Homily: 7th Week of Ordinary Time - Thursday - Everyday choices have eternal consequences

We’ve had quite beautiful readings from the Book of Sirach the past few days, and we’ll continue to read from Sirach until the end of next week.

The book of Sirach is among what are called the “Deuterocanonical” books of the Old Testament—“Deuterocanonical” meaning “Second Canon” because they were added a little later to the canon of Scripture by both the Jews and the early Church.  Most of these books which include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Baruch, first and second Maccabees, and parts of Esther were originally written in Greek and not Hebrew, which is one reason why most Protestants do not include them in their Bible.  But the same Catholic Church which defined the first canon also declared these later books to be part of the inspired Canon of Scripture.

The fifty-one chapter Book of Sirach also called Ecclesiasticus is the longest among the Deuterocanonical Books and its author was a teacher, scholar, and poet in Jerusalem about one hundred eighty years before the birth of Jesus.  This book is very likely a series of lectures the author gave in the school he ran in Jerusalem. 

Most of the book resembles Proverbs, and is filled with very practical wisdom sayings, like we heard today, “rely not on wealth”, “rely not on your own strength”, “ Delay not your conversion with the LORD, put it not off from day to day.”  All in all, Sirach urges us to live in accordance with divine law, which should be the highest rule and aspiration of man’s behavior.

In the Gospel, we hear of another man who taught in Jerusalem, Jesus, the Messiah, saying the same thing.  In the passage of Mark, Jesus gives these very practical sayings about being holy.

“If anything causes you to sin, cut it off”, “give drink to the thirsty”, “make sure your salt doesn’t lose its flavor”. 

Sirach would say that one of the great enemies of God’s people is complacency and lack of moral vigilance and neglect of the duties of the Divine Law.  He is constantly urging the reader to pursue righteousness, to aim at faithful consistent living. 

Likewise, the great teacher instructs that there are eternal consequences for our actions, reward for the righteous, punishment for the wicked.  Everyday choices have eternal ramifications.  With the help of God’s grace this day, may we aim at pleasing him in all things for his glory and the salvation of souls.