Today's Saint, Bernardine of Siena was born in Tuscany in the year 1380. He became a Franciscan and after being ordained to the priesthood, traveled throughout Italy preaching with great success. Pope Pius II even said that to listen to him was like listening to St. Paul, himself! Bernardine had and spread great devotion to the Holy Name
of Jesus and was responsible for the IHS symbol – which compressed the Greek spelling of the name of Jesus, and had rays of the sun emanating from it!
Refusing to be made a bishop three times, Bernardine confined himself to care for the sick and the poor, preaching and writing theological treatises. He died at Aquila in 1444.
In the first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles we see how precious and powerful and effective the name of Jesus is! It can heal, it can reconcile, it can strengthen, and it can be a sure defense in a world filled with other lesser names! Here St. Peter uses the name of Jesus to heal a crippled man. St. Paul knew that he was called to carry the sweet name of Jesus to all nations. He proclaimed that name, invoked that name and encouraged a symphony and chorus of praise and worship to be given to that name in all the earth!
It is important, though, for those who go about proclaiming the name and person of Jesus – like Peter, Paul, Bernardine of Siena – that they do so with their whole heart and soul – commiting themselves fully to the task and never looking back at what might have been had they not chosen such a generous response to God's invitation. Following Jesus, being his disciple, means communing with him so much so that his life becomes our life, his love becomes our love, his name becomes our name!
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
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