Today is the Feast Day of Saint Jerome. He was a man of science who realized his main mission was to become holy. He used his holiness to translate the Bible. Saint Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.
Saint Jerome made a tremendous contribution and influence to the development of Marian tradition within the Western Christianity. He affirms Mary's perpetual virginity. Her virginity is firmly based on Scripture. Those who are ignorant of Scripture are ignorant of the Mother of God. He vehemently challenged anyone to deny this obvious fact. He used most of the prophets, the Psalms and the Song of Songs to praise Mary bountifully. The value, reverence and respect for the Word of God and its translation possessed Jerome. This was his life-long pursuit, joy and calling. He found God's glory in all of its expression and he expressed it with his whole heart and mind.
It was said that he removed a thorn from a lion's paw and the lion remained with him ever after. Those who scoff at such a possibility know little of the power of God or prayer. God works such abundant miracles for his loved ones that it is impossible to enumerate them and the ones that seemed farfetched become most credible with the enlightenment of his Spirit. If Jesus walked on water, fasted for forty days, raised Lazarus from the dead and promised us the same power, then it is quite easy to believe the lion incident in the story of Saint Jerome.
The Catholic Church has always insisted on guarding the translations of the Bible as the highest priority. For that reason, Saint Jerome is the Doctor of Biblical Science because of his painstaking care in expressing the meaning and accuracy of God's word.
Words of Saint Jerome, the fiery and furious, lover of God's Word:
"Love the Holy Scripture, and wisdom will love you. Love wisdom, and she will keep you safe." God's words are God's wisdom. God's love is God's words. God's wisdom is His loving words.
September 30, 2010
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