Sirach Chapters 22 & 23

Typical proverbial rants against fools, interesting comparisons - fools are worse than dead people - at last the dead are at peace! And a lovely prayer at the end of chapter 22: very reminiscent of Psalm 141. It’s a humble prayer for help against sin, and displays the attitude that we’re helpless without God. Sin can creep up on us, surprise us when a bad habit bursts out at an inappropriate time, and bring us to ruin. So keep the law!

Sirach Chapters 20 & 21

I suppose my verdict so far on this book would be “yes but?” I don’t disagree with what I’m reading (much) but it’s hardly new, or deep, or revolutionary. So I’m shifting to two chapters a day, to get through it a little faster. If I stumble across a gem, I’ll slow down and take a closer look, but otherwise, for my own sake, I need to stave off boredom.

Today there are a strong of proverbs, some quite salty. Like this one: Winning an argument by trying too hard is like a eunuch trying to rape a woman(!) Or this: An impolite person is like one of those off-color stories that ignorant people are always telling.
Chapter 21 deals with sin - it causes incurable wounds, it needs to be shunned. Fall into its trap, and you will die. There’s a brief mention of forgiveness, but it’s certainly not held out as a universal hope.
The chapter finishes with some contrasts between wisdom and folly. All very black and white, none very memorable.

Sirach Chapters 18 & 19

For a few chapters now, Sirach has been expanding on the theme of human weakness and our short-lived lives, in contrast to God’s eternal glory.
When God looks at us, he knows we are doomed to die, and he is sorry for us. He offers us his love, he has compassion on us. So we should be like him. Give gifts with kindness, not with a grudging heart.
Then he urges us to examine ourselves, to act rightly before God. Don’t put off your repentance until you‘re on your death bed. You may not get the time. If you know what’s right, why wait before you do it? It’s time for some self-control - let’s not be ruled by our passions, which will make beggars of us.
We should also learn to keep our mouths shut. If people would stop passing on malicious gossip, without checking out whether it’s true first, the world would be a better place. One of the things that Christians can do is use their social media accounts to bless, and not to gossip.
Real wisdom stands out. Even online. Sirach would probably agree.

Sirach Chapter 17

As God made creatures to rise from the dust and return to it again, he made humans with the unique ability to raise their eyes and see god’s glory during their brief time on earth. This is so that they will praise his name and come into relationship with him, and then there will be more to their lives than the cycle of dust returning to dust.
Our short and dingy lives are in stark contrast to God’s everlasting brightness. He has chosen Israel, and his hatred of evil is terrible. But his mercy and forgiveness and sweet indeed.

Sirach Chapter 16

I’m abandoning the day numbers for my Apocrypha posts - since I’m not keeping up a daily regime this year, there’s little point. But on with wonderful Sirach. Godless children are nothing to be proud of, in his eyes. Having many children was regarded as a great blessing in Jewish culture - a sign of God’s favour. But if they aren’t fearing the Lord, Sirach would rather be childless. He wants us to remember that God forgets no one. No sins are overlooked, even if their punishment seems erratic to our eyes. God will right every wrong in time.
Poetically, Sirach looks back to creation, when God declared everything good. Every part worked as it should. That’s not how it is these days, but Sirach is confident that one day things will be back in order.

Day 69: Sirach Chapter 15

Yesterday, Sirach was in the realm of metaphor, telling us to camp in the garden of Wisdom’s house, to shelter under her spreading branches. Today he’s more practical, and tells us what that actually means: keep the Law, fear the Lord.
It’s good to hear him say it straight out, because so much of this book is pragmatic common sense, and God doesn’t get much of a mention. But here he makes plain that it all depends on our relationship with God.
We all have a choice, whether we go God’s ways or whether we don’t. But we mustn’t blame God for the bad consequences of our choosing - he never wills us to do evil.

Day 68: Sirach Chapter 14

Why is miserliness such a sin, and generosity such a virtue? Sirach explains it in terms of the miser being turned in upon himself. “Greed will shrivel up a person’s soul.” I might say that generosity is a sign of being like God, who is endlessly, recklessly generous.
So - enjoy life, don’t waste a day. It is going to end, after all. That’s not a sad thought - as old leaves wither and fall off the tree. new ones unfold. It’s all part of a greater plan.
And where do you fit in to this greater plan? Well, to get an answer to that, you need to spend much time camping out at Wisdom’s house.

Day 67: Sirach Chapter 13

Here we are again. “Don’t touch tar, it will stick to you.” Sirach would not have liked Jesus. He would have been scandalized at the way he associated with dirty people.
But Sirach persists with his advice. Animals flock together, he says. People do too. They naturally associate with similar people. I don’t disagree. Such behaviour is natural and normal - it’s our unthinking, default mode. But sometimes you need to think, to step out of the default. I think what I object to is Sirach’s advice to make the instinctive behaviour something that is thought out and principled. I can see all sorts of nasty places where that can lead.

Day 66: Sirach Chapter 12

“Give to good people, but don’t help sinners.” Today’s advice continues the theme that I’m disagreeing with more and more. Sirach keeps urging us to stick to the insider, the safe choice, never take risks with your friendship, avoid dodgy people.
I don’t regard myself as a risk taker, and I’m not the world’s most outgoing person, but I don’t like the idea of steering clear of people just because they might do me harm. Never have.
What’s the old advice? Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. That’s said so that you know what they’re up to, but also it works if you want to influence them for good.