Commentary on the Gospel of October 4, 2025

Names Written in Heaven

The great popularity of Saint Francis of Assisi—through films, books, and the Little Flowers—has sometimes made his figure a bit sentimental: the man who talks with animals, tames Brother Wolf, and addresses the moon, water, and the sun as brothers seems charming and maybe a little too sweet. In spreading that image, we might forget what was truly heroic about him: his extreme poverty, the persecutions he endured both from inside and outside, his immense and sacrificial work of rebuilding the Church, the scandal he sometimes caused, and the harshness of his life. Many people eagerly embrace his inspiration about creation and nature, but it is not so clear that they are ready to let go of their small or big luxuries. Walking quietly and smoothly on the path of building the Church is practically impossible. It requires hard work, conflict, and much self-denial.

It is true that today’s Gospel does speak of what is small and simple—and rightly so. But what is small and simple means giving up our own name, our prestige, our pride, our self-glory, and every form of narcissism. That is why the same Gospel passage reminds us: do not rejoice in having power over serpents or in being unharmed by dangers. Do not think that the wonders that may happen in your life belong to you (even extreme poverty must show itself here). Your true joy must be that your names are written in heaven.

And perhaps this is the greatest humility and littleness: accepting that I do not write my own name in heaven—the Father does. Realizing that everything great, good, wise, and even simple comes from the same source, and not from ourselves. The joy comes from God’s mercy in choosing us, calling us, receiving us, accepting us, and writing our names in heaven. And the right response to such a privilege is work, total detachment, peace in the face of conflict, and complete self-giving.