St. Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and, in all honesty, the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, “You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints).
Let us pray. “O blessed St. Jerome, humbly we ask that you intercede for us before God, and that our petitions this day will be answered. We ask your blessing on the poor, the sick, and the unemployed of our world. Bless all married couples, the young and the old. Grant that all those who have heard the call of the Gospel will receive a special blessing this day.
Pray for us, St. Jerome, that our parish community will always remain united in the love that only Christ can bring. May your word and example be our strength and our consolation. Amen.”
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