Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

LECTIONARY
454

FIRST READING

ZEC 2:5-9, 14-15A

I, Zechariah, raised my eyes and looked:
there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.
I asked, "Where are you going?"
He answered, "To measure Jerusalem,
to see how great is its width and how great its length."

Then the angel who spoke with me advanced,
and another angel came out to meet him and said to him,
"Run, tell this to that young man:
People will live in Jerusalem as though in open country,
because of the multitude of men and beasts in her midst.
But I will be for her an encircling wall of fire, says the LORD,
and I will be the glory in her midst."

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you.

PSALM

JEREMIAH 31:10, 11-12AB, 13

Response: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd guards his flock.

The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings.

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.

GOSPEL

LK 9:43B-45

While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men."
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Daily Reflection

St Jerome, whose feast we celebrate today, was known, among other things, for his translation of the Old and New Testaments into Latin from the original Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek respectively – a feat that took a good 18 years to complete.

Translation serves an important purpose in that it helps us comprehend things. The reading from Zechariah portrays the prophet’s third vision where God’s assurance to His people is translated through picturesque visions. In spite of being an “open (un-walled) country”, Jerusalem will be safe as Yahweh will be an “encircling wall of fire”.

Jesus’ disciples are unable to understand the prediction of his Passion because “its meaning was hidden from them.” Understanding the Gospel requires that we look at it through the eyes of Jesus. It is only then that we are able to translate it to the world.

Jesus requires people to translate the Gospel into action... are you willing?