GREAT QUOTES ABOUT THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND THE ROSARY

Quotes from our Blessed Mother Mary, the Saints, Pope’s and several scholars.

“Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood.”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“Continue to pray the Rosary every day.”
~Our Lady of Fatima to Sister Lucia

“You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.”
~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.”
~Pope Blessed Pius IX

“If you persevere in reciting the Rosary, this will be a most probable sign of your eternal salvation.”
~Blessed Alan de la Roche

“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.”
~Saint Francis de Sales

“When the Holy Rosary is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more meritorious than any other prayer.”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“The Holy Rosary is the storehouse of countless blessing.”
~Blessed Alan de la Roche

“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, I will save the world.”
~Our Lady to Saint Dominic

“If you say the Rosary faithfully unto death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins, ‘you will receive a never-fading crown of glory’ (1 St. Peter 5:4).”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“The Rosary is THE weapon.”
~Padre Pio

“You must know that when you ‘hail’ Mary, she immediately greets you! Don’t think that she is one of those rude women of whom there are so many—on the contrary, she is utterly courteous and pleasant. If you greet her, she will answer you right away and converse with you!”
~Saint Bernardine of Siena

“Recite your Rosary with faith, with humility, with confidence, and with perseverance.”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.”
~Pope Saint Pius X

“Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day become a formal heretic or be led astray by the devil.”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if—and mark well what I say—if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.”
~Saint Louis de Montfort

“The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”
~Sister Lucia dos Santos, Fatima seer

“When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.”
~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

“‘Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!’ No creature has ever said anything that was more pleasing to me, nor will anyone ever be able to find or say to me anything that pleases me more.”
~Our Lady to Saint Mechtilde

“We never give more honour to Jesus than when we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek – Jesus, her Son.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“The greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“Mary having co-operated in our redemption with so much glory to God and so much love for us, Our Lord ordained that no one shall obtain salvation except through her intercession.’
~St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

“Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.”
~St. Bonaventure

“To give worthy praise to the Lord’s mercy, we unite ourselves with Your Immaculate Mother, for then our hymn will be more pleasing to You, because She is chosen from among men and angels. Through Her, as through a pure crystal, Your mercy was passed on to us. Through Her, man became pleasing to God; Through Her, streams of grace flowed down upon us.” (1746)
~Sr. Faustina

“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“Before, by yourself, you couldn’t. Now, you’ve turned to our Lady, and with her, how easy!”
~Josemaria Escriva

“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.”
~Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all you necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity.”
~Saint Basil the Great

“Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor.”
~Mother Teresa

“If you invoke the Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you.”
~St. John Vianney

“When we were little, we kept close to our mother in a dark alley or if dogs barked at us. Now, when we feel temptations of the flesh, we should run to the side of our Mother in Heaven, by realizing how she is to us, and by means of aspirations. She will defend us and lead us to the light.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God’s kingdom.”
~St. Maximilian Kolbe

“If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit — this prayer has never failed me.”
~Mother Teresa

“Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“Have confidence. Return. Invoke our Lady and you’ll be faithful.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“So your strength is failing you? Why don’t you tell your mother about it? . . . Mother! Call her with a loud voice. She is listening to you; she sees you in danger, perhaps, and she—your holy mother Mary—offers you, along with the grace of her son, the refuge of her arms, the tenderness of her embrace . . . and you will find yourself with added strength for the new battle.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“All the sins of your life seem to be rising up against you. Don’t give up hope! On the contrary, call your holy mother Mary, with the faith and abandonment of a child. She will bring peace to your soul.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“May I give you some advice for you to put into practice daily? When your heart makes you feel those low cravings, say slowly to the Immaculate Virgin: Look on me with compassion. Don’t abandon me. Don’t abandon me, my Mother! — And recommend this prayer to others.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.”
~St. John Vianney

“To serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there, and to live under her commands is more than to govern.”
~St. John Vianney

“Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”
~Saint Francis de Sales

“After the love which we owe Jesus Christ, we must give the chief place in our heart to the love of His Mother Mary.”
~St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

“With reason did the Most Holy Virgin predict that all generations would call her blessed, for all the Elect obtain eternal salvation through the means of Mary.”
~Saint Ildephonsus, Bishop

“No one will ever be the servant of the Son without serving the Mother.”
~Saint Ildephonsus, Bishop

“Devotion to you, O Blessed Virgin, is a means of salvation which God gives to those whom he wishes to save.”
~Saint John Damascene

“There is no one, O Most Holy Mary, who can know God except through thee; no one who can be saved or redeemed but through thee, O Mother of God; no one who can be delivered from dangers but through thee, O Virgin Mother; no one who obtains mercy but through thee, O Filled-With-All-Grace!”
~Saint Germanus of Constantinople, Patriarch of Constantinople

“For if we are bidden to honor carnal fathers and mothers, how much more the spiritual? . . . If this virtue of charity has been overlooked, a man will lose any fruit of salvation in any good he may do.”
~Pope Saint Gregory VII

“It is impossible to save one’s soul without devotion to Mary and without her protection.”
~Saint Anselm, Archbishop and Doctor of the Church

“Not only do they offend thee, O Lady, who outrage thee, but thou art also offended by those who neglect to ask thy favors . . . He who neglects the service of the Blessed Virgin will die in his sins . . . He who does not invoke thee, O Lady, will never get to Heaven . . . Not only will those from whom Mary turns her countenance not be saved, but there will be no hope of their salvation . . . No one can be saved without the protection of Mary.
~Saint Bonaventure, Cardinal-Bishop and Doctor of the Church

“We may seek graces, but shall never find them without the intercession of Mary.”
~Saint Cajetan, Founder of the Theatines

“I have great doubts about the salvation of those who do not have special devotion to Mary.”
~Saint Francis Borgia

“It seems unbelievable that a man should perish in whose favor Christ said to His Mother: ‘Behold thy son’, provided that he has not turned a deaf ear to the words, which Christ addressed to him: ‘Behold thy Mother.’”
~Saint Robert Bellarmine, Cardinal-Bishop and Doctor of the Church

“A man is no true Christian if he has no devotion to the Mother of Jesus Christ.”
~Saint John Eudes

“All true children of God have God for their father and Mary for his mother; anyone who does not have Mary for his mother, does not have God for his father.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“Let not that man presumes to look for mercy from God who offends His Holy Mother!”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“For God, having given her power over his only-begotten and natural Son, also gave her power over his adopted children – not only in what concerns their body – which would be of little account – but also in what concerns their soul.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“We must conclude that, being necessary to God by a necessity which is called “hypothetical”, (that is, because God so willed it), the Blessed Virgin is all the more necessary for men to attain their final end. Consequently we must not place devotion to her on the same level as devotion to the other saints as if it were merely something optional.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“The pious and learned Jesuit, Suarez, Justus Lipsius, a devout and erudite theologian of Louvain, and many others have proved incontestably that devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to attain salvation. This they show from the teaching of the Fathers, notably St. Augustine, St. Ephrem, deacon of Edessa, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Germanus of Constantinople, St. John Damascene, St. Anselm, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine, St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure. Even according to Oecolampadius and other heretics, lack of esteem and love for the Virgin Mary is an infallible sign of God’s disapproval. On the other hand, to be entirely and genuinely devoted to her is a sure sign of God’s approval.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“The Son of God became man for our salvation but only in Mary and through Mary.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“If devotion to the Blessed Virgin is necessary for all men simply to work out their salvation, it is even more necessary for those who are called to a special perfection. I do not believe that anyone can acquire intimate union with our Lord and perfect fidelity to the Holy Spirit without a very close union with the most Blessed Virgin and an absolute dependence on her support.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“From day to day, from moment to moment, she increased so much this twofold plenitude that she attained an immense and inconceivable degree of grace. So much so, that the Almighty made her the sole custodian of his treasures and the sole dispenser of his graces. She can now ennoble, exalt and enrich all she chooses. She can lead them along the narrow path to heaven and guide them through the narrow gate to life. She can give a royal throne, sceptre and crown to whom she wishes. Jesus is always and everywhere the fruit and Son of Mary and Mary is everywhere the genuine tree that bears that Fruit of life, the true Mother who bears that Son.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“The greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“Woe to those who despise devotion to Mary! . . . The soul cannot live without having recourse to Mary and recommending itself to her. He falls and is lost who does not have recourse to Mary.”
~Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church and Founder of the Redemptorists

