Happy Ninth Day of Christmas!

Today is the Ninth Day of Christmas. It is also the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.

The readings from Matins for today.

From the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux.
1st on the Song of Songs.
It is not idly that the Holy Ghost likeneth the Name of the Bridegroom to oil, when He maketh the Bride say to the Bridegroom: thy Name is as oil poured forth. Oil indeed giveth light, meat, and unction. It feedeth fire, it nourisheth the flesh, it sootheth pain; it is light, food, and healing. Behold, Thus also is the Name of the Bridegroom. To preach it, is to give light; to think of it, is to feed the soul; to call on it, is to win grace and unction. Let us take it point by point. What, thinkest thou, hath made the light of faith so suddenly and so brightly to shine in the whole world but the preaching of the Name of Jesus? Is it not in the light of this Name that God hath called us into His marvellous light, even that light wherewith we being enlightened, and in His light seeing light, Paul saith truly of us: Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

This is the Name which the Apostle was commanded to bear before Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, the Name which he bore as a light to enlighten his people, crying everywhere The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light, let us walk honestly as in the dayligth, He pointed out to all that candle set upon a candlestick, preaching in every place Jesus and Him crucified. How did that Name shine forth and dazzle every eye that beheld it, when it came like lightning out of the mouth of Peter to give bodily strength to the feet of the lame man, and to clear the sight of many a blind soul? Cast he not fire when he said: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk?

The Name of Jesus is not a Name of light only, but it is meat also. Dost thou ever call it to mind, and remain unstrengthened? Is there anything like it to enrich the soul of him that thinketh of it? What is there like it to restore the weakened senses, to fortify strength, to give birth to good lives and pure affections? The soul is fed on husks if that whereon it feedeth lack seasoning with this salt. If thou writest, thou hast no meaning for me if I read not of Jesus there. If thou preach, or dispute, thou hast no meaning for me if I hear not of Jesus there. The mention of Jesus is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and gladness in the heart. It is our healing too. Is any sorrowful among us? Let the thought of Jesus come into his heart, and spring to his mouth. Behold, when the day of that Name beginneth to break, every cloud will flee away, and there will be a great calm. Doth any fall into sin? Doth any draw nigh to an hopeless death? And if he but call on the life-giving Name of Jesus, will he not draw the breath of a new life again?

The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
(Partial indulgence, 1988 Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, #29)

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, Splendour of the Father, have mercy on us. Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light, have mercy on us. Jesus, King of Glory, have mercy on us. Jesus, Sun of Justice, have mercy on us. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us. Jesus, most amiable, have mercy on us. Jesus, most admirable, have mercy on us. Jesus, the mighty God, have mercy on us. Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Angel of great counsel,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, most powerful,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us. Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us. Jesus, Lover of Chastity, have mercy on us. Jesus, our Lover, have mercy on us. Jesus, God of Peace, have mercy on us. Jesus, Author of Life, have mercy on us. Jesus, Model of Virtues, have mercy on us. Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us. Jesus, our God, have mercy on us. Jesus, our Refuge, have mercy on us. Jesus, Father of the Poor, have mercy on us. Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful, have mercy on us. Jesus, good Shepherd, have mercy on us. Jesus, true Light, have mercy on us. Jesus, eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us. Jesus, infinite Goodness, have mercy on us. Jesus, our Way and our Life, have mercy on us. Jesus, joy of the Angels, have mercy on us. Jesus, King of the Patriarchs, have mercy on us. Jesus, Master of the Apostles, have mercy on us. Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists, have mercy on us. Jesus, Strength of Martyrs, have mercy on us. Jesus, Light of Confessors, have mercy on us. Jesus, Purity of Virgins, have mercy on us. Jesus, Crown of all Saints, have mercy on us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus! Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus!

From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus. From all sin, etc. From Thy wrath, From the snares of the devil, From the spirit of fornication, From everlasting death,

From the neglect of Thine inspirations,

Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation,

deliver us, O Jesus.

Through Thine Nativity, etc. Through Thy Infancy, Through Thy most Divine Life, Through your Labors, Through Thine Agony and Passion, Through Thine Cross and Dereliction, Through Thine Sufferings, Through Thy Death and Burial, Through Thine Resurrection, Through Thine Ascension, Through Thine Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, Through Thy Joys, Through Thy Glory,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus! Lamb of God, Who takeest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let Us Pray. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou has said, "Ask and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the grace of Thy divine charity, that we may ever love Thee with our whole heart, and with all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising Thee.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy Holy Name, for Thou doth never fails to govern those whom Thou solidly establishest in Thy love. Thou, Who livest and reignest forever and ever. R. Amen.

And, as the angels in the illustration above adore His Name, here is Angels We Have Heard On High'.