Today’s saint, the last for the month of September, impresses upon us the necessity to keep our last judgment on the forefront of our minds and hearts.
Below are practical considerations for St. Jerome from Father Francis Xavier Weninger, DD, SJ., 1876.
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Saint Jerome, while in the wilderness, was often disturbed by the recollection of scenes which he had beheld at Rome in the theatre.
Behold what is the fruit of such amusements.
Many have perhaps no evil thoughts so long as they are at such places; the Evil One does not tempt us there in order to induce us to continue to frequent them. But the time will come when this false spirit will bring to our mind everything that we heard and saw in these unchaste plays, and thus, perhaps, lead us to commit great sin. If you desire to escape this danger, avoid all that may occasion it.
“At holy baptism,” says Saint Salvianus, “you renounced the devil and all his works. Frivolous plays and unchaste amusements are works of the devil.” Hence, if you frequent these, you show that you revoke your first renunciation and that you turn again to Satan.
Can you do this without rendering an account of it to God? Much more severe will be your account, if you bring others, perhaps even young children, to such places.
Quintilian writes that, at one time, it was not allowed at Rome, that the young should* visit the theatre, that they might not learn what it was better for them not to know. So solicitous were the heathens for their children. And how do some Christian parents act?
Oh! Parents! Christian parents only in name? How the heathens will bring shame upon you before the judgment-seat of God! How will you justify yourselves?
Saint Jerome prayed and did penance when he was tempted. He also endeavored to fill his mind with other thoughts. May you also act thus in your hours of temptation. Endeavor to think of something else, and avoid idleness.
Saint Jerome was scourged because he found great pleasure in reading a book, although he neither learned from it, nor sought in it anything that was impure or sinful.
Oh! how will those be scourged, how deep will be the wounds they will have to bear, who read all kinds of sensational, scandalous, superstitious and heretical books!
If you wish to escape such a chastisement, throw away books of that kind. “When you read a good book, God converses with you,” says Saint Jerome. Hence, when you read a bad book, Satan converses with you.
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Saint Jerome lived many years in great austerity. And why? Fear of the Judgment Day and of hell actuated him; as he unceasingly thought of these.
He believed that he would not be able to justify himself before the Divine Judge and not escape hell, without this severity: or it was at least his opinion that such severity was beneficial to man, in order that he might receive a favorable sentence at the divine judgment and escape hell.
You avoid fasting and every severity, lead a sensual, comfortable life; and yet expect to acquit yourself well at the day of judgment and to escape hell.
Is Jerome, or are you, wrong?
I fear you consider not as earnestly as Saint Jerome did, the awfulness of the last judgment and of hell. You do not think of it so frequently; hence, you do not endeavor more earnestly to find a gracious Judge, and not be banished into hell.
My advice is, that you think oftener and more earnestly of the last day and of hell.
I am sure that you will then not omit to do all that is necessary to justify yourself before the Judgment-seat of God. “Consider frequently and earnestly the approaching day of judgment, and the eternal fire of hell,” says Saint Ambrose. “Those who think, in all their actions, on the day of judgment, will easily be saved,” says Saint Hilary. Tertullian writes: “The contemplation of hell is the beginning of our salvation. It puts an end to sin and prepares the way for grace and pardon.”
