Memorial of St. Jerome (priest and Doctor of the church)
Theme: “The works done in you”
Today the church celebrates the memorial of St. Jerome, a priest and Doctor of the church. St. Jerome whose memorial we celebrate today is a man who contributed immensely towards the growth of the church. He translated the Latin Bible, the vulgate and he greatly encouraged the study of the scriptures, and he wrote a lot on theological issues. He is known for his popular saying that the “ignorance of the scriptures is the ignorance of God”. As we celebrate him today, it gives us the opportunity to reflect on our commitment to the word of God. How much effort are we putting into the study of God, for a better understanding of the mind of God as it concerns our life as children of God and his followers. My brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s liturgy invites us in a very special way to emulate the teaching and lifestyle of St. Jerome; a man who zealously served God with the gifts that God has given him.
Dearly beloved in Christ, taking the assertion of Jesus in today’s gospel into consideration, one would say that the works done in the life of St. Jerome was not in vain; it yielded abundant fruits and continues to flourish, even in our own day. The big question today is, the work God has done in you, is it bearing fruits that will stand the test of time, just like that of St. Jerome? God has done so much for us as children of God by sending his son Jesus Christ to go to Calvary for our redemption, and he continues to present to us preachers and prophets to give us the word of God. How well are we making use of the word of God at our disposal in our daily life to become better children of God and Christians? We have all it takes to live a good life just like St. Jerome did, and also make good use of the gifts God has given to us as children of God.
The gospel also encourages us to retrace our steps and turn away from everything that is not good and pleasing to God. We have to continue to strive to make use of the word of God that is always at our disposal, for our own good and the glory of God. We pray today that through the intercession of St. Jerome, God will grant us the grace to embrace the word of God and put it into practice in our daily life. May almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.