Meditation On The Imposting Upon Our Savior The Name Of Jesus. POINT I


THE XXI MEDITATION.

Of imposting upon our Savior the name of Jesus.

The I. POINT.

First, I am to consider who impost this name upon the child and for what cause, and how he accepteth it. Pondering how the principal giver of this name, was not the Virgin, nor St. Joseph, nor the Angel, but the eternal Father: for the excellency of this child is so great, that no creature neither of earth, nor of heaven was able of himself, to give him a name befitting him,but only his eternal Father, who knew him, and knew the end wherefore he was incarnate, and what office he was to execute, as he was man. And for this cause, among many names that he might have given him, he would have him called JESUS, which is to say, Savior. For his coming into the world was principally to save us, and this was his office. And albeit others had this name, yet they were but figures, and shadows of this sovereign child, who with an extolled voice, and by excellency deserveth to be called. JESUS, Savior, and Deliverer, not only of bodies, but also of souls, which he performeth in three admirable fashions.

1. First, for that he delivereth us from all kind of evils, of ignorances, and errors, of sins, and of punishments, as well temporal as eternal. So that there s no evil so great, from the which this Savior is not able to deliver us.

2. Secondly, for that he not only delivereth us from evil, but also graunteth us most excellent good, that our health, and salvation might be most abundant, and perfect: and therefore he communicateth unto us celestial grace, & wisdom, the virtues, and gifts of the holy Ghost, with abundance of merits to gain the crown of eternal glory, until we enter even into the land of promise, not as Jesus the son of Nun, into the land that floweth with the milk, and honey of temporal delicacies, which receive the body, but into the land that floweth with the milk and honey of eternal delicacies, which recreate, and fill the soul without end.

3. The third is, in the manner of saving us, by reason of which this name of JESUS could not agree with him that was only God, nor only man, nor to any of all the Angels that are created, but only to Christ, whose properly it is, by reason of his being true God, and true man: for being man alone he could not save us; being God alone he might have saved us merely by his mercy: but as God, and man, he saveth us also with the rigor of justice, gaining by the spears point, and by his own merits, the salvation signified by his name. And therefore this our Lord being asked who he was, answered. Ego qui loquor justitiam, & qui propagator sum ad saluandum. I that speak justice, and am a defender to save.

Colloquy

O most sweet JESUS, happy may be unto thee this name so glorious which is given thee this day. I rejoice that it is not an empty name, nor a name of shadow, as others have had it, but a name full of truth and of all perfection. Rejoice (o my souls) with the excellencies of this so sovereign a Savior, and say with the Prophet: I will joy in our Lord, and will rejoice in God my JESUS, and my savior: for he is my fortitude: he will give me feet like a Stag to run away from sin, and as a conqueror he will exalt me above the heavens with his Saints, with whom I may praise him with hymns, and with psalms, world without end, Amen.

4. I may likewise ponder, now our Blessed Lady the Virgin, declared in the Circumcision the name of her son, whose excellencies she most perfectly knew, since the time that the Angel revealed them unto her, and in her heart she did ruminate, and confer them; and therefore on this day she with great reverence, and devotion took his name in her mouth, and said his name shall be JESUS.O what great joy felt the most sacred Virgin, when this first time she pronounced this most sweet name of JESUS, and not she only, but glorious St. Joseph, and the rest that were present, and heard this name, felt a celestial fragrancy , and sweetness. For then began to fulfilled that which is written in the Canticles: Oil powered out is thy name: therefore have young maidens loved thee. Until this hour, this sweetest name made no odor of it self because it was locked up, and enclosed: now that it manifested itself, it poured out a most sweet, and odoriferous fragrancy, cheering, comforting, and affecting those pure, and chaste souls that either pronounce it, or heard it pronounced, the which are inflamed with with the loe of this our Lord, thorough the sweetness of his holy name, but above all pure most blessed Lady the Virgin being most pure, and undefiled, and knowing best sovereign mysteries of his name. O with what pleasure repeated this Blessed Lady those words of her Canticle: My should doeth magnify our Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my JESUS, and Savior: Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid, for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed: because he that is mighty, hath don great things to me, and holy is his name.

Colloquy

O sovereign Virgin beseech thy Son to imprint in my heart that estimation, and love of this holy name, that he imprinted in thine. O most sweet name, poor down upon me thy celestial frangrancy, that my weak, sick and miserable soul may be comforted, and healed therewith, and may be free from those mysteries wherein it is plunged, enjoying the fruit of her abundant salvation.

5. Lastly, I may ponder, how this blessed babe, accepted the name, and office of our Savior, and joined therein, offering with great delight to his eternal Father to stand forth honor of his sweetest name, and entirely to fulfill all whatsoever it signified for the good of men.

Colloquy

I thank thee, O good JESUS, for the will which thou hadst to save us, accepting the office with the name of our Savior, fulfill it (o Lord) effectually in me, and seeing thou art JESUS, Esto mini JESUS, Be to me JESUS, be my Savior, Amen.

~ Luis de la Puente


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