MEMORIAL OF ST JEROME, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
- Olivia M. Bannan
- Sep 30, 2023
- 3 min read
Gospel
While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men."
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
REFLECTION
"Pay attention to what I am telling you."
"Pay attention to what I am telling you." I have heard this said over and over all throughout my life, from teachers, professors, parents, doctors, and priests. All these, plus more, have a fund of knowledge, human experience and spiritual instruction and they are wanting to share with us. We would be wise to listen to and follow the sage advice of those who are here to instruct and lead us to the right direction.
We can find plenty of wisdom from one of the great teachers and Doctors of the Church--St Jerome-- for his work on the study of Holy Scripture. Known as "teacher of Catholics", "model of virtue, world's teacher", St Jerome left us an illumination of Catholic doctrine on Holy Scripture as his most precious instruction.
The Holy Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit and St Jerome helps us in the reverent study of the Bible. He worked diligently, studying, expounding and defending the Bible. His love of the Bible was such that he retreated from the world to wholly devote himself to the study of the Bible. Knowing both Latin and Greek, he assiduously toiled to gather fuller and truer knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Born in now present Croatia, he lived in the desert of Chalcis in Syria, to perfect his knowledge of the Bible but also to curb "youthful desires" by means of hard study. There he learned Hebrew and Chaldaic. He then moved on to Constantinople, where he studied the Holy Scripture under St Gregory. Pope Damasus entrusted him to correct the Latin text of the Bible.
He eventually retired to Bethlehem to a monastery in a cave where Christ was born. He prayed and worked on his Biblical studies. Still filled with the need to learn more, he went to Alexandria and attended more lectures. He even travelled through Judaea, to see with his own eyes and discover the ancient cities. He meditated day and night beside the Crib of the Lord.
God speaks to us through His Son Jesus. St Jerome worked on these Sacred Books in many different languages teaching and learning from others . He asserted that the Books of the Bible were composed at the inspiration or suggestion or even at the dictation of the Holy Spirit. The Sacred writers, each writing in their language, style and way of expression, followed the Spirit of God as they wrote.
He is known for updating the Latin translation of the Bible, the Vulgate, working from the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.
He is also known for his anger. He was quite difficult to get along with and made many enemies along the way. His anger was evident in his letters to friends. He was known for name calling and biting words and his lack of charity. Jerome could be bitter and hold grudges. He was a prideful man and because he was so smart and learned, he was quick to be rude to those less learned and quick tempered to those who irritated him.
The important thing is that Jerome repented of his anger. He was remorseful, asked forgiveness, and did penance for it. He carried a stone around with him that he used to strike himself on the chest in penance for having expressed anger to anyone.
A holy man, yes. A very learned and intelligent man, yes. Great work on the Bible, yes. But as we all struggle with temptation and vice, St Jerome struggled with anger and pride but never gave up on striving to be holy.
Through prayer, he continued to work on his anger and pride through the many graces received.
God Bless You
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