Scripturae Sacrae Affectus (III)

 This week we come to our last installment on Pope Francis’ apostolic letter on St. Jerome and Holy Scripture.  The Holy Father speaks about the issue of inculturation with regards to the translation and interpretation of Holy Scripture.  He gives us a very thoughtful and beautiful reflection on how the work of translating begins with the work of encounter, first between the culture of the times from which Sacred Scripture comes and the translator, and then the encounter between the translator and the culture into which the Sacred Scriptures are being translated.

In speaking of St. Jerome’s work, Pope Francis also calls to mind those missionaries, who, over the ages have undertaken the invaluable work of preparing “grammars” and dictionaries which have paved the way for encounter between our Christian faith and the culture into which we have come anew.  I think in a particular way of St. John de Brebeuf, and Venerable Bishop Baraga, whose work was so significant in bringing about that encounter and subsequent conversion of so many native Americans.

This issue of enrichment and encounter is something I always try to instill in my Spanish students.  Even when we are the one’s bringing the Gospel to a culture, we find ourselves enriched by the encounter because language carries with it a different perspective, a different way of looking at things.  Pope Francis points out how this reveals the truth of Sacred Scripture, not as a dead letter which can become a source of cultural imperialism, but is the living Word which transforms people and cultures both in the receiving and in the giving.

Some people (especially my mother!) have asked why I “need” so many Bibles.  At this point I have seven different translations in three languages.  I also have a number of commentaries.  These help with the one side of the equation – from Hebrew and Greek to Latin, and to English and other modern languages.  We also need to understand that language continually grows, even changes.  Thus, one way of communicating an idea may no long communicate the Truth intended with the passing of years.  Also, our understanding of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin language and culture continues to grow with continuing research.  And finally, the presuppositions of translators does affect the resulting translation.

Knowing their aims, and bias, helps in both choosing, and judging the appropriateness of a particular translation.The job that remains, OUR job, is to take these resources, by which we have encountered the living Word, and bringing them to the contemporary culture.  Let get to work, the work of encounter which saves and enriches souls, including our own.