Where True Joy is Found: Reflections on Luke 10:17-24

In today's gospel reading from Luke 10:17-24, we witness a moment of pure exhilaration. The seventy-two disciples have returned from their mission, and they're practically bursting with excitement. "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!" they exclaim to Jesus.

Their enthusiasm is infectious and understandable. They had been sent out by Jesus to heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God, and they had experienced supernatural power flowing through them. Who wouldn't be thrilled by such an extraordinary experience?

Jesus' Gentle Correction

But Jesus, in his wisdom, offers them a profound redirection. While he acknowledges their success and even shares in their joy, he points them toward something far more significant: "Do not rejoice because the spirits submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

This isn't a dismissal of their accomplishments or their excitement. Rather, it's an invitation to find their deepest joy in something that transcends even miraculous works—their relationship with God and their eternal destiny.

The Deeper Lesson

Jesus' response teaches us about the hierarchy of joy. External successes, even spiritual ones, can be fleeting. Powers can fade, circumstances can change, and abilities can diminish. But what remains constant is our identity as beloved children of God, with our names inscribed in the book of life.

This lesson resonates deeply on the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, who himself learned to find joy not in worldly success or even in spiritual accomplishments, but in his simple, intimate relationship with Christ.

Privileged Witnesses

Jesus then turns to his disciples with words that should take our breath away: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it."

What an extraordinary privilege we share with those first disciples. We too are witnesses to the Kingdom of God breaking into our world. We too have access to the presence of Christ, to his teachings, to the reality of his love.

Finding Our Joy

As we reflect on this gospel today, we might ask ourselves: Where do we find our deepest joy? Is it in our accomplishments, our successes, our abilities? Or have we learned, like the disciples, to ground our joy in the unshakeable reality that we are known and loved by God?

The invitation is clear: rejoice not primarily in what you can do, but in who you are—a beloved child of God, with your name written in heaven. This is a joy that no circumstance can steal, no failure can diminish, and no power on earth can overcome.

May we, like Saint Francis whose feast we celebrate today, learn to find our truest joy in the simple, profound reality of God's love for us.