Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) Chapter 40 and the Weight of Work - Conclusion
Today we'll conclude our discussion of Ecclisiasticus (Sirach) Chapter 40 and the Weight of Work.
Last time we cycled through some harrowing instances of the weight of work with some personal examples. Two themes emerged: Sometimes, when things are unpleasant in the work place, you offer it up. But other times, when it gets really out of control and just keeps going and going, you get out of dodge. In my own case, I got going - albeit involuntarily. I concluded with the comment that "I somehow ultimately survived."
If you know and practice your Catholic faith, you'll know that "somehow" was the grace of God. At the time, my faith was less than optimally functional but I do remember praying for relief and some sort or happy resolution during the period of internal corporate strife. Then I got laid off. Being let go from a job I really needed didn't really feel much like a "happy" resolution at the time. But looking back, I can sort of discern where God was leading me - and that hasn't been all that bad.
After the harrowing stuff our Scripture passage proffered last time, we now see a shift in focus:
"...Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for ever. The life of a labourer that is content with what he hath, shall be sweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure."
"A paradise in blessing": What a great way to describe grace! No matter what assails us on the job, we can always ask for God's grace to help us through. And the grace we receive not only provides some solace, maybe even some relief. More importantly, it really is a taste of Heaven. We get to Heaven with His grace. Those same graces are the ones He provides to us in our hour of need. The right balance of grace in good amounts may even assist us in being content with what we have, something Scripture describes as a "treasure."
But grace isn't just handed to us an a silver platter. Rather it is offered. And once offered, it's up to us to accept, more accurately to cooperate, with grace. Our Scripture passage provides some specifics on just how we go about cooperating with God's grace.
"The flute and psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both. The eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields. A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them both is a wife with her husband. Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they. Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is above them both."
Note the contrast presented. First we find perfectly legitimate natural pleasures. But then we're given something better, something more worth seeking. For example, the sweet melody soothes, but not as much as a pleasant tongue...and so.
We've isolated the next comparison because we've seen so many times before the fundamental, we might even say critical, importance of fear of the Lord.
"Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord. There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek for help. The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered it above all glory.
Even as we've recognized the weight that can bear down upon us in our work, we're encouraged nevertheless to persist in our performing our work. Such persistence helps us to provide for our selves and our families rather than rely on others for that.
"My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die than to want. The life of him that looketh toward another man's table is not to be counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man's meat."
While not precluding or denigrating the acceptance of help from others, which may become necessary for some of us at times, the desire to take care of ourselves is a good thing.
"But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself. Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his belly there shall burn as fire."
The fire here isn't that "fire in the belly" that characterizes the ambitious man. Instead, it's an unpleasant feeling that comes from someone who begs when he could have tried harder to provide for himself.
To conclude, when work presses down on us, we can be confident that reading Scripture will provide us with both spiritually uplifting as well as helpful practical lessons to help us bear the weight of the work day. If you're not already reading Scripture at least 10 minutes each day, start now and you'll see what we mean.
Last time we cycled through some harrowing instances of the weight of work with some personal examples. Two themes emerged: Sometimes, when things are unpleasant in the work place, you offer it up. But other times, when it gets really out of control and just keeps going and going, you get out of dodge. In my own case, I got going - albeit involuntarily. I concluded with the comment that "I somehow ultimately survived."
If you know and practice your Catholic faith, you'll know that "somehow" was the grace of God. At the time, my faith was less than optimally functional but I do remember praying for relief and some sort or happy resolution during the period of internal corporate strife. Then I got laid off. Being let go from a job I really needed didn't really feel much like a "happy" resolution at the time. But looking back, I can sort of discern where God was leading me - and that hasn't been all that bad.
After the harrowing stuff our Scripture passage proffered last time, we now see a shift in focus:
"...Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for ever. The life of a labourer that is content with what he hath, shall be sweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure."
"A paradise in blessing": What a great way to describe grace! No matter what assails us on the job, we can always ask for God's grace to help us through. And the grace we receive not only provides some solace, maybe even some relief. More importantly, it really is a taste of Heaven. We get to Heaven with His grace. Those same graces are the ones He provides to us in our hour of need. The right balance of grace in good amounts may even assist us in being content with what we have, something Scripture describes as a "treasure."
But grace isn't just handed to us an a silver platter. Rather it is offered. And once offered, it's up to us to accept, more accurately to cooperate, with grace. Our Scripture passage provides some specifics on just how we go about cooperating with God's grace.
"The flute and psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both. The eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields. A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them both is a wife with her husband. Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they. Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is above them both."
Note the contrast presented. First we find perfectly legitimate natural pleasures. But then we're given something better, something more worth seeking. For example, the sweet melody soothes, but not as much as a pleasant tongue...and so.
We've isolated the next comparison because we've seen so many times before the fundamental, we might even say critical, importance of fear of the Lord.
"Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord. There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek for help. The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered it above all glory.
Even as we've recognized the weight that can bear down upon us in our work, we're encouraged nevertheless to persist in our performing our work. Such persistence helps us to provide for our selves and our families rather than rely on others for that.
"My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die than to want. The life of him that looketh toward another man's table is not to be counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man's meat."
While not precluding or denigrating the acceptance of help from others, which may become necessary for some of us at times, the desire to take care of ourselves is a good thing.
"But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself. Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his belly there shall burn as fire."
The fire here isn't that "fire in the belly" that characterizes the ambitious man. Instead, it's an unpleasant feeling that comes from someone who begs when he could have tried harder to provide for himself.
To conclude, when work presses down on us, we can be confident that reading Scripture will provide us with both spiritually uplifting as well as helpful practical lessons to help us bear the weight of the work day. If you're not already reading Scripture at least 10 minutes each day, start now and you'll see what we mean.
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