When we pray we typically address our prayers to God using a variety of names. The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists, "Son of God, Word of God, Lord, Savior, Lamb of God, King, Beloved Son, Son of the Virgin, Good Shepherd, our Life, our Light, our Hope, our Resurrection, Friend of mankind" (CCC 2665).
However, there is one divine name that stands out among the rest.
Jesus
The one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity, the Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: "Jesus," "YHWH saves." The name "Jesus" contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation.
The Holy Name of Jesus brings to mind everything that God has done for humanity. It summarizes God's entire plan of salvation.
Jesus' name is powerful and is itself a prayer:
To pray "Jesus" is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.
If we are ever stumped when thinking about how to pray, all we need to do is say simply, "Jesus."
