Is it bad to want to be the greatest or to be the best we can be? Perhaps it is not bad in itself to want to do our best, but if we are arrogant and think we are better than everyone else rather than wanting to be a servant, that goes against the values of the Gospel and the way Jesus lived his life. In our faith, we are called to do good works in the name of the Lord rather than being complacent or rather than doing these good works to lift ourselves above others. Having fervor and enthusiasm in our faith is an important part of living as a disciple of Christ. St Jerome, a priest and doctor of the Church whom we celebrate today on his feast day, was known for his great passion and fervor for the faith. Jerome, born in the late 4th century, is known for his extensive theological writings and for his Latin translation of the Bible, known as the Vulgate. 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.” Jerome’s influence on the Church can be witnessed to the way he was in the first group that was named to be Doctors of the Church was back in 1298, along with St Gregory the Great, St Augustine, and St Ambrose. 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 the 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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