San Gerolamo (IV-V secolo d. C.) è una delle figure colossali del cristianesimo antico, non soltanto la sua santità è uno degli esempi più grandi della storia ma il suo servizio intellettuale è stato decisivo per la storia della Chiesa, infatti Papa Benedetto XVI nota: “Gerolamo ha posto al centro della sua vita e della sua attività la Parola di Dio, che indica all’uomo i sentieri della vita, e gli rivela i segreti della santità. Di tutto questo non possiamo che essergli profondamente grati, proprio nel nostro oggi.” Ogni cattolico dovrebbe dare il giusto peso a queste parole del Papa che invita a prendere esempio da tale figura. San Gerolamo, è noto, fu l’autore della vulgata, la prima traduzione the Bible into Latin. He was one of the few among the Christians, to learn Hebrew, as well as the greek. Her intellectual acuity and sensitivity enabled him to accomplish this feat against the divine Word. But Jerome was also a staunch defender of the early Christian practice food, vegetarianism. In the famous but little read, Adversus Iovinianum he wrote: "... after the coming of Jesus we can no longer eat meat." [1] Why? Why San. Jerome knew the Genesis, having translated, and the divine words, man is clearly marked as vegetarian. [2] Jerome has also exposed the so-called permission given after the Flood of eat meat, calling that step as a late interpolation, indicating a low spiritual period. However the coming of Jesus is the coming of the Holy original perfection, and the victory of original sin allows every sincere Christian to return to a pure power and non-violent. St. Jerome is not for this practice only food for himself or those few who wanted to engage in a rigorous asceticism. We know that St. Jerome lived in the desert and he has left us a remarkable description of himself in the holy life. But in his letters he calls every Christian to practice authentic vegetarian. We mention only a few brief, but comprehensive, distance: "This that the Brahmins of India and Egypt gymnosophists watching, eating only barley flour, rice and fruit, because a virgin of Christ must not do it complete? [...] The food legumes, bran ... [...] ... they do the followers of Isis and Cibalia, who, in their greedy abstinence, pheasants and doves devour steaming ... "[3]
These words are addressed to a Christian mother who has to educate his daughter and San Gerolamo details the educational practice that can make sound Christian spirituality. These indications are very much alive that should inspire Christians today, leading him to wonder why in other ways religion is inherent in the vegetarian diet and no Christian one, and we have explained in other texts of historical reasons that led to gradual abandonment of that practice, but St. Jerome reminds Christians that his perfection can not be less than the path set from Indian spirituality. We conclude with a biblical story, quoted by St. Jerome, which reminds us of the food that God sent to mankind through his angels: "Elijah, fleeing Jezebel tired lying under an oak tree, and is awakened by an angel who comes to him and says, "Get up and eat." He looked, and behold, next to his head, spelled bread and a jug of water. In truth, God could not send him Wine flavored with oil and cooked meat jokes? "[4] Of course, he could, but did not do ... God sends only food that originated from love and who love us back. St. Jerome tells us that after Jesus we can all be served by the same angel, as happened to Elijah.
Prof. Valentino Bellucci, 06/03/2010
[1] S. Jerome, Adversus Iovinianum, II, 7.
[2] Genesis, I, 29. Modern biology confirms that the human being is constitutionally frugivorous.
[3] S. Jerome, Letters, Rizzoli, Milano 2009, pag.457, 459 and 461.
[4] Ibid., P.. 113.
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