Jesus

My friend Riad Mofarrij once told me, in a meeting that brought us together, that he hardly ever hears from Church pulpits, priests uttering the name of Jesus in their homilies. This is a piece of news open for public scrutiny. He did not literally say that the mention of Jesus indicates that the pulpit belongs to Him, to Him alone, to His Word, His mercy, and His ability to prompt us to be His, His alone. Yet, I think this is what he meant, letter by letter. This is the lovers’ intention. In a previous meeting, he told me about his hope that our Church would include in its daily prayers the “Supplicatory Canon To our Lord Jesus Christ” that was composed by the monk Theoctistus. “This is the only Name by which we must be saved”, he said this, panting for the word. I have known Riad since the beginning of the year 1980. We sat together for long sessions, all related to the openness of Christians in Lebanon to the voice of the Holy Spirit in a desired fellowship. This is the secret of this piece of news. The Name, the Name of Jesus, says that the Holy Spirit is here.