The Glory and the Cross
Celebrating St. Jerome - 30th September, 2017
Zech 2: 5-9,14-15; Lk 9: 43-45
For a true Christian glory and the cross have to coexist constantly. One cannot lose himself or herself in the glory of a moment, being misled into orientations that do not help their ultimate salvation. At times this is seen very much in people who are in a position to claim glory from things that happen around them. Think of the parish priests and other pastors who are so keen on putting up buildings and structures that would speak of their glory, to a detrimental effect on their pastoral care of the people entrusted to them! Don't be carried away, Jesus warns the disciples. He says, beyond this glory and praise, there is suffering which is the only way to salvation. Striving for it, taking control of our passions and inclinations, making choices that are difficult and never losing sight of the ultimate goal towards which we are all traversing, are the essential marks of a true Christian. Even amidst the glories that come along, these orientations should never be lost.
Looking at the Saint we celebrate today, St. Jerome, was a contemporary of St. Augustine and had written as much as Augustine himself. The first translation of the entire Bible into Latin was by Jerome. A queer fact I was fascinated looking at some of the paintings of Jerome was, that we see a skull all the time around him, either on his bed or on his working table. And what was the reason - that which we are reflecting on from the readings: to never lose sight of the ultimate goal we are moving towards. As a hermit, Jerome often reminded himself of death and that is the symbolism of the skull. He would remind himself that death is always around and he cannot lose his orientation in life. He fixed his eyes on the will of God and fulfilled it to perfection, putting up with numerous difficulties for the sake of the Word and the Will of God.