“The honor of Mary is so intimately connected with the honor and glory of Jesus that to deny the one is at the same time a denial of the other.”
~Fr. William Joseph Chaminade

“To desire grace without recourse to the Virgin Mother is to desire to fly without wings.”
~Pope Pius XII, 1876-1958 AD

“The conflict with Hell cannot be maintained by men, even the most clever. The Immaculata alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan.”
~Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Martyr

“Jesus honored her before all ages, and will honor her for all ages. No one comes to Him, nor even near Him, no one is saved or sanctified, if he too will not honor her. This is the lot of Angels and of men.”
~Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Martyr

“If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Martyr, 1894-1941 AD

“Always stay close to this Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea to be crossed to reach the shores of Eternal Splendour.”
~Padre Pio, 1887-1968 AD

“In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear.”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

“What a joy to remember that she [Mary] is our Mother! Since she loves us and knows our weakness, what have we to fear?”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

“The clients of this most merciful Mother are very fortunate. She helps them both in this life and in the next, consoling them and sponsoring their cause in Purgatory. For the simple reason that the Souls in Purgatory need help so desperately, since they cannot help themselves, our Mother of Mercy does so much more to relieve them. She exercises over these Poor Souls, who are the spouses of Christ, particular dominion, with power to relieve them and even deliver them from their pains. See how important it is then to have devotion to this good Lady, because she never forgets her servants as long as they suffer in these flames. If she helps all the Poor Souls, she is especially indulgent and consoling to her own clients.”
~Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church, The Glories of Mary

“You are My Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory.”
~Saint Bridget to our Lady

“Mary seeks for those who approach her devoutly and with reverence, for such she loves, nourishes, and adopts as her children.”
~Saint Bonaventure, Doctor of the Church

“Mary has the authority over the angels and the blessed in heaven. As a reward for her great humility, God gave her the power and mission of assigning to saints the thrones made vacant by the apostate angels who fell away through pride. Such is the will of the almighty God who exalts the humble, that the powers of heaven, earth and hell, willingly or unwillingly, must obey the commands of the humble Virgin Mary. For God has made her queen of heaven and earth, leader of his armies, keeper of his treasure, dispenser of his graces, mediatrix on behalf of men, destroyer of his enemies, and faithful associate in his great works and triumphs.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin

“All true children of God have God for their father and Mary for his mother; anyone who does not have Mary for his mother, does not have God for his father.”
~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.”
~Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
~Saint Hilary of Poitiers – Bishop, Father, and Doctor of the Church

“Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbor. Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner.”
~Saint Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church

“If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, such a one is a stranger to the Godhead.”
~Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Father and Doctor of the Church

“Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to the Immaculata who is queen even of God’s heart.”
~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“She is more Mother than Queen.”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

“In that first ‘fusion’ with Jesus (holy communion), it was my Heavenly Mother again who accompanied me to the altar for it was she herself who placed her Jesus into my soul.”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

“In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear.”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

“Think of what the Saints have done for their neighbor because they loved God. But what Saint’s love for God can match Mary’s? She loved Him more in the first moment of her existence than all the Saints and angels ever loved Him or will love Him. Our Lady herself revealed to Sister Mary Crucified that the fire of her love was most extreme. If Heaven and earth were placed in it, they would be instantly consumed. And the ardors of the seraphim, compared with it, are like cool breezes. Just as there is not one among all the Blessed who loves God as Mary does, so there is no one, after God, who loves us as much as this most loving Mother does. Furthermore, if we heaped together all the love that mothers have for their children, all the love of husbands and wives, all the love of all the angels and Saints for their clients, it could never equal Mary’s love for even a single soul.”
~Saint Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

“Do not marvel at the novelty of the thing, if a Virgin gives birth to God”
~Saint Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church

“Even while living in the world, the heart of Mary was so filled with motherly tenderness and compassion for men that no-one ever suffered so much for their own pains, as Mary suffered for the pains of her children.”
~Saint Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church

“The world being unworthy to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father, he gave his Son to Mary for the world to receive him from her.”
~Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church

“As mariners are guided into port by the shining of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary.”
~Saint Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church

“Let us then cast ourselves at the feet of this good Mother, and embracing them let us not depart until she blesses us, and accepts us for her children.”
~Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“That one woman is both mother and virgin, not in spirit only but even in body. In spirit she is mother, not of our head, who is our Savior himself—of whom all, even she herself, are rightly called children of the bridegroom—but plainly she is the mother of us who are his members, because by love she has cooperated so that the faithful, who are the members of that head, might be born in the Church. In body, indeed, she is the Mother of that very head.”
~Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church

“The Virgin Mary, being obedient to his word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God.”
~Saint Irenaeus, Father of the Church

“Let us run to her, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”
~Saint Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church

“The day of the Nativity of the Mother of God is a day of universal joy, because through the Mother of God, the entire human race was renewed, and the sorrow of the first mother, Eve, was transformed into joy.”
~Saint John Damascene, Father and Doctor of the Church

“There is no danger of exaggerating. We never hope to fathom this inexpressible mystery nor will we ever be able to give sufficient thanks to our Mother for bringing us into such intimacy with the Blessed Trinity.”
~Josemaria Escriva

“May the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always smile on your spirit, obtaining for it, from her Most Holy Son, every heavenly blessing.”
~Padre Pio

“Always stay close to this Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea to be crossed to reach the shores of Eternal Splendour.”
~Padre Pio

“Let us bind ourselves tightly to the Sorrowful Heart of our Heavenly Mother and reflect on it’s boundless grief and how precious is our soul.”
~Padre Pio

“Let the storm rage and the sky darken – not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful ‘who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent’.”
~Pope Saint Pius X

“The reason why Christ is unknown today is because His Mother is unknown.”
~Cardinal John Henry Newman

“I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy.”
~Our Lady to Sister Faustina

“Whosoever shall die wearing my Scapular shall not suffer the flames of Hell.”
~Our Lady of Mount Carmel

“Even while living in this world, the heart of Mary was so filled with tenderness and compassion for men, that no one ever suffered so much for his own pains as Mary suffered for the pains of others.”
~St. Jerome

“O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all you necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity.”
~Saint Basil the Great

“Happy, indeed sublimely happy, is the person to whom the Holy Spirit reveals the secret of Mary, thus imparting to him true knowledge of her. Happy the person to whom the Holy Spirit opens this enclosed garden for him to enter, and to whom the Holy Spirit gives access to this sealed fountain where he can draw water and drink deep draughts of the living waters of grace. That person will find only grace and no creature in the most lovable Virgin Mary. But he will find that the infinitely holy and exalted God is at the same time infinitely solicitous for him and understands his weaknesses. Since God is everywhere, he can be found everywhere, even in hell. But there is no place where God can be more present to his creature and more sympathetic to human weakness than in Mary. It was indeed for this very purpose that he came down from heaven. Everywhere else he is the Bread of the strong and the Bread of angels, but living in Mary he is the Bread of children.”
~from The Secret of Mary, by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

Holy and Sweet Name of Mary, Light of the Despairing, Star of the Sea! – Selected Writings and Prayers

The Holy Name of Mary, by St. Bernard

         
         "And the virgin's name, wrote Luke, was Mary. Let us speak of this name for a few moments. It is said to mean "star of the sea," a name applied most appropriately to the Virgin Mary. She is compared most aptly to a star. As a star emits its rays without loss of its essential nature, so the Virgin Mary without loss of her virginity, brings forth her Son. Neither do the rays lessen the brightness of the star, nor the Son the inviolateness of the Virgin. She is the glorious star which rose out of Jacob, whose rays light up the whole world, whose brilliance gleams in heaven, penetrates to hell. She floods the whole earth with her light, warms minds rather than bodies, fosters virtues, melts away sins. She, I say, is that brilliant shining star lifted in nature above this vast and boundless sea, gleaming with merits, enlightening by her example.

         "Whoever you are, when you find yourself tossed by storms and tempests upon this world's raging water's, rather than walking upon firm dry land, never take your eyes from the brightness of this star lest you be overwhelmed by the storm. When the winds of temptation blow, when you run upon the rocks of disaster, look to the star. Cry out to Mary! If you are cast away upon the waves of pride or ambition of detraction or jealousy, look to the star. Cry out to Mary! When anger, avarice, or the lusts of the flesh assail the ship of your mind, look up to Mary. When you are worried by the enormity of your sins, troubled by a confused conscience, or terrified by the horrors of the judgment to come, when you begin to drown in the bottomless pit of sorrow or sink in the abyss of despair, think of Mary.

