Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Notes
Transcript
Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
When I was in seminary, I once met with my spiritual director and shared that I sometimes felt dry in my prayers and even during Mass. He advised me, “I do not care; what you need to care about is you are faithfully doing it, and he told me not to let my feelings mislead you. Being faithful to God and his words are more important than your feelings.” He reminded me not to let my feelings mislead me, as being faithful to God and His Word is far more important than how I feel in the moment.
This brings to mind Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, who, while imprisoned, wrote "The Way of Hope." He pointed out that saints don’t become saints by performing miracles or extraordinary acts; rather, they become saints by faithfully fulfilling their daily responsibilities. If we stay committed to our obligations in the present moment, we, too, can become saints.
This theme resonates with our first reading today, where Paul encourages Timothy to remain faithful to what he has learned, reminding us that all Scripture is inspired and meant to teach and guide us.
Saint Jerome’s life embodies this faithfulness. Despite facing many challenges, he never wavered in his commitment to the Word of God. He famously stated, "He who is not faithful to the Word of God is not faithful to God." This underscores the integral connection between our relationship with God and our faithfulness to His Word.
We are also called to be faithful in our daily lives—through our prayer life, ministry, charitable actions, helping the poor, and visiting our neighbors. All of these must be guided by God’s Word, which is the source of every good action. Like Jerome, we are invited to stand firm in our beliefs and draw strength from the Scriptures.
As we honor Saint Jerome today, let us strive to be faithful servants of the Word of God. Remember his reminder: "He who is not a good servant to the Word of God is not a good servant to the Church." May we one day call each other saints in heaven. May God bless us all.
