What are you going to do to better know the Scriptures and their relevance for your life? - Daily Reflections September 30,2015

Memorial of St. Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church

 

ST. JEROME: LOVER OF GOD’S WORD

 

What is the greatest love in your life? How do you pursue it? How much does it mean to you? To what degree are you willing to lay down your life for it? These questions help us reflect on what matters most to us. St. Jerome is known as the man who coined the phrase: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” This is very true. It is important that we become men and women of God’s Word if we are serious about becoming His disciples.

    Jesus constantly reflected upon the Word of God. He knew its importance for Him. The saints reflect on Scripture because they firmly believe that all answers to life’s questions can be found within.

       As I speak to many people in the course of my ministry as a priest, I am amazed at our — and I include myself here — ignorance of the Scriptures. When we consider how much time is spent listening to music and playing video games, and then very few people can quote even one line from the Scriptures, we know there is something wrong with our priorities in life. The Desert Fathers have a saying that we should be dyeing our hearts the color of the Scriptures. That is, we should be reading and reflecting on them so often that they become one with us. Imagine how wonderful it would be to call to mind a Scripture verse every time we encounter a struggle in life.

       We watch a sporting event and people can recite the facts and figures for their team going back decades, but very few can recite an entire psalm, even one of the short ones. What does this say about the focus of our commitment? Not much that is good, I dare to say. The Scriptures are the Word of God; there is nothing more important to know than God’s Word for our lives. Let us resolve to get to know the Scriptures better from this day forward. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What are you going to do to better know the Scriptures and their relevance for your life?

 

Holy Spirit, awaken in my heart a love for the Word of God such that I will never tire of reading and reflecting upon them.