         "In danger, in difficulties, in doubts, think of Mary. Call upon Mary! Never let her name be absent from your lips or absent from your heart. If you would obtain the help of her prayers, do not neglect to follow the example of her conduct. If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you need not despair. If you think of her, you will not err; sustained by her, you need not fear; guided by her, you will walk without weariness. If she smiles upon you, you will succeed. You will experience in your own heart with what justice it is said: and the Virgin's name was Mary.

         "Take not your eyes from the light of this star if you would not be overwhelmed by the waves; if the storms of temptation arise, if you are thrown upon the rocks of affliction, look to the star, invoke Mary. Are you confounded at the enormity of your sins, are you ashamed at the defilement of your conscience, are you terrified on account of the dreadful judgment, so that you begin to be overpowered by sadness, or even to sink into the abyss of despair, then turn your thoughts to Mary. In dangers, in distress, in doubt, call on Mary. She will not be far from your mouth, or your heart; and that you may obtain her intercession omit not to imitate her conduct. When you follow her, you will not go astray; when you invoke her, you will no longer be in doubt; when she supports you, you will not fall; when she leads you, you will surely come to eternal life, and will find by your own experience that she is justly called Maria--that is, Star of the Sea."

         The Roman Pontiff, Innocent XI, ordered the feast of this most venerable name, which special devotion in certain parts of Christendom, be celebrated annually by the universal Church. This feast was to be a perpetual memorial to that great deliverance of the Christian people, won through the intercession of Mary help of Christians, from the inhuman tyranny of the Turks who trampled upon their necks--that remarkable victory won at Vienna in Austria.

Ave Maris Stella (Latin, "Hail Star of the Sea/Ocean")

Ave Maris Stella is a popular liturgical hymn of unknown origin. It can be dated back to at least the 9th century for it is preserved in the Codex Sangallensis, a 9th century manuscript now in the Swiss Monastery of St. Gallen. Its appearance in the Codex points to a composition possibly in the 8th century. The hymn is frequently attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) and sometimes has been attributed to King Robert (1031), both of whom are too late to have authored it. It has also been attributed to Venantius Fortunatus (d 609) and Paul the Deacon (d 787). It is found in ancient codices of the Divine Office for Vespers on Marian feasts. Today it is still in use in the Divine Office and in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.

HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heavenly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve's name.

Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.

A Prayer to Mary, Queen of Heaven and our Advocate

"Mary is that woman by whom hell is overcome, the devil trodden upon, man saved."--St. Anselm.

Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee;
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.

Sojourners in this vale of tears,
To thee, blest advocate, we cry;
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.

And while to Him who reigns above,
In Godhead One, in Persons Three,
The source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee;
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the Sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me.

Titles of Our Lady from the Litany of Loreto

Morning Star (Latin: Stella Matutina)

There is no title in all the Litany more descriptive of Mary's loving office to men than "Morning Star." Every star, indeed, is an image of Her. Her most popular figure is "Star of the Sea," due no doubt to the loveliest of Her hymns—the Ave Maris Stella, which goes back at least to the ninth century, and to the Alma Redemptoris Mater, of the eleventh century.

Mary had much to do with stars. The Star of Bethlehem was the only lamp for the cave. "We have seen His star in the East," said the Magi, and they found it again reflected in the eyes of Mary.

There is a lovely legend about an old well in the Holy Land, called "Mary's well." The story is that once when the Holy Family was going from Bethlehem to Jerusalem they rested by that well and drank of its waters. When the Wise Men were on their way to Bethlehem, they lost the star for a while, but they found it again shining in the waters of Mary's well.

The "Morning Star" has always had a special application to Mary. The Church interprets the verse in the Canticle of Canticles (vi, 9) as descriptive of Her. "Who is She that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun?" Every church today, as in ages past, has its altar of the Blessed Virgin. In the old Cathedrals, the Lady Chapel was situated behind the choir and the high altar, and to the extreme east, as the symbol of Her as the Morning Star. We read in an old book of the 16th century: "Like as the morning cometh before the sun rising, and divideth the night from the day, so the Virgin Mary rose as the morning before the Sun of Justice, and divided the state of grace from the state of sin, the children of God from the children of darkness. Whereupon the Church singeth to Her praise that Her glorious life gave light to the world and illumined all the Church and congregations of faithful people." So a Solemn Mass was sung every day at early dawn in Her honor, and the bell for rising was called "Saint Mary's bell." St. Bridget of Sweden calls Her "the star preceding the sun."

The Hymn for the Feast of Our Lady's Apparition at Lourdes, has this stanza: "O dawn that goeth before the sun, joyous herald of our salvation, thy people, O Virgin, suppliantly invoke Thee amid the shades of night." Dante must have been thinking of Her when he wrote, as coming out of the Inferno: "Thence issuing we again beheld the stars;" and surely of Her when he wrote: "Of tremulous luster like the Matin star," and "Pure and made apt for mounting to the stars." To him the Inferno was "the air pierced by no star." St. John in the Apocalypse tells of the Woman Clothed with the Sun: "On Her head was a crown of twelve stars." So in art Our Lady is often picture as the Madonna of the Star. Stars are embroidered on Her veil or on the right shoulder of Her blue mantle. Art glorifies Her as the Morning Star, the Star of the Sea, the Star of Jacob, the Fixed Star.

The very thought of Light brings up the vision of Mary, so much had She to do with the Light of the world. Her arms were the candlestick for that Light. Candlemas, the Feast of Lights, is Her Feast, as She holds up to a darkened world the true Light. So, St. Epiphanius († 403) called Her "Mother of Eternal Light." In the Hymn for the Feast of the Guardian Angels She is also called "Mother of Light," and in the Hymn for the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary: "Twelve stars now crown the brow of the glorious Mother; near the throne of Her Son She reigns over all created things."

An old woman who saw the Little Flower when she was dead, said that her feet looked "as if they had walked on light." A convert in India who had a vision of Our Lady was asked what She looked like. He answered, "She was composed of light, She was all light." Even when little Bernadette had her visions of Our Lady and went into ecstasy at the sight, the onlookers said they could never forget the child's face, it was so full of beauty and light, as if it were the reflection from the light of the Mother of God. Our Lady of Hope appeared to some children at Pontmain, France. They described Her as surrounded by stars. "Oh, there are so many stars the Blessed Virgin will soon be gilt all over."

Yes, as the Hymn Quem terra sings—She is the "refulgent hall of Light." She is also called "Light of the Despairing," "Daughter of the Light Unapproachable," "Our Light," "Bright Moon of Purity," "Brilliant Star of Purity," "Rising Moon of Purity," "Sun without a Stain," "Living Light of Holiness."

"Our Lady of Light" was an old title of Hers in the Middle Ages. It is said that She Herself suggested that title to St. Thomas of Canterbury. There was a Confraternity of Our Lady of Light, and St. Francis Xavier and his companions were enrolled in it before they set out for the Indies. The Confraternity of Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost was founded in England, in 1824. Pope Leo XIII indulgenced this prayer: "Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, I give Thee my whole self, soul and body, all I have or may have, to keep for Jesus that I may be His forever more. Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, pray for me."

But the most common "Star" figure, which all the spiritual writers have used, is "Star of the Sea," the guide to man who is sailing on the sea of life. St. Bernard, as many others, interpreted Miriam (Hebrew for "Mary") as meaning Star of the Sea, and thus explains it: "Because without loss of its own integrity, a star sends forth its rays—and so Mary brought forth Jesus. She is, therefore, that noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illuminates the whole earth, whose splendor both shines above and pierces the nether darkness, enlightening the earth and giving heat rather to souls than to bodies, nourishing virtues, expelling vices. Mary is the excellent, bright and wonderful Star lifted up necessarily above this great and wide ocean, shining with merits, illuminating with example. Behold the Star!"

