Sometimes we need to drop somebody’s name. On the one hand we name-drop a name because it is useful in a particular situation: a guest may drop a resident’s name to enter an apartment building. On the other hand, we name drop because of the name’s importance: a staffer may drop the name of a congressman to get another person to do a task. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter drops the most important and relevant name. Peter says to a crippled beggar outside the temple, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean rise and walk” (Acts 3:6). This man not only stood up but “went into the temple with them, walking, jumping, and praising God” (Acts 3:8).

The name of Jesus is unique because the person of Jesus is unique. Unlike all other men and women, Jesus is not only a man but is both truly God and truly man. Even when the Holy Name is first preached by the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gabriel alludes to the double nature of Christ. He describes Jesus saying, “He will be great and will be called son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his Father . . . .” (Lk 1:32). The title “Son of the Most High” refers to his divinity. This can be seen also in the Old Testament, which uses terms like “Most High” to describe the divine name YHWH. (See, for instance, Psalm 91.)” The other title, “Son of David,” refers to Christ’s human ancestor, the king of Israel. In this way, Jesus’ name is from its first utterance deeply tied to both Jesus’ divine and human natures.

So why would we call out “Jesus” instead of calling out “God” or “YHWH”? We call on the name of Jesus because, as both God and man, he is both the cause and the instrument of our salvation. In other words, God uses Christ’s human nature to save us! Every single moment of Christ’s human life was in order to save us. When Christ became man, the union of his divine nature with the assumed human nature elevated his humanity. Now we who become members of his mystical body can also be elevated through sanctifying grace. This lifting up through grace is nothing less than the beginning of eternal life here on earth.  By calling on the name of Jesus, Christians call on a person who not only can make the lame man walk but can also make the soul in mortal sin walk in the life of grace. We call upon him who can one day make us walk in the presence of God in heaven.

How can you drop the name of Jesus? This same name which was used to heal the crippled man is used in the Sacraments. In the sacraments, God works through the humanity of Jesus to sanctify Christians. At other times, the Christian in prayer can utter this powerful name and receive a certain healing. Christians east and west have always had meditative prayers with the Holy Name. The Jesus prayer (“Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) and the Hail Mary in particular expose the Holy Name in a very beautiful way. When the Christian in grace name drops that most holy name with faith, they invite the power of God and the instrument of salvation into their soul.

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Image: Saint Peter Healing the Cripple, Wikimedia Commons