Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
- Mary Jo Barr
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Reading 1 Zechariah 8:20-23
Thus says the LORD of hosts: There shall yet come peoples, the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another, and say, "Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD"; and, "I too will go to seek the LORD."Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
REFLECTION
"Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
St. Jerome is known for translating the Bible from Greek and Hebrew to Latin. His work was known as the Vulgate. Vulgate means "common" or "popular" because his translation became the official version for more than a millennium for the Catholic Church.
Jerome's dedication to God's Word was his passion. He lived in a cave close to where Jesus was born in Bethlehem as a hermit to meticulously work on the translation. He spent 8 years translating the Greek texts of the New Testament into Latin and another 15 years translating the Old Testament from the original Hebrew texts into Latin. He left no stone unturned to make the translations accurate. He even consulted with Jewish scholars for an accurate Hebrew translation.
Even though Jerome had a reputation for his staunch stand in defense of the "orthodox" Christianity and his need for solitude, he was compassionate to those fleeing the Visigoths. He helped them find food and shelter. He stated, "Today we must translate the words of the Scripture into deeds."
"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ," states the importance St. Jerome placed on reading and studying the Bible. He wanted all people to have the opportunity to learn and live the Gospel message.
PAPA offers a unique way to study God's Word through FACE ZBS (Face-to-Face, Zoom Bible Study). Check out our Website for previous recordings of FACE ZBS. Let us know if you would like to join us.
Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us to love and live God's Word.
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