It is a strange thing, but almost all the figures of speech in Scripture about the sea refer to its power and its dangers. All dreaded the unknown sea. Having no compass in those days, many ships were lost in the great traffic on the Mediterranean. The sea has always had its dangers. The sailors knew that better than anyone else. A strange name the Eastern sailors gave Her—Mother of Tears, evidently because the sea made so many mothers weep for their lost sailor boys. But the Catholic sailor was devoted to the Star of the Sea. He needed Her protection in his dangerous calling, so he called his boat after one of Her titles, paid his homage to Her shrines along the coast, made vows of pilgrimage and of offering to Her. One of the most famous shrines of France is that of Our Lady of Mariners, at Marseilles. At the end of the 12th century a fisherman of Marseilles was overtaken in his boat by a violent storm. He raised his eyes to the rock of the Garde. He beheld a figure there. He sang the Ave Maris Stella. Somehow he got to land. Many sailors saw that same apparition on the rock. A chapel was erected and a statue was placed there, called "Our Lady of Help" or "Help of Mariners." Since then She is honored as the Protectress of Marseilles. Many stories are told of sailors in distress seeing Our Lady at the wheel guiding their boat through the storm. She was, indeed, "the Star above the storms."

From our childhood many of us have been familiar with the idea of the Star of the Sea protecting us in our voyage of life. We sang Fr. Faber’s hymn—"Sweet Star of the Sea."

"Deep night hath come down on us, Mother, deep night, And we need more than ever the guide of Thy light; For the darker the night is, the brighter should be Thy beautiful shining, sweet Star of the Sea."

St. Bonaventure compares life to a tempestuous sea into which sinners have fallen from the ship of Divine Grace. "O poor lost sinners," he makes Our Lady say, "despair not; raise up your eyes and cast them on this beautiful star; breathe again with confidence, for it will save you from this tempest and will guide you into the port of salvation."

And St. Ephraim calls Her "the safe harbor of all sailing on the sea of the world," the same expression being used by Pope Leo XIII—"Safe Harbor of travelers." St. Thomas draw his lesson from it—"She is blessed among women because She alone has removed the curse of Adam, brought blessings to mankind, and opened the gates of Paradise. Hence She is called Mary, which name signifies Star of the Sea, for as sailors steer their ship to port by watching the stars, so Christians are brought to glory by the intercession of Mary." The Irish of old had a beautiful expression—"O Mary, meet me at the port." St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi had a vision in which She saw a vessel in which were all the clients of Mary, and Mary Herself steering the ship into port. This is Dante's thought: "If thou follow but thy star, thou canst not miss at last a glorious haven."

Mary is compared to the merchant's ship, "She bringeth Her bread from afar" (Prov. 31: 14). So do we look up to Her—we who "have walked in the waves of the sea" (Eccli. 24: 8). Thus St. Gertrude the Great prayed, "O Jesus, my only hope, my Savior and my God, send to me, at my last hour Thy tender Mother Mary, that soft-shining Star of the Sea, that She may stand by me as my sure defense. Her face, fair as the bright dawn of morning will make me feel and know that Thou, too, O Divine Sun of Justice, art drawing near to my soul in all Thy splendor."

How can we ever meditate on the Star of the Sea without reading St. Bernard's classic: "O Thou who feelest thyself tossed by the tempests in the midst of the shoals of this world, turn not away thine eyes from the Star of the Sea, if thou wouldst avoid shipwreck. If the winds of temptation blow, if tribulations rise up like rocks before thee—look at the Star, send a sigh towards Mary! If the waves of pride, ambition, calumny, or jealousy seek to swallow up thy soul—look at the Star, send a prayer to Mary! If anger, avarice, or love of pleasure toss thy fragile bark—seek the eyes of Mary. If horror of thy sins, trouble of conscience, or dread of the judgments of God begin to plunge thee into the gulf of sadness, the abyss of despair—attach thy heart to Mary. In dangers, in sufferings, in doubt—think of Mary and invoke Her aid. Let Mary be always in your heart and often upon your lips. To obtain Her help in death, follow Her example in life. In following Her, you will not go astray; by praying to Her, you will not despair; if you cling to Her, you will not go wrong. With Her support, you fall not; under Her protection you have no fear; under Her guidance you do not grow weary; if She is gracious to you, you will reach the port. Thus you will experience how rightly it is said: 'And the Virgin's name was Mary'." 

Power and Sweetness of the Holy Name of Jesus – Selected Writings and Prayers

Selected from the Writings of St. Alphonsus Maria

JESUS OUR SAVIOUR.

Consider that the Infant Jesus, eight days after His Birth, showed Himself even then to be our Saviour, by shedding His divine Blood for us in the Circumcision, and taking the Name of Saviour. O most merciful Infant God, I give Thee thanks, and I beseech Thee by the pain which Thou didst feel, and by the Blood which Thou didst shed in Thy Circumcision, to grant me the grace and the power to tear out of my heart all earthly affections.

I.

Behold how the Eternal Father, having sent His Son to suffer and die for us, wills that on this day He should be circumcised, and should begin to shed His Divine Blood, which He has to shed for the last time on the day of His death upon the Cross in a sea of contumely and sorrow. And wherefore? In order that this innocent Son should thus pay the penalties which we have deserved. The Holy Church exclaims: “O admirable condescension of divine pity towards us! O inestimable love of charity! To redeem, the slave Thou hast delivered Thy Son to death!”

O Eternal God, who could ever have bestowed upon us this infinite gift but Thou Who art infinite goodness and infinite love. O my God, if in giving me Thy Son, Thou hast given me the dearest treasure Thou hast, it is right that I should give myself entirely to Thee. Yes, my God, I give Thee my whole self; do Thou accept of me, and permit me not to leave Thee again.

II.

Behold, on the other hand, the Divine Son, Who, humble, and full of love towards us, embraces the bitter death destined for Him in order to save us sinners from eternal death, and willingly begins on this day to make satisfaction for us to the divine justice with the price His Blood. He humbled himself, says the Apostle, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of cross.—(Phil. ii., 8). Thou, therefore, O my Jesus, accepted death for my love; what, then, shall I do? Shall I continue to offend Thee by my sins? No, Redeemer, I will no longer be ungrateful to Thee. I am sorry from my heart that I have caused Thee so much bitterness in times past. I love Thee, O infinite Goodness, and for the future I will never cease to love Thee.

Our Redeemer has said: Greater love than this no hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.—(St. John xv., 13). Thou, O my Jesus, as St. Paul tells us, hast shown greater love than this toward us, by giving Thy life for us who were enemies. Behold one of them, O Lord, at Thy feet. How many times have I, a miserable sinner, renounced Thy friendship because I would not obey Thee! I now see the evil I have done; pardon me, Jesus, for I could wish to die of sorrow. I now love with my whole soul, and I desire nothing else but to love Thee and to please Thee. O Mary, Mother of God my Mother, pray to Jesus for me.

THE NAME OF JESUS CONSOLES.

This great Name of Jesus was not given by man, but by God Himself; “The Name of Jesus,” says St. Bernard, “was preordained by God.” It was a new Name: A new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name.—(Is. lxii., 2). A new Name which God could give only to Him Whom He destined to be the Saviour of the world. A new and an eternal Name; because, as our salvation was decreed from all eternity, so from all eternity was this Name given to the Redeemer. Nevertheless this Name was only bestowed on Jesus Christ in this world on the day of His Circumcision: And after eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus. The Eternal Father wished at that time to reward the humility of His Son by giving Him so honourable a Name. Yes, while Jesus humbles Himself, submitting in His Circumcision to be branded with the mark of a sinner, it is just that His Father should honour Him by giving Him a Name that exceeds the dignity and sublimity of any other name: God hath given him a name that is above all names.—(Phil. ii., 9). And He commands that this Name should be adored by the Angels, by men, and by devils: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.—(Ibid. ii., 10). If, then, all creatures are to adore this great Name, still more ought we sinners to adore it, since it was in our behalf that this Name of Jesus, which signifies Saviour, was given to Him; and for this end also He came down from Heaven, namely, to save sinners: “For us men and for our salvation He came down from Heaven, and was made Man.” We ought to adore Him, and at the same time to thank God Who has given Him this Name for our good; for it is this Name that consoles us, defends us, and makes us burn with love.

