• September 30th - St. Jerome

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Sat Sep 29 08:57:34 2018
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    September 30th - St. Jerome

    St. Jerome, Confessor and Doctor of the Church (c. 341-420) is
    considered the Church's greatest Doctor of Scriptures.

    He conferred this praise upon St. Augustine: =E2=80=9CAs I have done, you applied all your energy to make the enemies of the Church your
    personal enemies.=E2=80=9D This eulogy is consistent with the counsel of St=
    ..
    Augustine: =E2=80=9CYou must hate the evil, but love the one who errs.=E2= =80=9D

    Regarding St. Jerome the Roman Breviary says: =E2=80=9CHe pummeled the
    heretics with his most harsh writings.=E2=80=9D

    Comments of Prof. Plinio:

    In the Catholic Church, St. Jerome is the representative par
    excellence of the polemical spirit, and in this sense he is a symbol
    against progressivist ecumenical dialogue. His writings are so
    straightforward, energetic, and intransigent that some people imagine
    that a saint could not write as he did. Almost everyone of his time
    trembled before him.

    Once St. Augustine, with whom he had an ongoing correspondence,
    amiably told him that with half the energy St. Jerome used in one of
    his letters, he would already be convinced of his argument. I also
    remember that once I read that a pious lady sent St. Jerome a gift:
    some young doves and a basket of cherries. He wrote back asking her
    what she was thinking when she sent those delicate things to him. He
    was suspicious that she might want to corrupt the austerity of his
    penitent life. He immediately gave the presents to the poor.

    One of my first encounters with Progressivism was with the reformist
    liturgical mentality that was being accepted by many monks in the
    Benedictine Monastery in Sao Paulo. I was talking with the Abbot and
    he told me that some works of St. Jerome were being read in the
    refectory of the monastery during the midday meal. He commented that
    the monks had become furious over the readings. In my naivet=C3=A9, I
    thought that their hatred was directed toward the heretics St. Jerome
    combated, but I soon realized that I was wrong. Their hatred was
    against St. Jerome himself, because they had sympathy for the
    heretics.

    The combativity of St. Jerome was an expression of his consuming zeal
    for the House of God. This kind of militancy is one of the most
    legitimate and saintly expressions of that zeal. Since his energy was
    inspired by love for God and not by personal resentments, it was a
    very holy thing. If force is exerted because of personal resentments,
    it is a completely different thing.

    That saintly militancy made him a living sword of God. I know of no
    higher praise than to say that a man is the living sword of God,
    cutting, piercing, wounding, and destroying His enemies. St. Jerome
    represents the pinnacle of the polemic spirit, and as such he is the
    Patron Saint of the counter-revolutionary fight

    His eulogy of St. Augustine about how he made the Church's enemies =
    his
    personal enemies is remarkable. It is one saint praising another one,
    and for this reason it can be said that the eulogy reflects the
    sanctity of the Church. The selection points out well that this aspect harmonizes perfectly with another apparently contrary one that can be
    seen in other words of St. Augustine: =E2=80=9CWe must hate evil, but love those who err.=E2=80=9D

    Today it is important that we have a clear understanding of what it
    means to love those who err. It is a liberal and ecumenical
    simplification to say that if one vigorously attacks those who err, he
    is harming these persons or showing a lack of charity. There are three
    reasons why this is not the case:

    First, when a person is in grave danger of falling into an abyss, the
    right thing to do is to shout at him and say, =E2=80=9CBe careful, you are =
    at
    the edge of the cliff and if you fall, you will crack your head and die.=E2=80=9D It would not be sensible to speak mildly, saying: =E2=80=9CHe= llo there,
    I am standing in a much better place than you. Why don't you come j=
    oin
    me?=E2=80=9D

    This would be a foolish way to keep the man from falling into the
    abyss. The right way to rescue a man from danger is not to show the
    positive side of your position, but to expose the danger of his
    position and the imprudence of remaining in it.

    Which one of you, seeing a man imprudently playing with a loaded gun
    and having his finger on the trigger, would gently suggest he play
    chess with you instead? It is a foolish attitude. The right thing is
    to address him sternly: =E2=80=9CLook, stop playing with that gun or you mi= ght
    hurt yourself or me.=E2=80=9D A man who is tempted to do something wrong ne= eds
    to be addressed with words that inspire fear.

