In modern times we closely (solely?) understand the word “martyr” to mean someone who has died for their faith. The great cloud of witnesses is indeed replete with women and men of the first four centuries of the Christian era who died rather than turn from faith in the RIsen Jesus. And yet the underlying biblical meaning of “martyr” is actually something that all Christians are called to be.
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Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Jerome, best known for his work on the translations of Hebrew and Greek texts of Sacred Scripture into the Latin language version known as the Vulgate. He was also known as a man given to being persnickety, temperamental, easily annoyed and with a quick temper. And he is a saint… there is hope for us all, perhaps.
After 13 years in Tampa, my Franciscan Province has relocated me to St. Francis of Assisi parish in Triangle, VA – right next to Quantico Marine Corp Headquarters. I had about 30 days between receiving the word to move and arriving here in Northern Virginia (NOVA). 
“So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner.” If we are honest about it, we empathize with those folks who worked hard all day. At one level we agree that they received what they were promised, but…there is that voice within that says, “it isn’t fair.” The workers’ notion of what is fair gets challenged pretty quickly when the landowner asks them: “Are you envious because I am generous?” 
How do you offer forgiveness? I suspect that the most common offer consists of “I forgive you” or “Don’t worry about” “Don’t give it a second thought” or “It’s nothing.” And that all might be true, but sometimes it is only the socially-expected response. It is what we do because we are Christian and we are called to forgive 70 times 7 – or about 490 times…and maybe, just maybe, some of us keep track. But, are we really at peace with our response? 
friarmusings 