The Name of Jesus consoles us; for when we invoke Jesus, we find relief in all our afflictions. When we have recourse to Jesus, He wishes to console us because He loves us; and He can do so, because He is not only Man, but He is also the Omnipotent God; otherwise He could not properly have this great Name of Saviour. The Name of Jesus signifies that the bearer of it is of infinite power, infinite wisdom and infinite love; so that if Jesus Christ had not united in Himself all these perfections, He could not have saved us: “If any one of these,” says St. Bernard, “had been wanting, Thou couldst not call Thyself Saviour.” Thus, when speaking of the Circumcision, the Saint says: “He was circumcised as being the son of Abraham, He was called Jesus as being the Son of God.” He is branded as man with the mark of sin, having taken upon Himself the burden of atoning for sin; and from His very Infancy He began to satisfy for the crimes of men, by suffering and shedding His Blood.

The Name of Jesus is said by the Holy Spirit to be as oil poured out: Thy name is as oil poured out.—(Cant. i., 2) And so indeed it is, says St. Bernard; for as oil serves for light, for food, and for medicine, so especially is the Name of Jesus is light: “it is a light when preached.” And how was it, says the Saint, that the light of Faith shone forth so suddenly in the world that in a short time so many Gentile nations knew the true God, and became His followers, if it was not through hearing the Name of Jesus preached? “Whence, think you, shone forth in the whole world, so bright and so sudden, the light of Faith, except from the preaching of the Name of Jesus?” Through this Name we have been happily made sons of the true light, that is, sons of the Holy Church; since we were so fortunate as to be born ml bosom of the true Church, in Christian and Catholic kingdoms—a grace which has not been granted to greater part of men, who are born amongst idolaters, Mahometans, or heretics.

Further, the Name of Jesus is a food that nourishes our souls. “The thought of it is nourishment.” This Name gives strength to find peace and consolation even in the midst of the miseries and persecutions of this world. The holy Apostles rejoiced when they were ill-treated, and reviled, being comforted by the Name of Jesus: They went from the presence of the council rejoicing that were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus.—(Acts. V., 41).

It is light, it is food, and it is also medicine to those who invoke it: “When pronounced, it soothes and anoints.” The holy Abbot says: “At the rising of the light of this Name, the clouds disperse, and calm returns.” If the soul of any one is afflicted and in trouble, let him pronounce the Name of Jesus, and immediately the tempest will cease and peace will return. Does any one fall into sin? Does he run in despair into the snares of death? Let him invoke the Name of Life, and will his life not be renewed? He shall immediately be encouraged to hope for pardon, by calling on Jesus, Who was, destined by the Father to be our Saviour, and obtain pardon for sinners. Euthymius says that if when Judas was tempted to despair, he had invoked the Name of Jesus, he would not have given way to temptation: “If he had invoked that Name, he would not have perished.” Therefore, he adds, no sinner can perish through despair, however abandoned he may be, who invokes the Holy Name, which is one of hope and salvation: “Despair is far off where His Name is invoked.”

But sinners leave off invoking this saving Name, because they do not wish to be cured of their infirmities. Jesus Christ is ready to heal all our wounds; but if people cherish their wounds, and will not be healed, how can Jesus Christ heal them? The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified, a Sicilian nun, once saw the Saviour, as it seemed, in a hospital, going round with medicines in His hands, to cure the sick people who were there; but these miserable people, instead of thanking Him and begging Him to come to them, drove Him away. So do many sinners, after they have of their own free will poisoned their souls with sins, refuse the gift of health, that is, the grace offered them by Jesus Christ, and thus remain lost through their infirmities.

But, on the other hand, what fear can that sinner have who has recourse to Jesus Christ, since Jesus offers Himself to obtain our pardon from His Father, He having paid by His death the penalty due to us? St. Laurence Justinian says: “He Who had been offended, appointed Himself as Intercessor, and Himself paid what was owing to God.” Therefore, adds the Saint, “if thou art bound down by sickness, if sorrows weary thee, if thou art trembling with fear, invoke the Name of Jesus.” O poor man, whoever thou art, if thou art weighed down by infirmity or by grief and fear, call on Jesus, and He will console thee. It is enough that we pray to the Father in His Name, and all we ask will be granted to us. This is the promise of Jesus Himself, which He repeated many times, and which cannot fail: If you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you.—(Jo. xvi. 23). Whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name that will I do.—(Jo. xiv., 13).

Selected from the Writings of Saint Alphonsus Maria

HIS NAME WAS CALLED JESUS.

(Gospel, Luke ii., 21).

The Name of Jesus is a divine Name, announced Mary on the part of God by St. Gabriel: and thou shalt call His name Jesus.—(Luke, i., 31). For that reason it was called a name above all names.—(Phil. ii., 9). And it was also called a Name in which alone salvation is found: whereby we must be saved.—(Acts iv., 12). This great Name is likened by the Holy Spirit unto oil: Thy name is as oil poured out.—(Cant. i., 2). For this reason, says St. Bernard, that as oil is light, food, and medicine, so the Name of Jesus is light to the mind, food to the heart, and medicine to the soul.

It is light to the mind. By this Name the world was converted from the darkness of idolatry to the light of Faith. We who have been born in these regions, where before the coming of Christ our ancestors were Gentiles, should all have been in the same condition had not the Messias come to enlighten us. How thankful ought we not, then, to be to Jesus Christ for the gift of Faith! And what would have become of us if we had been in Asia, in Africa, in America, or in the midst of heretics and schismatics? He who believes not is lost: He that believeth not shall be condemned.—(St. Mark xvi., 16) And thus probably we also should have been lost.

O Jesus, Thou Who didst make the power of Thy Name to shine forth to deliver us from the servitude of sin, and the slavery of the devil, deign now and always to preserve our souls from all unworthy subjection. O Jesus all powerful, if the eyes of our souls had not been opened and enlightened by the light of Faith which Thou hast taught us by Thy own mouth, how should we ever have been able to know Thy divine mysteries! Without Thy aid we should always have been buried in the darkness of ignorance and the shadow of death. May thanks be ever given to our sweet Jesus Who has had compassion on us, and, in opening the gates of Heaven to us, has made us heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.

II.

The Name of Jesus is also food that nourishes our hearts; yes, because this Name reminds us of what Jesus has done to save us. Hence this Name consoles us in tribulation, gives us strength to walk along the way of salvation, supplies us with courage in difficulties, and inflames us with love for our Redeemer, when we remember what He has suffered for our salvation.

Lastly, this Name is medicine to the soul, because it renders it strong against the temptations of our enemies. The devils tremble and fly at the invocations of this Holy Name, according to the words of the Apostle: That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.—(Phil. ii., 10). He who in temptation calls upon Jesus shall not fall, and shall be saved: Praising, I will call upon the Lord; and I will be saved from my enemies.—(Ps. xvii., 4). And who was ever lost who when he was tempted invoked Jesus? He alone is lost who does not invoke His aid, or who, whilst the temptation continues, ceases to invoke Him. Oh, that I had always called upon Thee, my Jesus; for then I should never have been conquered by the devil! I have miserably lost Thy grace, because in temptation I have neglected to call Thee to my assistance. But now I hope for all things through Thy Holy Name. Write, therefore, O my Saviour, write upon my poor heart Thy most powerful Name of Jesus, so that, by having it always in my heart by loving Thee, I may have it always on my lips by invoking Thee, in all the temptations that hell prepares for me to induce me to again become its slave, and to separate myself from Thee. In Thy Name I shall find every good. If I am afflicted, it will console me when I think how much more afflicted Thou hast been than I am, and all for the love of me. If I am disheartened on account of my sins, it will give me courage when I remember that Thou camest into the world to save sinners. If I am tempted, Thy Holy Name will give me strength, when I consider that Thou canst help me more than hell can cast me down; finally, if I feel cold in Thy love, Thy Name will give me fervour, by reminding me of the love that Thou bearest me. I love Thee, my Jesus! To Thee do I give all my heart, O my Jesus! Thee alone will I love! Thee will I invoke as often as I possibly can. I will die with Thy Name upon my lips; a Name of hope, a Name of salvation, a Name of love. O Mary, if thou lovest me, this is the grace I beg of thee to obtain for me—the grace constantly to invoke thy name and that of thy Son; obtain for me that these most sweet Names may be the breath of soul, and that I may repeat them constantly during life, in order to repeat them with my last breath. Jesus and Mary, help me; Jesus and Mary, I love You; Jesus and Mary I recommend my soul to You.

