This week we celebrate an amazing array of saints and feast days. Monday we celebrated St Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the 17th century who dedicated his life to serving the poor. Wednesday we commemorated the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. Tomorrow, we celebrate Therese Lisieux, a Carmelite nun from the 19th century from Normandy, France who was named by Pope John Paul II as a Doctor of the Church. This Saturday we commemorate the feast of the Guardian Angels. Today, we celebrate another remarkable saint - St Jerome. Jerome, a priest and Doctor of the Church from the 4th century, had a great fervor and passion for the faith and a great love of Scripture. Jerome was born in Dalmatia in the modern day country of Croatia. He is most known for his extensive theological writings and for his Latin translation of the Bible, known as the Vulgate. The Vulgate became the Catholic Church's officially promulgated Latin version of the Bible. In fact, Jerome spent the last 34 years of his life as a hermit in the desert near Bethlehem, devoted to his literary output. Jerome’s love of Sacred Scripture is reflected in this quote – “Ignorance of the Scriptures is an ignorance of Christ.”
The message of the psalm today truly reflects the message of St Jerome’s life and studies. The psalm states: “The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.” God’s law and God’s word is to nurture us, guide us, and lead us on our journey of faith.
With the intercessions and prayers of St Jerome, may we grow in our love of Sacred Scripture. May we grow to know the Jesus of the Gospels and Jesus in the reality of our daily lives. May we be fervent and enthusiastic in our faith in the context of our personalities and the gifts that God gives to us.
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