Feast of St. Jerome
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Jerome. He was a prolific writer, especially on history, theology, and the Bible. We best remember Jerome for translating the Bible into Latin, known as the Vulgate.
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For St. Jerome, the Bible is essential for all Christians:
?“Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”
Here are 3 important reasons why we should read the Bible:
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1. God Reveals Himself Throughout History
In God's love for humanity, He revealed Himself to us over time. The Bible outlines His intimate plan for us, culminating in Jesus Christ:
When reading about God's patient, merciful love, we better understand how He loves us today. At the end, the Gospels reveal God's saving love in Jesus. We should never stop meditating on God's words and deeds in the Scriptures.
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2. We Encounter the Living God, Here and Now
The Bible is not an old artifact to study:
"Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
The Scriptures are always relevant, ready to help us with whatever we're going through.
They cut into the depths of our souls, helping us to see our spiritual lives with clarity. When we pray and meditate on the life of Christ, God speaks to us.
So many people ask, "Why can't God just talk to us?" In the Word of God, He does.
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3. Reading the Bible Deepens our Faith
St. Paul makes it clear that our faith grows when we read the Word of God:
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"So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." - Romans 10:17
The more we saturate our minds and hearts with the Word of God, the more our faith in God matures. We begin to think how He thinks, to see how He sees, and even to love how He loves.
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In fact, St. John even says that increasing our faith is why he wrote his gospel:
"But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name." - John 20:31
On this feast of St. Jerome, let us focus on reading the Scriptures, especially the Gospels. Even a little bit each day will go a long way in bringing us close to God.
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Want to go deeper? Check out this free video series from Dr. Edward Sri and Curtis Martin through the "big picture" of the Bible.
Further Resources
Walk with Curtis and Dr. Sri as they unpack the story of creation. Why did God make us? What were we made for?
Video - This Is Why You Need to Rest on Sunday! | Tanner Kalina Tanner Kalina talks about why you should observe the Sabbath and rest on Sunday. What are good ways to rest?
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Article - History of St. Jerome
St. Jerome helped shape the Catholic Church for the better. Here is his story.
It is worse still to be ignorant of your ignorance. - St. Jerome