    This is true above all when we deal with Catholic doctrine. Men are
    more easily moved by fear of bad consequences they can experience than
    a possible good they may enjoy. They are more easily moved by fear of
    Hell than by love of Heaven. Therefore, in order to convert a man, it
    is more charitable and expedient for us to first point out his error
    and its bad consequences, and then speak about the beauty and goodness
    of the truth. St. Jerome was a model of this way of acting.

    I know that some rare souls may be touched by sweetness rather than combativity, but this is not the rule. It is the exception to the
    rule. God gives His Church saints who have special charismas to
    attract with amiability, such as St. Francis of Sales, who drew souls
    by his sweetness. However, the rule is to attack the evil to convert
    the person, as St. Jerome did.... Our Lord, the divine model of
    sanctity, did not act with conciliation when he debated with the
    Pharisees. Instead, he called them as a generation of vipers, sons of
    Satan, whited sepulchers, etc. Also, when He came upon the
    money-changers in the Temple, He became indignant and used a whip to
    physically drive them out. That is, He used not only energy in the
    polemic against evil people, but He also used physical violence to
    punish the profaners....


    Saint Quote:
    Thank God I am deemed worthy to be hated by the world.
    =E2=80=93 Saint Jerome

    Saint Jerome's patronage: archeologists; archivists; Bible scholars; librarians; libraries; school children; students; translators

    <><><><>
    Prayer for Final Perseverance:

    O Jesus, my Saviour, my God, by Thy Sacred Heart,
    =C2 by the most pure Heart of the Virgin Mother,
    =C2 by whatever is pleasing to Thee in heaven and on earth,
    =C2 I beg and entreat Thee, grant me holy perseverance,
    =C2 grant me patience. Give me grace and courage that I may
    =C2 efficaciously employ the means which Thou hast given.

    Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love. 3 times
    Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation. 3 times
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From rich@1:396/4 to All on Tue Sep 29 10:11:33 2020
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    September 30th - St. Jerome

    St. Jerome, Confessor and Doctor of the Church (c. 341-420) is
    considered the Church's greatest Doctor of Scriptures.

    He conferred this praise upon St. Augustine: =E2=80=9CAs I have done, you applied all your energy to make the enemies of the Church your
    personal enemies.=E2=80=9D This eulogy is consistent with the counsel of St=
    ..
    Augustine: =E2=80=9CYou must hate the evil, but love the one who errs.=E2= =80=9D

    Regarding St. Jerome the Roman Breviary says: =E2=80=9CHe pummeled the
    heretics with his most harsh writings.=E2=80=9D

    Comments of Prof. Plinio:

    In the Catholic Church, St. Jerome is the representative par
    excellence of the polemical spirit, and in this sense he is a symbol
    against progressivist ecumenical dialogue. His writings are so
    straightforward, energetic, and intransigent that some people imagine
    that a saint could not write as he did. Almost everyone of his time
    trembled before him.

    Once St. Augustine, with whom he had an ongoing correspondence,
    amiably told him that with half the energy St. Jerome used in one of
    his letters, he would already be convinced of his argument. I also
    remember that once I read that a pious lady sent St. Jerome a gift:
    some young doves and a basket of cherries. He wrote back asking her
    what she was thinking when she sent those delicate things to him. He
    was suspicious that she might want to corrupt the austerity of his
    penitent life. He immediately gave the presents to the poor.

    One of my first encounters with Progressivism was with the reformist
    liturgical mentality that was being accepted by many monks in the
    Benedictine Monastery in Sao Paulo. I was talking with the Abbot and
    he told me that some works of St. Jerome were being read in the
    refectory of the monastery during the midday meal. He commented that
    the monks had become furious over the readings. In my naivet=C3=A9, I
    thought that their hatred was directed toward the heretics St. Jerome
    combated, but I soon realized that I was wrong. Their hatred was
    against St. Jerome himself, because they had sympathy for the
    heretics.

    The combativity of St. Jerome was an expression of his consuming zeal
    for the House of God. This kind of militancy is one of the most
    legitimate and saintly expressions of that zeal. Since his energy was
    inspired by love for God and not by personal resentments, it was a
    very holy thing. If force is exerted because of personal resentments,
    it is a completely different thing.

