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NanaR
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| Joined: | Sat Jun 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Ruth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Born JW, born-again Catholic (Tiber Swim Team 2008) |
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Posted: Wed Sep 5th, 2007 11:35 am |
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Hey folks:
I have a friend who puts "JMJ" below his name in his email signature. I figured out that JMJ stands for Jesus - Mary - Joseph, and I assume that this is a Catholic "shorthand" for a prayer or blessing or saying. But what exactly with relation to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is being invoked by the acronym?
Thanks!!
Ruth
____________________
When you bend down to help someone up, that is the best exercise for your heart. -- Fr. Noe, 2007
http://nanaruthann.blogspot.com
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2112 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Sep 5th, 2007 01:55 pm |
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You are correct that the initials refer to the Holy Family. I am aware of this custom going at least as far back as the fifteenth century; it’s probably older than that. Your friend, not being entirely familiar with it, seems to be using it as an e-mail “signature.” This was not its original use, of course, but perhaps it will serve.
Originally the initials were placed at the beginning of a letter or other manuscript or at the top of the page on which one is writing, to invoke the blessing and protection of the Holy Family on what one is writing and on the recipient or reader. It could therefore be considered a sacramental.
If you watch the Bishop Sheen reruns on EWTN, you will see him inscribing these initials on his blackboard.
David
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NanaR
Member
| Joined: | Sat Jun 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Ruth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Born JW, born-again Catholic (Tiber Swim Team 2008) |
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Posted: Wed Sep 5th, 2007 02:11 pm |
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Thanks David!!
Sometimes my cradle Catholic friends seem to be speaking a different language. Took me forever to figure out that BVM meant Blessed Virgin Mary ;-)
working on it,
Ruth
____________________
When you bend down to help someone up, that is the best exercise for your heart. -- Fr. Noe, 2007
http://nanaruthann.blogspot.com
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JillD
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 786 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
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Posted: Wed Sep 5th, 2007 02:34 pm |
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How time changes things... I was teaching chemistry to a group of home schoolers, several of whom were Catholic. I wasn't at the time and I remember being a tad scandalized when they would put "JMJ" at the top of their lab reports. 'How could they put Mary and Joseph on par with Jesus?' I wondered. Now I think it's a wonderful blessing!
Jill
____________________
"I praise you, for I am wondrously made. Wonderful are our works! My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret." Ps 139
"Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men." Ps 140
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danonwaveland
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| Joined: | Wed Aug 15th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
| First Name: | Dan | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Born Catholic, still growing |
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Posted: Mon Sep 10th, 2007 08:51 pm |
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Wow, I feel as though I've travelled back to 1960, when the nuns in elementary school made us write "JMJ" at the top/center of each piece of homework or seatwork we did. I hadn't thought of "JMJ" in years! David, thank you for explaining the neat -- there I am, dating myself again -- idea that this was not merely asking for help with the assignment, but was asking a blessing on both the writer and the reader of the document.
God bless!
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