St. Heliodorus - July 3rd
Helidorus was a soldier who met the great St. Jerome and became his disciple. When St. Jerome went to the East with other companions, Heliodorus went with them. But he refused to follow Jerome when the Saint moved into the desert to live.
Heliodorus loved and respected St. Jerome as his guide and teacher in divine things. Yet he felt that duty called him back to work for souls in the cities, instead of staying in the desert as a hermit.
St. Heliodorus was named Bishop of his own city shortly after he returned home. He made an excellent Bishop, full of zeal for the good of souls. St. Jerome never lost his affection for Helidorus, even though he had been very hurt when he left. In fact, he told the priest Nepotian to take Heliodorus as his model of a Christian pastor. And in the Introduction to one of the books of the bible which he translated, St. Jerome thanked Heliodorus for the great encouragement and gifts of money he had given him to carry on his work.
These two great Saints had to separate to labor in different ways for God, but their lives show that they still loved each other and sanctified themselves.
We will respect everyone’s good ideas, even when they are different from our own.
