Saint Jerome famously wrote, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” What’s always been important to me about these words of Jerome is that they come in a commentary he wrote on the prophet Isaiah. In other words, Jerome is saying that ignorance of the Old Testament is ignorance of Christ! That’s more than a bit problematic for many of us.

More than a few of us find ourselves right in situations that just don’t seem to make sense. More than a few of us, with deep faith in God, His goodness and faithfulness, just flat out don’t get what’s going on. The Lord’s ways are not our ways. We cannot often understand why He does what He does.

On this great feast of the one the Church hails as “the apostle to the apostles”, these are the things I’m praying with, asking the Holy Spirit who dwells in me, and who was there that day, to help me to see and hear.

I readily admit I have very few original thoughts. Rather, I’ve always found great joy in making others aware of great minds and, even more, great souls. It is a joy for me to pass along to others books, articles and talks I come across that have had a profound impact on my life, in the hopes that they will similarly impact others.