THE NAME OF JESUS A NAME OF GLADNESS.

The Name of Jesus was given to the Incarnate Word not by men, but by God Himself. And thou shalt call his name Jesus. It is the Name of our Saviour, a Name of Gladness, a Name of Hope, a Name of Love. Thy Name, then, O Jesus, will always be my defense, my comfort, a fire to keep me always burning with Thy love.

I.

Consider that the Holy Name of Jesus is not a Name invented by man, but it comes from God, Who wished it to be made known by the Archangel Gabriel, as St. Luke testifies: His name was called Jesus . . . by the angel — (St. Luke ii.,21). St. Bernard also says that this Name is not a simple figure of things, or a shadow without reality. Jesus is a Name that expresses perfectly the hypostatic union of the Divine nature and the human nature. The world could not have been saved by God, for God could not suffer, nor by a mere man, because man is limited and finite. This is the reason why the Holy Name Jesus, which signifies the same as Saviour, as the Angel declares, has been given to the Son of God, made Man through Mary, to show that it was both as God and Man He accomplished the redemption of mankind by delivering men from the slavery of sin. In short, Jesus is a Name that comprises Infinity, Eternity, Immensity, Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, and all the adorable Perfections of God. What happiness for us to be reconciled with the Eternal Father through the merits of this divine Mediator Who of His - infinite goodness paid our debt in His precious Blood! Adorable Jesus! if Thou hadst sacrificed Thyself to deliver Thy people from the hands of their enemies in order to acquire an eternal Name, it would be but fair that this Name should surpass and eclipse every other name, even that of the Seraphim, as St. Paul says: Being, made so much, better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.—(Heb. i., 4). And if the Eternal Father has wished that this Name should be that of His Son, mayest Thou grant that, having experienced on earth its happy effects, we may arrive at the complete happiness of Heaven to praise Thee and to bless Thee for all eternity.

II.

The Name of Jesus is a Name of Gladness, a Name of Hope, a Name of Love. It is a Name of Gladness because if the remembrance of past transgressions afflicts us, this Name comforts us in the remembrance that the Son of God became Man for this purpose—to make Himself our Saviour. In fact, as soon as the Name of Jesus passes from the heart to the tongue, by the light of the divine Name darkness is dispersed, the mind is calmed the heart is strengthened, the faculties brighten up, and everything returns to life. There is no name in the world equal to the Name of Jesus in sweetness “Nothing is sweeter to chant,” says St. Bernard “nothing more agreeable to hear, nothing more charming to think of, than the Name of Jesus, the Son of God.”

Oh, how happy shall we be if in all our trials, in all occasions of sorrow, we take care to invoke the glorious Name of Jesus, and while invoking it with our lips to consecrate our hearts to Jesus! It is a Name of Hope, because he that prays to the Eternal Father in the Name of Jesus may hope for every good he asks for. If you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it to you.—(St. John. xvi., 23).

It is a Name of Love. It is a sign that represents to us how much God has done for the love of us. The Name of Jesus brings to our remembrance all the suffering which Jesus endured for us in life and in death. Therefore a devout writer exclaims: “O Jesus, how much I cost Thee to be Jesus—that is, my Saviour!”

O sweet Jesus, our Love and our Hope! Do Thou write Thy Name on my poor heart and on my tongue, in order that when I am tempted to sin, I may resist by invoking Thee; so that if I am tempted to despair I may trust in Thy merits; and that if I feel myself tepid in loving Thee, Thy Name may inflame my heart at the recollection of how much Thou hast loved me.

Thy Name, then, will always be my defense, my comfort, and the fire that shall always keep me inflamed with Thy love. Make me, therefore, always to call Thee my Jesus and to live and die with Thy Holy Name on my lips saying even with my last breath: “I love Thee, my Jesus; my Jesus, I love Thee.” O Mary, my Queen, make me when I am dying invoke thee continually, together with thy Son Jesus.

THE NAME OF JESUS OUR DEFENCE.

The Name of Jesus defends us. Yes, it defends us against all the deceits and assaults of our enemies. For this reason the Messias was called God the Mighty—(Is. ix., 6); and His Name was called by the Wise Man a strong tower: The name of the Lord is a strong tower—(Prov. xviii., 10); that we may know that he who avails himself of this powerful Name will not fear all the assaults of hell. St. Paul writes thus: Christ humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.—(Phil. ii., 8). Jesus Christ during His life humbled Himself in obeying His Father, even to die on the Cross; which is as much as to say, as St. Anselm remarks, He humbled Himself so much that He could humble Himself no more; and therefore His divine Father, as a reward for the humility and obedience of His Son, raised Him to such a sublime dignity that there could be no higher: God hath given him a name which is above all names; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth.—(Phil. ii., 9, 10). God gave Him a Name which is so great and powerful that it is venerated in Heaven, on earth, and in hell. A Name powerful in Heaven, because it can obtain all graces for us; powerful on earth, because it can save all who invoke it with devotion; powerful in hell, because this Name makes all the devils tremble. These rebel angels tremble at the sound of this most Sacred Name, because they remember that Jesus Christ was the Mighty One Who destroyed the dominion and power they formerly had over man. They tremble, says St. Peter Chrysologus, because at this Name they have to adore the whole majesty of God “In this Name the whole majesty of God is adored.” Our Saviour Himself said that through this powerful Name His disciples should cast out devils. In my name they shall cast out devils.—(St. Mark xvi., 17). And in fact, the Church in her Exorcisms always makes use of this Name in driving out the infernal spirits from those who are possessed. And priests who are assisting persons dying call to their aid the Name of Jesus, to deliver them from the assaults of hell, which at that last moment are so terrible.

In the Life of St. Bernardine of Sienna, we see how many sinners the Saint converted, how many abuses he put an end to, and how many cities he sanctified, by trying, when he preached, to induce the people to invoke the Name of Jesus. St. Peter says that there is no other Name given to us by which we can find salvation but the ever blessed Name of Jesus: For there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be save (Acts iv., 12). Jesus is He Who has not only saved us, but continually preserves us from the danger of sin by His merits, each time we invoke Him with confidence: Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do.—(St. John xiv., 13).

In temptations, then, I repeat with St. Laurence Justinian, “whether you are tempted by the devil are attacked by men, invoke the Name of Jesus.” If the devils and men torment you and urge you to sin call on Jesus, and you will be delivered; and if temptations do not cease to persecute you, continue to invoke Jesus, and you will never fall. Those who practice this devotion have experienced that they keep themselves safe, and that they always come off victorious.

Let us always add the holy Name of Mary, which likewise terrible to hell, and we shall always be secure. “This short prayer—Jesus and Mary—is easy to remember,” says Thomas a Kempis, “and powerful to protect; is strong enough to deliver us from all the assaults of enemies.”

THE NAME OF OUR SAVIOUR – A NAME OF GREAT POWER

Consider that the Name Jesus signifies Saviour; and St. Peter—(Acts iv., 12)—assures us that the Eternal Father has not given to men any other Name by which they may be saved amidst the snares of this deceitful world, than the adorable Name of Jesus. It is this Name that makes the truth of Faith shine everywhere, and that calls all men from the abyss of darkness to the adorable light of the Gospel. It is by virtue of this adorable Name that the Apostle gave light to the blind, made the lame walk, healed the sick, raised the dead to life, and filled the whole world with wonder. And if the Angel at first announced that Jesus would bring life into the world by delivering it from the cruel slavery into which Adam had plunged it, this good Saviour confirmed this promise Himself when He declared that He had come so that His sheep might have life, and might have it more abundantly.—(St. John. x., 10). By virtue of His Name we see idolatry overthrown, to the great confusion of pagan princes and priests, who did all in their power to uphold it.

O amiable and Holy Name of Jesus, may the Seraphim of Heaven give Thee suitable thanks for me, and never cease to praise Thee by ever repeating that Thou dost merit all glory, all honour, and all power. My sweet Saviour, I hope to obtain, by virtue of Thy Name, the salvation of my body and soul; I hope that with this glorious Name in my heart and on my lips, victorious over the world and the flesh, I shall have the happiness to sing Thy praises and to bless the august Trinity for ever and ever.

II.

