Fr. Frank Majka, SJ – The Bridge

What’s in a Name

When the new pope took the name Francis a few days ago, many people said that he was sending a signal about the kind of pope he wants to be, namely, one given to that simplicity and care for the poor associated with Francis of Assisi. And that got me thinking about names.

There are names we have been given, and if these refer to people like parents, grandparents or other relatives they connect us with our familial past. Similarly, if we’re named after a saint, that fact connects us with an important person in the history of our faith. Such names can provide models for our faith (as well as guideposts for a papacy!).

But since names carry associations with those who bear them, we can actually add to the meaning of our names. We may be called Elizabeth or John or Shirley or Patrick or any other name; but we change, if only slightly, the meaning of our names because they are now associated with us and the kind of people we are.

Finally, St. John tells us (Revelations 2:17) that when our lives here are done, God will give each of us a new name, written on stone and known only to God and to us — a name to describe and sum up all we have done and become with the help of God’s grace.

That’s quite a bit for a few sounds and letters.