杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

St Jerome bequeathed to the Church 鈥渄evotion to the Sacred Scripture, a 鈥榣iving and tender love鈥� for the written word of God,鈥� says 杏MAP导航 Francis in a new on the 1600th anniversary of the death of the great Doctor and Father of the Church.

鈥淛erome鈥檚 profound knowledge of the Scriptures, his zeal for making their teaching known, his skill as an interpreter of texts, his ardent and at times impetuous defence of Christian truth, his asceticism and harsh eremitical discipline, his expertise as a generous and sensitive spiritual guide鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 writes in Scripturae Sacrae affectus ("Devotion to Sacred Scripture"), 鈥渁ll these make him, sixteen centuries after his death, a figure of enduring relevance for us, the Christians of the twenty-first century.鈥�

A life devoted to Christ and His word

Reviewing the life of the fourth century saint, 杏MAP导航 Francis notes that Jerome devoted himself entirely 鈥渢o Christ and His word,鈥� working unceasingly 鈥渢o make the divine writings accessible to others. The 杏MAP导航 highlighted two dimensions of the saint鈥檚 life especially: his 鈥渁bsolute and austere consecration to God,鈥� and 鈥渁 commitment to diligent study, aimed purely at an ever deeper understanding of the Christian mystery.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis dwells on Jerome鈥檚 love of Scripture, which focused on the 鈥渉umble character of God鈥檚 revelation,鈥� more than on 鈥渢he narrative and poetic genius of the Bible.鈥� Jerome approached the Scriptures in an even 鈥渕ore systematic and distinctive way鈥� than the other early Christian Fathers, emphasizing the necessity of knowing the Bible in order to know Christ.

Saint Jerome by Albrecht Dürer

Study steeped in obedience

Jerome鈥檚 study of the Scripture, the 杏MAP导航 says, was steeped in obedience, both to God Himself and 鈥渢o those in the Church who represent the living Tradition that interprets the revealed message.鈥� But, 杏MAP导航 Francis insists, 鈥淭he 鈥榦bedience of faith鈥� is not, however, a mere passive reception of something already known; on the contrary it demands an active personal effort to understand what was spoken.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis notes that many people find the Bible difficult to read鈥攏ot because of illiteracy, but because they have not learned the skills necessary to make the sacred text intelligible.

鈥淭his shows the need for an interpreter,鈥� writes 杏MAP导航 Francis, adding, 鈥淛erome can serve as our guide鈥� because he leads every reader to the mystery of Jesus.鈥�

The Vulgate translation

The 杏MAP导航 notes that Jerome鈥檚 translation of the Scriptures into Latin helped to shape western culture. 鈥淛erome鈥檚 work of translation teaches us that the values and positive forms of every culture represent an enrichment for the whole Church,鈥� while at the same time witnessing 鈥渢o the fact that the Bible continually needs to be translated into the linguistic and mental categories of each culture and generation.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis also explains the importance of translation as a form of 鈥渉ospitality鈥�: a translator, he writes, 鈥渋s a bridge builder,鈥� helping people of different languages and cultures not only communicate with, but also understand one another.

Devotion to Rome and the 杏MAP导航s

Saint Jerome was also known for his deep devotion to Rome and to the 杏MAP导航s. 鈥淎t a turbulent time in which the seamless garment of the Church was often torn by divisions among Christians, Jerome looked to the Chair of Peter as a sure reference point.鈥�

 Jerome himself 鈥渨as often involved in bitter disputes for the cause of the faith,鈥� which he often carried out with great passion. Nonetheless, although willing to fight vehemently for the faith, Jerome loved and desired peace. 鈥淭oday more than ever,鈥� writes 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渙ur world needs the medicine of mercy and peace.鈥�

Saint Jerome by Leonardo da Vinci

Example of love for the Scriptures

Concluding his Letter, 杏MAP导航 Francis appeals to everyone to take Saint Jerome as an example of love for Sacred Scripture and devotion to study. 鈥淚 would like to pose a challenge to young people in particular,鈥� he writes: 鈥淏egin exploring your heritage. Christianity makes you heirs of an unsurpassed cultural patrimony of which you must take ownership. Be passionate about this history which is yours. Dare to fix your gaze on the young Jerome, who, like the merchant in Jesus鈥� parable, sold all he had in order to buy the 鈥榩earl of great price鈥�.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis expresses his hope that we might 鈥渓ove what Jerome loved,鈥� rediscover his writings, and allow ourselves 鈥渢o be touched by his robust spirituality.鈥� He points to the Blessed Virgin Mary as 鈥渢he model of prayerful reading of the Scriptures,鈥� encouraging us to 鈥渆ntrust ourselves to Our Lady who, more than anyone, can teach us how to read, meditate, contemplate, and pray to God, who tirelessly makes Himself present in our lives.鈥