Today’s Sunday Refresh readings are gotten from: Readings:
Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5 (first reading); Psalm 139; Luke 10:13 16 (gospel passage).
In the first reading, we read how God replied to Job. He asked Job some questions about the mystery of the world in which Job lived, questions that no human being could answer. The message that God was passing to Job was that human knowledge and power are very limited and cannot grasp the mystery of this world, never mind fully knowing the mind, ways and purpose of God. God wanted Job and us to understand that no matter what we know, we can never come close to the wisdom of God.
When we realise this, we understand that it is utter foolishness to be angry with God, to blame Him for anything, to rebel against Him or to reject his words, like the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida because our judgment is so limited in understanding His ways and purpose.
I believe that like Job, many of us have questions in our minds that we would love to ask God if we had the chance. I know some of us would also love to hear from God just as Job did. Some of us would want to better know the ways of God, just as Job came to know them. Well, God has made provisions for us. The same One who spoke in the tempest now speaks through His Word. He has given us answers to most of our questions in His Word. Ignorance of His Word is ignorance of Him.
Today, the Holy Mother Church celebrates the memorial of a saint of the Word. We celebrate St. Jerome, a confessor, a theologian, a historian and a doctor of the Church.
St. Jerome translated the whole Bible into Latin(Vulgate) from Hebrew and Greek. He also wrote a commentary on the entire Bible and left the Church with many outstanding writings.
As holy as he was, his sufferings were also immense and intense. He was forced out of Rome by pagans, hedonists, secular clergies and people who felt he was a thorn in their flesh. He was falsely accused of an improper relationship with a rich widow, Paula. Roman populace turned against him for the death of Blaesilla, a young intelligent girl, who embraced asceticism at his preaching. Pelagian’s ruffians broke into his monastery in Bethlehem, set the building on fire, destroyed most of his works, attacked the nuns and the monks, killed a deacon and forced Jerome to flee.
Jerome went through a very tough time in his lifetime but he gained strength and encouragement through the Word of God. He eventually died on September 30, 420AD in Bethlehem, where the Word who became flesh was born.
May his prayers help us to seek God through His Word, help us to grow in our understanding of who God is and who we are and help us to live our lives in obedience to the will of God made known through His Word.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami September 30, 2022.