Saint Jerome once said: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
These are strong words. But Saint Jerome understood something very important: if we want to know Jesus more deeply, we must learn to love the Word of God.
In our reading today, Saint Paul tells Timothy: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
The Bible, therefore, is not simply an old book that we keep on a shelf. It is God speaking to His people. It is a living Word for our lives today.
I would like to offer three simple invitations.
First, read the bible.
Many of us spend a lot of time reading messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos, and following the latest news.
But how much time do we spend reading God’s Word?
We do not have to begin with one whole chapter every day. Start small. Read the Gospel of the day. Even five minutes is enough to begin.
Before you touch your phone in the morning, perhaps read a few verses from Scripture.
Because what we read every day slowly shapes the way we think, speak, choose, and live.
Second, meditate on the Word.
Do not simply read the Bible to finish it. Read it slowly enough for God to speak to you.
After reading, ask: “Lord, what are You telling me today?”
Maybe one sentence will touch you. Stay with it. Repeat it. Carry it throughout the day.
Sometimes we come to prayer looking for answers. But God may simply give us one Word to hold on to.
As Psalm 119 says: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.”
We may not see the whole road ahead. But God’s Word can give us enough light for the next step.
Third, live the Word.
Saint Paul tells Timothy that Scripture equips us “for every good work.”
The purpose of reading the Bible is not simply to know more about God. It is to become more like Christ.
If you read, “Forgive,” forgive someone.
If you read, “Love your enemies,” pray for the person who hurt you.
If you read, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me,” help someone in need.
The best Bible is not only the Bible we carry in our hands. It is the Word of God that people can see being lived in our lives.
My dear brothers and sisters, on this feast of Saint Jerome, let us make a simple commitment: Read the Word. Meditate on the Word. Live the Word.
Even five minutes a day can be a beautiful beginning. Because when we open the Bible with faith, we are not simply opening a book. We are opening our hearts to God who desires to speak to us.
Saint Jerome, pray for us. Give us a hunger for God’s Word, a heart that listens to it, and the courage to live it every day.