Context No. 3515 of 4322 · Sirach

Sirach 17:17-32: in context

17For every nation he appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord’s portion. 19All their works are as clear as the sun before him. His eyes are continually upon their ways. 20Their iniquities are not hidden from him. All their sins are before the Lord. 22With him the alms of a man is as a signet. He will keep a man’s kindness as the pupil of the eye. 23Afterwards he will rise up and repay them, and give their repayment upon their head. 24However to those who repent he grants a return. He comforts those who are losing hope. 25Return to the Lord, and forsake sins. Make your prayer before his face offend less. 26Turn again to the Most High, and turn away from iniquity. Greatly hate the abominable thing. 27Who will give praise to the Most High in Hades, in place of the living who return thanks? 28Thanksgiving perishes from the dead, as from one who doesn’t exist. He who is in life and health will praise the Lord. 29How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him! 30For humans are not capable of everything, because the son of man is not immortal. 31What is brighter than the sun? Yet even this can be eclipsed. So flesh and blood devise evil. 32He looks upon the power of the height of heaven, while all men are earth and ashes.

Sirach holds together two great truths about God. First, God sees everything: all our works are as clear as the sun before him, our iniquities are not hidden from him, and he will repay. Nothing at all escapes his notice, for good or for ill.

But then the tone turns toward mercy. To those who repent, he grants a return; he comforts those who are losing hope. And the heart of the passage rings out: how great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him! So the call goes out: return to the Lord and forsake your sins; turn again to him, and turn away from iniquity. The God who sees all our sins is the very same God whose mercy is great toward all who repent. His seeing everything is not only cause for fear; joined to his mercy, it becomes an invitation to turn back, for he welcomes and comforts those who come to him, and does not turn them away.

Do I respond to the God who sees everything not with despair but by turning back to him, trusting in the greatness of his mercy to those who repent?

Sources

Sirach 17:29: "How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him!"
Sirach 17:24: "However to those who repent he grants a return. He comforts those who are losing hope."
Sirach 17:25: "Return to the Lord, and forsake sins."