Holy Scripture

Holy Scripture

“When I discovered your teaching, I devoured it. Your words brought me joy and gladness; you have called me your own, O Lord my God.” (Jeremiah 15: 16)

Today is September 30^th, the feast day of St. Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church. Jerome, one of the 33 doctors of the Church translated the Bible into Latin. His translation, the Vulgate was for centuries the official version of the Church. The Church prays in the Memorial Mass to honor St. Jerome:

“Father, you gave St. Jerome delight in his study of holy scripture. May your people find in your word the food of salvation and the fountain of life.”

Late in 1996, I confided the entry below to my journal:

“Yesterday at the Houston Central Library downtown, I met Steve Conwell, an African-American pastor. Like two other people I had met in the library, he affirmed that our meeting was providential. We discussed the methodology of studying the Bible. Steve gave me some elements of methodology, for example: Parallel Bible, Bible Dictionary, Bible Commentaries, etc. Without prompting, he offered to enroll me free of charge in his brother’s Bible School. In other words, I was given a scholarship. Amazing! But less than an hour after we parted, I knew that this was not the answer to the vision I had a couple of days ago. God’s answer will come at the appointed time.”

I knew without being able to explain it at the time that what separates the Church from Protestant Christianity is the understanding of scripture, its interpretation and Tradition. I knew instinctively that Protestant rendering of holy scriptures lacks historicity and will not be faithful to tradition. And for me, such a study will be an exercise in futility.