This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine.
On the day of the Crucifixion, the Light of the World was slain by darkness, only to shine again on the brightest of mornings. God the Father led His Son through every step on the Way of the Cross, so that “at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:10-11).
The name of Jesus radiates unmatched power, both in preaching and in prayer. You may be familiar with the Jesus Prayer, harmonized with our breath: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” There is also the Novena of the Holy Name, the “Little Sachet” sacramental and many other devotions given to us by the Society of the Holy Name.
All these prayers and devotions return to one word, one name: Jesus. That sacred name has carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life. Some moments were even darker when I was a child because I didn’t know Jesus, so I didn’t call on Him, even though I desperately needed Him.
Reflecting on those early years without Jesus, I recognize an event that eventually led me back to Him. Told at six years old that I had six months to live, I didn’t understand what that meant. All I knew was that I was suddenly free to do whatever I wanted—ice cream at the beach, fishing at the lagoons, wandering through the forest preserve.
I was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, until doctors realized six months later that the tumors were not cancerous. I had a different, very rare and very painful bone disorder. I still remember the moment the doctor announced it wasn’t cancer: My parents leapt up with tears in their eyes, but I stayed seated, casually swinging my legs.
What followed was a difficult childhood, physically and emotionally. Terrified of dying, I had no one to turn to. I searched endlessly for some source of consolation, but found none, except in learning as much about the world as possible. That quest ultimately led me to the truth of Catholicism, but it took another crisis to bring me to my knees in full surrender to Jesus.
At 25, halfway through law school, I began experiencing strange symptoms. I shook uncontrollably, my knees buckled as I walked to class and I contracted a severe case of shingles. One day, mid-class, I knew something was terribly wrong, so I stood up, walked out and never returned.
The next day, I flew home. I later spent a week in Northwestern Hospital’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit facing a medical crisis linked to the bone disorder. That year was one of the hardest of my life; but, it was also the year of my total conversion. Whenever I was afraid, in pain or simply restless, I repeated a shortened version of the Jesus Prayer: “Jesus” on the inhale, “Mercy” on the exhale. Eventually, this became “Jesus, Love.” The name of Jesus was, and is, my source of strength through all the storms of life.
I encourage you, also, as my brother or sister in Christ, to call on the name of Jesus throughout your day. When words fail you in prayer, say “Jesus” with every breath. Before starting your daily tasks—getting into the car, answering a phone call—pause and whisper His name. In moments of desperation, when the path ahead is unclear, make the Sign of the Cross and pray: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
By invoking the name of Jesus, we reach out to our true solace, drawing ever closer to our Savior and the boundless consolation only He can provide.
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