    That saintly militancy made him a living sword of God. I know of no
    higher praise than to say that a man is the living sword of God,
    cutting, piercing, wounding, and destroying His enemies. St. Jerome
    represents the pinnacle of the polemic spirit, and as such he is the
    Patron Saint of the counter-revolutionary fight

    His eulogy of St. Augustine about how he made the Church's enemies =
    his
    personal enemies is remarkable. It is one saint praising another one,
    and for this reason it can be said that the eulogy reflects the
    sanctity of the Church. The selection points out well that this aspect harmonizes perfectly with another apparently contrary one that can be
    seen in other words of St. Augustine: =E2=80=9CWe must hate evil, but love those who err.=E2=80=9D

    Today it is important that we have a clear understanding of what it
    means to love those who err. It is a liberal and ecumenical
    simplification to say that if one vigorously attacks those who err, he
    is harming these persons or showing a lack of charity. There are three
    reasons why this is not the case:

    First, when a person is in grave danger of falling into an abyss, the
    right thing to do is to shout at him and say, =E2=80=9CBe careful, you are =
    at
    the edge of the cliff and if you fall, you will crack your head and die.=E2=80=9D It would not be sensible to speak mildly, saying: =E2=80=9CHe= llo there,
    I am standing in a much better place than you. Why don't you come j=
    oin
    me?=E2=80=9D

    This would be a foolish way to keep the man from falling into the
    abyss. The right way to rescue a man from danger is not to show the
    positive side of your position, but to expose the danger of his
    position and the imprudence of remaining in it.

    Which one of you, seeing a man imprudently playing with a loaded gun
    and having his finger on the trigger, would gently suggest he play
    chess with you instead? It is a foolish attitude. The right thing is
    to address him sternly: =E2=80=9CLook, stop playing with that gun or you mi= ght
    hurt yourself or me.=E2=80=9D A man who is tempted to do something wrong ne= eds
    to be addressed with words that inspire fear.

    This is true above all when we deal with Catholic doctrine. Men are
    more easily moved by fear of bad consequences they can experience than
    a possible good they may enjoy. They are more easily moved by fear of
    Hell than by love of Heaven. Therefore, in order to convert a man, it
    is more charitable and expedient for us to first point out his error
    and its bad consequences, and then speak about the beauty and goodness
    of the truth. St. Jerome was a model of this way of acting.

    I know that some rare souls may be touched by sweetness rather than combativity, but this is not the rule. It is the exception to the
    rule. God gives His Church saints who have special charismas to
    attract with amiability, such as St. Francis of Sales, who drew souls
    by his sweetness. However, the rule is to attack the evil to convert
    the person, as St. Jerome did....=C2 Our Lord, the divine model of
    sanctity, did not act with conciliation when he debated with the
    Pharisees. Instead, he called them as a generation of vipers, sons of
    Satan, whited sepulchers, etc. Also, when He came upon the
    money-changers in the Temple, He became indignant and used a whip to
    physically drive them out. That is, He used not only energy in the
    polemic against evil people, but He also used physical violence to
    punish the profaners....We should certainly ask St. Jerome=C2 help us
    destroy this liberal mentality that opens the door for the evil that
    is assaulting and taking over the entire Church.


    Saint Quote:
    Fly from the world, and commence by trampling under your feet all
    human respect. Do not blush to be a servant of Christ. Regard this
    world with the same horror that the sight of a criminal suspended from
    a gibbet would awaken in you. Know that the atmosphere of the world is
    polluted with the foul odor of thousands of sins that are constantly
    committed, and which can be washed away only by tears of blood.
    --St. Paul of the Cross

    Bible Quote:
    Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.=C2 (Rom. 12:21)


    <><><><>
    Eternal Father

    Eternal Father, I desire to rest in Thy Heart this night. I make the
    intention of offering to Thee every beat of my heart, joining to them as ma=
    ny
    acts of love and desire. I pray that even while I sleep, I will bring back
    to Thee souls that offend Thee. I ask forgiveness for the whole world, especially for those who know Thee and yet sin. I offer to Thee my every
    breath and heartbeat as a prayer of reparation.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)