Monday, March 3, 2014

Fr. Antonio Royo Marin's Commentary on the Hail Mary, pt. 7: "Jesus"

Jesus

This word was added by the Church to the end of the first part of the Hail Mary because it is effectively the Name of the blessed fruit of Mary: Jesus.

The Gospel of St. Luke tells us that "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" (Lk 2:21).

Etymologically, the name of Jesus means "the salvation of YHWH," which the angel hinted at when revealing to St. Joseph the mystery of his virgin spouse: "And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21).

St. Thomas Aquinas argues for the fittingness of the name of Jesus given to the Savior of the world since names ought to correspond to the internal essences of things, reminding us of their natures. Since we know that He is the Savior of the world, no name is more fitting than Jesus (cf. Summa Th., III, q. 37, a. 2; http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4037.htm#article2).

Fr. Luis de León [1527–1591] ends his immortal work The Names of Christ mostly explaining all the other meanings applicable to which the name of Jesus encompasses and summarizes. St. Bernard has commented on this name with his usual devotion and tenderness in his Sermons on the Canticle of Canticles, and the Church uses his other sermons in the liturgical Office for the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, but these inimitable pages truly ought to be read in their entirety.

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Source: Fr. Antonio Royo Marín, La Virgen María, trans. by R. Grablin (Madrid, Spain: BAC, 1996), 455.

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