Consider also the efficacy of the adorable Name of Jesus in making our prayers pleasing to God, and in obtaining all that we ask of Him. This Name opens for us the way to arrive promptly at the feet of the Most High and to have our prayers heard at once. The Gospel attests that the prayers of Jesus Himself have always been heard by virtue of His great Name, and that He authorizes us to say, when speaking to God: “ Our Father, Who art in Heaven.” In consideration of the Name of Jesus, God looks with a favourable eye upon our petition. For this reason Jesus exhorted the Apostles, and exhorts us all, that we should ask of the Father in His Name, in order to be sure that we shall obtain what we seek: If you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you.—(St. John. xvi., 23). It is enough for Him to hear the petition, and He will bestow upon us the favours that have been asked of Him in the Name of His Beloved Son, with Whom He is well pleased, and Who, in order to satisfy His offended justice has shown Himself obedient even unto death.

We should, then, know how to profit by the efficacious power of the Holy Name of Jesus; being sure that our prayers will be heard, we should often, every hour of the day, repeat our prayers to the Eternal Father, and we shall advance in perfection on the road of the divine precepts, until we attain the happiness of seeing and possessing Him for all eternity in Heaven.

O Sweet Jesus, our Love and our Hope, since Thou hast deigned to assume mortal flesh, in order to open to us the gate of mercy, and to render our prayers efficacious by virtue of Thy glorious Name, grant that our prayers for the grace of perseverance may be heard, so that faithful to the Divine law to the end of our lives, we may, with Thy Holy Name on our lips, pass from this valley of tears to the glory of Paradise.

<<<†††>>><<<†††>>><<<†††>>>

+

JMJ

U.I.O.G.D.

Ave Maria!

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, we love Thee, save souls.

O God come to our assistance. Jesus, Mary, Joseph please make haste to help us!

+ + + Jesus, Mary, Joseph + + +

From the book - Sermons of the Cure of Ars – St. John Mary Vianney

THE GLORY AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY NAME.

“He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above all names.”—Phil. ii. 8-9.

Dearly beloved in the Lord! On this Sunday we celebrate in an especial manner the festival in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus, that Name which is, for every Christian, the noblest and dearest, the holiest and the most consoling. By honoring and loving the Name of our Saviour, we show our respect and love for Him who bears this blessed Name. In this sense we honor and praise the names of the Saints whose memory will never die, but will always be honored by God and men; we think with joy of their exalted and heroic virtues, their living and steadfast faith, their self-sacrificing love for their neighbor, their untiring zeal to help their fellow men to that true happiness and salvation which comes from God alone—yes, truly the names of the Saints, and, above all, that of the Queen of Saints, and the names of all God’s elect, are dear to us, and we pronounce them with reverence and love; indeed, it would be a sin not to do so.

But there is a Name which is above all other names, a Name which we must always pronounce with the greatest reverence, with the most blissful happiness and the tenderest love; and that is the Name of Jesus. And why do we all cherish in our hearts so profound a respect, such love and devotion for this Most Holy Name? First—On account of its glory and excellence, and then (second) because of its wonderful power and abundance of grace.

Let us make this the subject of our meditation in the Name of Jesus: “Who humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above every name.”

1.—Beloved in the Lord! No one is able to explain the great mystery revealed on earth by Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. According to the expression of St. Paul, the Apostle, in his letter to the Colossians, this mystery, which the Apostle says is Christ Himself, has been hidden from all eternity in God. When in the fullness of time it was revealed, it received a name which showed us distinctly, in the light of faith, the great and wonderful signification of the Incarnation of the Son of God and our redemption. God, the Eternal Father, wished to choose the name Himself which His well-beloved Son should bear upon earth, and He announced this name to the world by an angel from Heaven. For, commissioned by God, and sent by Him, the archangel Gabriel brought the message to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Behold, thou wilt conceive in thy womb and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Jesus.” And the angel said to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in Her is of the Holy Ghost. And She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (St. Matthew 1: 20-21).

And, again, as we have heard on the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord: “And after eight days were accomplished that the Child should be circumcised His name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (St. Luke 2: 21).

The name of Jesus, therefore, was not given to our Saviour by man or angel, but by God Himself. This most holy Name was from all eternity hidden with the mystery of the Incarnation in the bosom, in the heart, of the Father, and descended at the same time with the fulfillment of this mystery from Heaven, so that we men might express in a worthy manner our respect and our gratitude for what the Son of God, in His human nature, out of His incomprehensible love for us, had done and suffered for our salvation. “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (St. Matthew 1: 21); but not only His chosen people, but all mankind, as the Apostle St. John says, so as to bring together all the dispersed children of God, to be made one here upon earth and one in Heaven. “Jesus Christ,” says this same Apostle, “is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (I. St. John 2: 2). As St. Paul says, Christ Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man. The name of Jesus means, therefore, Saviour, Redeemer and Mediator, and reminds us of all that the Son of God accomplished here upon earth to redeem us and to make us eternally happy. It reminds us of His entire earthly life, from His birth, until His death, of all the steps that He took, of the miracles that He worked, of all the sick that He cured, of all the dead that He raised to life, of the sinners whom He forgave, of the Sacraments which He left in His Church—in a word, of everything which the Incarnate Son of God did, and still does, not only to render us happy here upon earth, but also to make us happy and to bless us for all eternity. The name of Jesus is, therefore, for us the dearest and the most glorious name.

Our Saviour merited this name for Himself. It is the name of honor, which belongs to the Son of God, who died upon the Cross to save the fallen world. This name is the reward, the price of victory, which He received from His Heavenly Father; the praise and the renown which He will receive forevermore from the grateful Christian world. This is taught and proclaimed to us, by the great Apostle of the people, in the most thrilling words, when he says of Christ: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.”

And, behold, as it was said, so it has come to pass. The name of Jesus was placed over the head of the crucified Saviour on Golgotha; Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews), but now it shines over heaven and earth, to the glory of God the Son. All the angels and saints in heaven pronounce this glorious Name with indescribable jubilation and rapture. All the faithful on earth praise the Name of their greatest Benefactor with the most profound reverence and intense gratitude. The suffering souls in purgatory sigh with ardent longings as often as they think of this Holy Name, and their desire is to praise and glorify this Holy Name with all the elect in heaven. Who amongst us would dare to utter this Most Holy Name with indifference or without circumspectness? No, O Jesus, how could we possibly be guilty of such an offense against Thee! With the most profound reverence, and ardent love, we will forevermore preserve Thy Glorious Name in our hearts, and give utterance to it with our tongues. And we will also call upon it with the most complete confidence.

II.—For this reason, beloved Christians, listen to a few words on the wonderful power of the Name of Jesus. In the first place, it is the Saviour Himself who assures us of the wonderful power of His divine Name, for He says of those who believe in Him: “They shall cast out devils in My Name, they shall speak new tongues, they shall pick up snakes, and if they drink anything poisonous, it shall not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick and heal them.”

Of the power of His Name, Jesus says, further, that every prayer offered up in His Name shall be heard. “Amen, amen, I say unto you, if you ask the Father anything in My Name, He will grant it unto you. Hitherto you have not asked for anything in My Name, but pray, so that you may receive, that your joy may be perfect.”

Holy Scripture and the traditions of our Holy Church teach us the innumerable times that the Lord has kept this His promise, and how powerful and full of blessing is His Holy Name.

Peter and John, in the early days of the Church, went up into the Temple to pray. A man who had been lame from his birth was sitting at the door of the Temple, which was called “the beautiful,” and he begged an alms of the Apostles. Peter felt himself possessed of treasures which surpassed all the wealth of this earth, and, fortified by our Saviour’s promises, he spoke to the lame man: “Look at us!” The latter did so, in the hope of receiving something from them. But Peter said to him, “I have neither gold nor silver, but what I have that I will give thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, arise and walk!” And the lame man jumped up and went with them into the Temple to praise God.

St. Paul had arrived at Philippi, the capital of Macedonia. He went through the streets of the city toward a house of prayer. On the way he was met by a servant girl, who was possessed by an evil spirit. The Holy Apostle took pity upon the unfortunate girl, and, confiding in the Lord’s promises, said to the evil spirit: “I command thee, in the Name of Jesus Christ, depart out of her!” And the devil immediately departed out of her.

A goblet full of poison was handed to the Apostle St. John; he uttered the Name of Jesus over it, and the poison did not harm him.

