THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 -ST JEROME PRIEST, DOCTOR

PATRON SAINT OF TRANSLATORS, LIBRARIANS AND ENCYCLOPEDISTS

MASS READINGS

A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 10:1-12

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

REFLECTION

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Where does one fit in when the Lord Jesus calls us to follow Him? We have the beautiful examples of the saints and doctors of the Church. Take for example, the saint of today, St Jerome. After reading his life story, he would be one to be admired but hard to emulate. He was a man with many talents--but was hot tempered, quick to speak and wrote harshly of those who disagreed with him. Folklore has it that he carried a stone with him so that he would strike his chest with it. A pope once said to him, " You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you".

The Lord used that intensity to spread the gospel. St Jerome was gifted in languages, including Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Chaldaic. He translated the Sacred Scriptures to Latin (also known as the Vulgate) and the Council of Trent made it the authentic text of the Church.

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest..

We are told to ask or pray that the master sends out laborers for His harvest. The laborers come from God and it is this call which comes from the heart of God to the heart of man. We, in our prayers, stir up the heart of God and from our praying heart a spark of our joy in God and in the Gospel may arise, enkindling in the hearts of others a readiness to say "yes". (1)

When God calls, despite our shortcomings, He will use us for His Kingdom.

In spite of his strong will and short temper, St Jerome allowed the Lord to work through him. So if one is quick to judge, quick to speak, quick to talk, tempermental, stubborn and strong willed continue to ask the Lord for healing. Continue praying for that prodigal son, the marriage, the grandchildren and our country. The Lord works at His own time. Trust that He is not done working in you and be ready to labor for the harvest when He calls.

Please pray the PAPA Prayer for Priests found in our website.

(1) Pope Benedict XVI, Meeting with the priests and deacons in Freising Germany September 14, 2006.

God Bless You