You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast for Catholic kids that strives to plant seeds of faith.

Hey there, Sprouts. Today is Monday, January 3rd, 2021. It is also a great feast day. Today is the feast day of the holy name of Jesus, the most holy name of Jesus. Now on this day, we celebrate that the name of Jesus has power, real power. When we say Jesus' name with belief and confidence, he will hear us. He will guard us from protection. He will be with us. He will help us make

important decisions that we might be confused about. And he also will send us grace for not only

this life, but for entering the next life in heaven.

So this is why we only say Jesus's name with reverence and belief.

And it is also why we just say it so boldly.

The name of Jesus has power.

And this has always been a belief of our faith.

In fact, St. Paul, who lived shortly

or was preaching, the good news shortly after Jesus ascended back into heaven, he wrote these

words in his letter to the early church to the Philippians. He wrote, so that the name of Jesus, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee

should bend in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue should confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father.

Therefore, one of my favorite prayers that I say many, many times a day is the Jesus prayer.

And this is simply saying the name of Jesus.

Jesus, Jesus.

Just saying his name with full belief and confidence is a really, really great prayer.

So Sprouts celebrate that feast day today by saying Christ's name with belief in confidence.

Now Sprouts all week, we are actually talking about someone very close to Jesus, perhaps the closest

person ever to Jesus, and that is

his blessed mother, our blessed mother, Mary. We kick off the new year each year with a great

Marian feast. On January 1st, we celebrate Mary the mother of God. And so this week we are going to be talking about many of Mary's titles that all have to do with her being a mother.

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