights! May God bless us and keep us all.
Today, on January 1st, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name. This feast reminds us of the power and significance of the names we carry. We see the importance of naming in the story of Abraham, whom God called to be the father of many nations. In the New Testament, we see the power of the name of Jesus, who was, and is, a servant, savior, and king.
What does it mean to bear the name of Jesus? Saint Paul tells us that Jesus, being in the form of God, didn’t try to grasp equality with God. He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. In other words, Jesus demonstrated true humility by putting the needs of others above His own.
We are called to bear Jesus’ name, and to emulate His example of humility and selflessness. This means putting the needs of others before our own, and living our lives in service to others.
This is not easy! We live in a world that values power and status above all other things. This broken world is not for us. All we have to do is look to the example of Jesus. He reminds us that true greatness comes not from what we have or what we accomplish. True greatness comes from the love and compassion we show to those around us.
Let us pray that we may have the strength and courage to bear the name of Jesus with honor and humility. Let us be a light to those around us! May we shine the love and grace of God into a world that needs it.
Amen.