Endowed with the power of the Holy Name, the Apostles went out to convert the world. Not only did they work numberless miracles, but, also, those who believed in their words performed miracles in the Name of Jesus. At the sound of this Divine Name, the temples of the pagans collapsed. Before it the spirits of darkness fled. Through this victorious Name the teachings of Jesus were disseminated over the face of the earth. In this Name the Church carries on her divine mission every day until the end of the world; in it she teaches, prays, blesses and consecrates. But, my dear Christians, each and every one of us can experience in ourselves the wonderful power and effects of this consoling Name. Yes, O Christian soul, if you call upon the Name of Jesus with devotion, you will most certainly obtain all things necessary for your salvation. This Most Blessed Name will give you advice in difficulties, courage in dangers, fortitude and strength in temptations, perseverance in good, consolation and joy, in trouble and suffering. When the Apostles of the Lord were scourged at Jerusalem, they rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to suffer ignominy for the Name of Jesus.

The more devoutly we reverence and call upon the Name of Jesus, the more will our Saviour show a tender and perceptible love toward us. “My Jesus,” says St. Augustine, “so soon as I begin to utter Thy Name, I perceive an unearthly sweetness in my mouth, and an amazing change of heart.” “The Name of Jesus,” says St. Bernard, “is as honey in the mouth, a sweet sound in the ears, and a joy to the heart.” How sweet and consoling is the Name of Jesus, in all the pains and sufferings of this changeable life, but it is sweetest of all at the hour of death. With the Name of Jesus on their lips, the Saints of God breathed forth their souls. Jesus was their last prayer, their last sigh. “Lord Jesus, receive my soul!” This is how St. Stephen prayed when they were stoning him to death, and so he died in the Lord. “Jesus, my love!” sighed the holy martyr Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, as they led him to his death, to be torn asunder by the wild beasts. When they ordered him to deny the Name of Jesus, he replied, quietly and firmly: “I will never cease to utter His Name. And if you could prevent me from pronouncing it with my mouth, you could not efface it from my heart.” Confessing the Most Holy Name of Jesus, and whilst pronouncing the same most fervently, the holy Bishop died the glorious death of a martyr.

Grant to us, also, O Jesus, that Thy ever-blessed Name may be to us as long as we live, and especially at the hour of our death, our consolation and our hope, and in heaven our eternal joy and blessedness. Amen. REV. H. N., D.D.

From the 1957 Raccolta -

I.

An Invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus

The faithful who devoutly invoke the holy Name of Jesus may gain:

An indulgence of 300 days

A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, when they repeat this invocation daily for a whole month;

A plenary indulgence at the hour of death, if they have been accustomed to invoke the holy Name frequently during life, provided that, after confession and Communion, or at least an act of contrition, they devoutly invoke the Holy Name of Jesus with their lips if possible, otherwise in their hearts, and accept death with resignations from the hand of God as the wages of sin.

II.

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Indulgence of 7 years.

A plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions for the daily and devout recitation (hereinafter referred to as "the usual conditions") of this litany.

LITANY OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

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, splendor of the Father, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, brightness of eternal light,

Jesus, King of glory,

Jesus, sun of justice,

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary,

Jesus, most amiable,

Jesus, most admirable,

Jesus, the mighty God,

Jesus, Father of the world to come,

Jesus, angel of great counsel,

Jesus, most powerful,

Jesus, most patient,

Jesus, most obedient,

Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

Jesus, lover of chastity,

Jesus, lover of us,

Jesus, God of peace,

Jesus, author of life,

Jesus, example of virtues,

Jesus, zealous lover of souls,

Jesus, our God,

Jesus, our refuge,

Jesus, father of the poor,

Jesus, treasure of the faithful,

Jesus, good Shepherd,

Jesus, true light,

Jesus, eternal wisdom,

Jesus, infinite goodness,

Jesus, our way and our life,

Jesus, joy of Angels,

Jesus, King of the Patriarchs,

Jesus, Master of the Apostles,

Jesus, teacher of the Evangelists,

Jesus, strength of Martyrs,

Jesus, light of Confessors,

Jesus, purity of Virgins,

Jesus, crown of Saints,

Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.

From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.

From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.

From Your wrath,

From the snares of the devil,

From the spirit of fornication,

From everlasting death,

From the neglect of Your inspirations,

By the mystery of Your holy Incarnation,

By Your Nativity,

By Your Infancy,

By Your most divine Life,

By Your labors,

By Your agony and passion,

By Your cross and dereliction,

By Your sufferings,

By Your death and burial,

By Your Resurrection,

By Your Ascension,

By Your institution of the most Holy Eucharist,

By Your joys,

By Your glory,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.

Lamb of God, who takest 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, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you." Grant, we beg of You, to us who ask it, the gift of Your most divine love, that we may ever love You with our whole heart, in word and deed, and never cease praising You.

Give us, O Lord, as much a lasting fear as a lasting love of Your Holy Name, for You, who live and are King for ever and ever, never fail to govern those whom You have solidly established in Your love. R. Amen.

III.

Hymns

Jesu, dulcis memoria (Jesus, the very thought of Thee)

Jesus, the very thought of Thee

With sweetness fills the breast!

Yet sweeter far Thy face to see

And in Thy Presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,

Nor can the memory find,

A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,

The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!

O joy of all the meek!

To those who fall, how kind Thou art!

How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this

Nor tongue nor pen can show

The love of Jesus, what it is,

None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,

As Thou our prize shalt be;

In Thee be all our glory now,

And through eternity. Amen.

Indulgence of 5 years

(A plenary - the usual conditions)

Jesu decus angelicum (O Jesus, Thou the beauty art)

O JESUS, Thou the beauty art

of Angel worlds above!

Thy name is music to the heart,

enchanting it with love!

Celestial sweetness unalloyed!

who eat Thee hunger still,

who drink of Thee still feel a void

which naught but Thou canst fill!

O my sweet Jesus! hear the sighs

which unto Thee I send!

to Thee my inmost spirit cries

my being’s hope and end!

Stay with us, Lord, and with Thy light

illume the soul’s abyss;

scatter the darkness of our night

and fill the world with bliss.

O Jesu! spotless Virgin flower!

our life and joy! to Thee

be praise, beatitude and power,

through all eternity! Amen.

Indulgence of 5 years

(A plenary - the usual conditions)

Jesu, Rex Admirabilis (Jesus, Admirable King)

O JESUS, King most wonderful!

Thou Conqueror renowned!

Thou Sweetness most ineffable!

in whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart,

then truth begins to shine;

then earthly vanities depart;

then kindles love divine.

O Jesu! Light of all below!

Thou font of life and fire!

surpassing all the joys we know,

and all we can desire.

May every heart confess Thy name,

and ever Thee adore;

and seeking Thee, itself inflame

to seek Thee more and more.

Thee may our tongues for ever bless;

Thee may we love alone;

and ever in out lives express

the image of Thine own. Amen.

Indulgence of 5 years

(A plenary - the usual conditions)

IV.

DEVOUT PRACTICES

The faithful who during the MONTH OF JANUARY perform some special act of devotion in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus are granted:

An indulgence of 7 years once on any day of the month;

A plenary indulgence - on the usual conditions - if this act of devotion is repeated daily or the entire month.

~~~~~~

The faithful who recite five times the doxology Glory be the Father together with the ejaculation:

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

may gain:

An indulgence of 300 days

†IHS†

The faithful who, after Confession and Communion, visit some church or oratory, public or even semi-public, on the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, and pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff may gain: A PLENARY INDULGENCE

V.

Prayers to the Holy Name of Jesus

O GOOD JESU, according to Thy great mercy, have mercy on me. O most merciful Jesus, by that Precious Blood which Thou didst will to shed for sinners, I beseech Thee to wash away all mine iniquities and look graciously upon me, a poor and unworthy sinner, as I call upon Thy holy Name. Therefore, O Jesus, do Thou save me for Thy holy Name’s sake.

(An indulgence of 500 days)

O God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be the Saviour of mankind and didst command His name to be called Jesus; mercifully grant that we may enjoy the vision of Him in heaven, whose holy Name we venerate on earth. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

(An indulgence of 5 years

A plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions if this prayer is said devoutly every day)

Related article:
https://against-all-heresies-and-errors.blogspot.com/2017/06/The-Wonders-of-the-Holy-Name-Jesus.html