This month was chosen, because the great St. Jerome, who translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin, has his liturgical Memorial held on September 30. He was Secretary of the great Pope St. Damascus (366-384), which put this great work called “Vulgate”, to be used everywhere.

St. Jerome took about thirty-five years doing this translation in the caves of Bethlehem, living in prayer and penance next to the Grotto where Jesus was born. Pope John Paul II said that “not knowing the Scriptures is not to know Christ himself.” He left us a legacy of great love for the Holy Scriptures. And possessed great literary and biblical culture, knew Greek, Latin and Hebrew.

^{Photo: Daniel Mafra/cancaonova.com}

Scripture is food for our soul and source of life. Jesus knew the Bible. More than that: he loved and navigated by his words. That’s enough for all of us to do the same. The temptation in the desert, when the demon tempted  the Lord, He countered with the words of Scripture. When the tempter asked him to turn the stones into bread to prove his divine Sonship, Jesus said to him: “man does not live by bread alone, but to all that procedes out of the mouth of the Lord” (Dt 8, 3 c).

When the tempter demanded that he threw from the top of the temple, Jesus replied: “Don’t provoke the Lord your God” (Deut. 6, 16a). And when Satan tried to get Christ loved, heard once again the word of God: “Fear the Lord your God, you will serve him only and only swear oaths by his name” (Dt 6.13). The demon was defeated and turned away, because it has no power on the word of God.

It is not without reason that St. Peter said: “first of all, know that no prophecy of Scripture is of personal interpretation. Never a prophecy was made through a human will. Men inspired by the Holy Spirit spoke from God “(2 Pt -21 1.20).

The importance of the month of the Bible is that the Brazilian people know it better and be motivated to study it further, since it is not easy to understand, especially the old testament. The Bible is not a book of science, but of faith. Using different literary genres, it recounts the events of the life of a people guided by God, four thousand years ago, going through the most varied social, political, cultural contexts, economic, among others. So, the word of God may not always be taken at the “literally”, though often should be. “for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3, 6 c), said Sao Paulo.

Therefore, to read the Bible, requires, first of all, the prerequisite of faith and inspiration of the Holy Spirit in mind, without which the interpretation of Scripture can be compromised. But we also need to study it, do a Bible course, among others.

The letter to the Hebrews says that “the word of God is quick, effective, sharper than a two-edged sword, and even to the Division of soul and body, of the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart “(Heb 4.12).

For the word of God to be effective in our lives, we must, by faith, believe in it and put it into practice objectively. In other words, we need to obey it, because, by doing this, we are obeying the Lord himself.

But the Bible is not always easily to be interpreted for the reasons already exposed. That’s why Jesus entrusted her to the Catholic Church’s interpretation, which makes it through the Sacred Magisterium, directed by the Chair of Peter (the Pope) and the sacred Apostolic tradition, which is the collection of all the past of the Church and of what the Holy Spirit revealed to him and continues to do so in the present. (cf Jn 14, 15.25; 16, 12-13).

The soul of the Church is the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost; so the Church doesn’t make a mistake in the interpretation of the Bible, and it is dogma of faith. Jesus himself assured him that: “When comes the Paraclete, the spirit of truth, will teach you all truth” (Jn 16, 13th).

Although it is made of men, Saints and sinners also, the Catholic Church is guaranteed not to err in the interpretation of matters of faith. However, she despises science; on the contrary, the value tremendously to illuminate faith and understand the revelation.

The Vatican has the “Pontifical Academy of Sciences”; in Jerusalem it is the School of the Bible School dedicated to study exegesis, hermeneutics, ancient languages, geology, ancient history, paleontology, archeology and so many other sciences, so that every word, every verse and every text of the Bible is interpreted correctly. Faith walking along with science. All this so that we can say as the psalmist in Psalm 118:

“Your precepts are my delight.
My advisors are your laws. ” (v. 24)
“The only comfort in my affliction
Is that your Word gives me life. ” (50)
“How tasty are to me your words,
sweeter than honey to my mouth. ” (v. 103)
“Your Word is a torch that illuminates my steps. And a light to my path. ” (v. 105)
“Find my joy in your Word,
As to who is an immense treasure. ” (162)