Monday, September 30, 2024: Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church.

Theme: GREATNESS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD THROUGH SERVICE.
Readings: Job 1:6-22, Psalm 17:1, 2-3,6-7, Luke 9:46-50

Today is the memorial of St. Jerome. He was born in Strido, Dalmatia the current day Croatia in 347. St. Jerome died in Bethlehem on the 30th September 420 aged 80. He was buried in the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, Rome, Italy. He founded a Monastery, a hospice, and a school, and settled to the most important work of his life as a biblical scholar.

St. Augustine said of him, “what Jerome is ignorant of no mortal has ever known”. St. Jerome served God as a Monk and devoted the whole of his life to the translation of the Bible from the original languages of Hebrew and Greek commonly known as the Vulgate. He studied scripture throughout his life, wrote many commentaries on the Bible, promoted the monastic life, and lived a penitential life.
What lessons do we learn from St. Jerome:

1. Love of the word of God. St. Jerome said; “Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ”. It is important that every Christian lives in contact and personal dialogue with the word of God. His desire to read the word of God was so strong to keep him awake most of the time. The exhortation which he addressed to Eustochium concern us also: “often read and learn all that is possible. Let sleep surprise you while reading; when you fall, your face will be warmly received with a Holy page” (letter to Eustochium, 22:17; Ed.Labour T.I.p.126). See also: Jeremiah 15:16.

2. Sacrifice and prayer. We can move the heart of God through acts of sacrifice and prayer (2 Chronicles 7:14).

3. Service of God and neighbour with our talents. God has given every human being a gift, or talent to use for his purpose.St. Jerome inspires us to put our lives at the service of God and neighbor using different talents God has given to us differently. He used his intelligence to translate the Bible (1 Peter 4:10, Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:2). In line with the gospel of today, to be great one has to be at the service of God and neighbor.

4. Sacrament of Penance. St. Jerome lived a penitential life and therefore inspires as to love the sacrament of Penance (John 20:19-23).

Jesus advised his disciples to forget all rivalry and jealousy and serve others, trusting in God in their humble services like the little child who always trusts his parents and is always humble. Such child-like qualities are good criteria for entrance into the kingdom of God ( cf. Mt 7:13-14). The only way that opens the door to the kingdom of God is to love God seen in service of our day to day lives. Let us make an effort to serve fellow human beings above self (1 John 3:16). May St. Jerome intercede for us always to be dedicated to God’s service.

We pray that you God may grant us the grace to love others as you loved us without conditions. Amen!

Fr. Kwehangana Bagubwa Mathias
St. Charles Lwanga Seminary, Nyakibale.