Daily Reflection

8 February - Saint Jerome Emiliani

Born in 1486, St. Jerome seems to be another example of a generous, hardworking person. He died at the relatively young age of fifty-six. Today in reading about his life we wonder about such things as burnout and generous, hard-driving dedication to good work. St. Jerome had been, early in life, in the army and a prisoner of war at one time. Ordained a priest at about the age of thirty-eight he spent his time and energy in the service of the marginal: abandoned and homeless children, orphans, prostitutes, the sick. In the process he founded a community of religious men for the same service. The lives of such saints never suggest that they had time for an occasional game of racquetball or a concert. We can't help wonder if Jerome died so young because of overwork. We can understand a refugee worker not taking time out for a movie while faced with the immediate distress of many people. Each of us has to make a decision in conscience weighing a variety of goods. In Mark's Gospel we hear that Jesus said to His disciples on their return from a full day: "'Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little'" (6:31). With the sanction of our Lord's words and the insights of modern medicine, doesn't it seem that a balance of work and recreation is good in the long run for our work, for those we help and for ourselves? Even for those of us who might not be so beleaguered, daily prayer and quiet keep us able and willing to be generous with our talents and time.

The Rule of Saint Benedict : Todays Reading

Saint John's Abbey is online at http://www.sja.osb.org/