St Jerome

   "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." St. Jerome

St Jerome is one of the most important scripture scholars in the history of the church. His translation of the bible into Latin, completed in the 4th century, was the basis of every translation into modern languages until the middle of the 20th century. His brilliance and discipline were such that he was able to produce not only a translation of the bible that continues to be a resource for contemporary students of scripture, he also wrote dozens of commentaries on the bible, and more than a hundred letters.

This being said, Jerome was a volatile, tempestuous and driven man. Reading a few of his letters makes you glad you were not in his sights. Jerome lived at a time and in a church that badly needed reform and his answer was a rigid asceticism. In what many consider his most famous letter, he warns St. Eustochium about every possible threat to her virginity while also acknowledging that even when he went to the desert to escape the insanity of the Rome of his day, he was tormented by fantasies of Roman dancing girls.

Jerome is a powerful example of how God works with us as we are and uses even our faults for the good of others. Jerome’s life reminds us that when we submit ourselves to God, great things happen, and that God and history remember all the good Jerome did and underplay his shortcomings. What a wonderful lesson for us.

Today, ask for forgiveness of your sins, but don’t forget to be grateful for the gifts God has given you.

Have you experienced God dismissing your faults but using your strengths?

Jealous Prophets

 "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!" Num 11:29

How possessive the followers of Moses were about their rights as prophets. Because Eldad and Medad were not in the tent when God took some of the Spirit he had bestowed on Moses and gave it to the seventy elders, they protested. Could it me that everyone was called to prophecy?

Moses provides a simple, but  important answer. Rituals like God's action in the tent help us understand that God wants us to speak his word, but they are not the only way God acts. Because God intended that Eldad and Medad would be anointed, it did not matter if they were actually in the tent when God acted. That they knew and acted upon their knowledge of God's intent was all that mattered.

Prophecy is simple but dangerous. When we speak God's word with clarity and remind others by word and example that God calls us to work together for unity among ourselves and justice for all, there will always be push back. Some will argue that others don't deserve the joy of unity since their behavior has excluded them from the church. Others will suggest that justice is something we must earn through hard work, but prophets know different and risk their lives to say it.

Today, live like a prophet. Be transparent in your commitment to unity and justice for all.

What do you think it means to be a prophet?

Paying Attention

   “Pay attention to what I am telling you.” (Lk 9:44)

Paying attention to others, especially when they speak, is a simple act of courtesy that every person deserves, especially children and the elderly. Nevertheless, for any number of reasons, we often fail in this regard. We are busy, distracted, and anxious or have a cluttered mind or schedule. Unfortunately, because children and the aging have less to distract them, they notice when we are not listening, and while they may not say anything, they are often hurt and confused by our failure to be fully present to them.

Today, try listening to someone intentionally. Ask God for the grace to be still and to be attentive to the other with reverence and patience. Don’t ask for the right answers. If that kind of response is necessary it will come. Rather, ask for the ability not to run away from another’s struggle and the courage to walk with them in silence.

Today, asks for the gift of listening to others with your heart.

Who paid attention to you when you were most confused or in need?

Fear and Doubt

  "Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, 'John has been raised from the dead.' " Lk 9:7

Fear and doubt are ordinary and necessary experiences in life, especially for people of faith. Only those who refuse to think about the mysteries of faith, or live in denial about the struggles with which faith presents us believe they will never be afraid or have doubts.  From St Thomas, the Apostle, to Blessed Mother Teresa, the great figures in our faith tradition had doubts with which they had to struggle continually.

In the Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day, in describing the struggles of her baptism in the Catholic church, says it this way:

One part of my mind stood at one side and kept saying, ‘What are you doing? Are you sure of yourself? What kind of an affectation is this? What act is this you are going through? Are you trying to induce emotion, bring about faith, partake of the opiate of the people?’ I felt like a hypocrite if I got down on my knees, and shuddered at the thought of anyone seeing me…

Today, ask not to be afraid of your doubts. God can lead you through them into new hope.

What are your biggest faith struggles?