Today's feast is that of St. Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church. He was born at Stridon in Dalmatia around the year 340. He studied the classical authors at Rome, and was baptized there. He embraced a life of asceticism and went to the East where he was ordained a priest. Returning to Rome he became secretary to Pope Damasus. At Rome he began to translate the holy Scriptures into Latin and to promote the monastic life. Eventually he settled at Bethlehem where he served the needs of the Church. He wrote many works, especially commentaries on holy Scripture. One of his famous sayings was: "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." He died at Bethlehem in 420.
The first reading today talks of adhering to what was learned and believed from infancy in the Scriptures. This is important because "all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness – so that one who belongs to god may be competent for every good work." Unless our relationship with the Word of God leads to good works of loving our neighbor – then it is pointless and ineffectual.
The gospel passage today, particularly, can be identified with St. Jerome. The Kingdom of heaven, being like a net thrown into the sea which gathers all kinds of things – good and bad – will be sorted out one day. The angels will sort out the bad and throw them out into the fiery furnace; while righteous will be saved and enjoy security and life forever! The one who can bring out of the storehouse of his experience the "new" and the "old" will be saved – will be considered balanced – will be considered righteous – will be considered meritorious of eternal life!
This, no doubt, refers, at least in part to that which came before Jesus, and that which is now because of Jesus: or to the Old Covenant and Testament, and the New Covenant and Testament.
As Catholic Christians we are called upon to be able to produce evidence that we accept and live out both covenants – in a manner which shows how the first empties into second and is the fulfillment of the first!
And so this day we pray,
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
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