A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
REFLECTION: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.’”
Names are important and bring order to our world. They can signify who the person is and sometimes reveal his or her purpose in life. In picking out a name for each of my children, I thought it would be best to make sure I could say that name at least a million times without tiring of it. I also looked for the meaning of the name to see if there was some religious connotation associated with it. Our Mother Mary did not have to spend time in search of a name for her son. When God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary, he immediately told her she was to have a son and to name him Jesus.
The Bible has given us more names for Jesus to contemplate. We can learn more deeply of who He is and the significance of his existence. I have only selected a few to dwell on:
Son of the Most High was declared by angel Gabriel and gives us a heavenly source of Jesus's identity.
Messiah or Anointed One proclaims His position and authority over God’s children to bring hope and freedom.
Wonderful-Counselor shows us a picture of His character and charisma.
Word of God reveals the power and authority within the existence of Jesus and His teachings.
King of Kings describes the highest position of authority in God’s kingdom.
Mighty One describes His strength and courage.
Righteous Servant gives us a model to live our faith with the love of Jesus.
Holy One speaks of God’s presence and power in the body of Christ.
Good Shepherd is the vocation of our savior and the secure shelter God provides.
Bread of Life is the body of Christ giving us sustenance for our journey.
Lamb of God is the name given for Jesus's total sacrifice.
The Way, The Truth and The Life describes the all-encompassing essence of God.
The next time you receive Jesus in the Eucharist, think of His names and how God has offered you the ability to use His name in prayer. Let us remember the power of God rests in the name of Jesus. We just have to ask in faith.
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