Chased and yet Still Chaste
Homily on Wednesday, 26th Week in OT, Memorial of St. Jerome, 30 September 2026, DBPH Chapel Talamban
Can one be chased and yet still remain chaste?
Last Saturday I went to Don Bosco Lawaan to give a talk to our Novices on the Liturgy of the Hours. There were seven of them coming from three different countries. Then at noon time I met our 9 Prenovices and 16 Aspirants in the common dining hall where the whole community was having lunch. I can say that those young people are happy with their vocation even if sometimes they miss their own parents; and although they could not use their cellphone every day to communicate with their loved ones, they manage to make the sacrifice so that they may be able to focus and concentrate on their formation – their studies, their sports, their prayer time and community life.
Dear brothers and sisters, we continue listening and meditating on the Gospel written by St. Luke. In the gospel passage we just heard, Jesus meets several new “applicants” who expressed their desire to follow him. However not all of them passed the qualifications for a number of reasons, among them their strong attachments to their family or their insatiable desire for personal comfort and self-fulfillment. These have prevented them from following Jesus.
My brothers and sisters often times even today it is either one’s family or a comfortable lifestyle that seems to be the biggest obstacle in following Jesus more closely in the Religious life or in the ordained ministry. This has happened among many young people in the past. The same is happening today. Many young people still do not take the courage and generosity to leave behind their homes and their loved ones to follow the Lord calling them to work in his vineyard. And it confirms what Jesus has said long ago: “Many are called but few are chosen.” That is why we need to pray more fervently and at the same time, to dedicate ourselves in forming and accompanying young people according to the gospel values taught by Jesus.
Today we celebrate the memorial of St Jerome, a priest and doctor of the Church. When Jerome was still a student, he showed himself to be very bright but at the same time worldly, materialistic, and very fond of girls. In fact, it was said that he made a lot of escapades and even engaged in sexual experimentation.
However, when he heard the call of the Lord, he left his home and loved ones, and at 33 years old, he was ordained a priest. And he used his God given intelligence and wisdom to translate the Bible from the original languages of Hebrew and Greek into the Latin language spoken by the people at that time. His brilliance and passion for Sacred Scriptures led him also to write innumerable commentaries on biblical texts and many other works on history, theology, hagiography, asceticism and the spiritual life.
And what surprises us most is that while striving to practice asceticism, he used his affection for women to direct their souls to God. Although he was often chased by women, he chose to remain chaste for the Lord. Through his letters to them he was able to help them grow in their spiritual life and develop an intimate relationship with the Lord.
St. Jerome may have been just like many other young people during his time. However, what made him so different is that he took the courage of leaving everything behind in order to embrace Jesus and work in his vineyard.
Let us pray in this Eucharist that many young people may be like St Jerome in responding to the call of the Lord with great courage and generosity. We pray too for ourselves that like St Jerome we may foster within us that same love and passion for Sacred Scriptures. By frequently reading, listening and meditating on God’s Word may we soon discover and follow our true vocation in life, and thereby give God the greatest glory that we owe to him. GiGsss!