Sirach 18:1-16: a reflection

1He who lives forever created the whole universe. 2The Lord alone is just. 4He has given power to declare his works to no one. Who could trace out his mighty deeds? 5Who could measure the strength of his majesty? Who could also proclaim his mercies? 6As for the wondrous works of the Lord, it is not possible to take from them nor add to them, neither is it possible to explore them. 7When a man has finished, then he is just at the beginning. When he stops, then he will be perplexed. 8What is mankind, and what purpose do they serve? What is their good, and what is their evil? 9The number of man’s days at the most are a hundred years. 10As a drop of water from the sea, and a pebble from the sand, so are a few years in the day of eternity. 11For this cause the Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them. 12He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil. Therefore he multiplied his forgiveness. 13The mercy of a man is on his neighbor; but the mercy of the Lord is on all flesh: reproving, chastening, teaching, and bringing back, as a shepherd does his flock. 14He has mercy on those who accept chastening, and that diligently seek after his judgments. 15My son, don’t add reproach to your good deeds, and no harsh words in any of your giving. 16Doesn’t the dew relieve the scorching heat? So a word is better than a gift.

Sirach reflects on the vast distance between God's eternity and our frailty. God lives forever and made the whole universe; our days at most are a hundred years, and even those are like a drop of water from the sea, a pebble from the sand, so are a few years in the day of eternity. And it is precisely because God understands our frailty and the brevity of our lives that he is so merciful: The Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them. He saw their end, and therefore he multiplied his forgiveness. God's mercy is abundant because he knows how frail and brief our lives are.

Notice the reason given for God's abundant mercy: he knows our frailty and the brevity of our lives. God is eternal; our years are a drop in the sea by comparison, brief and frail. And Sirach says it is because God sees this, because he knows how short and weak our lives are, that he is patient with us and multiplies his forgiveness. His mercy is not grudging but abundant, poured out, because he understands what we are: dust, here for a little while, frail. God's knowledge of our frailty moves him not to contempt but to mercy; he multiplies his forgiveness because he knows how brief and weak we are.

That is worth resting in, for God's mercy toward us is abundant precisely because he understands our frailty. We can imagine that our weakness and the brevity and failure of our lives make God impatient with us; but Sirach says the opposite: it is because God knows how frail and brief we are that he multiplies his forgiveness. God does not deal with us as though we were strong and should know better; he remembers that we are dust, and has mercy. When you are aware of your frailty, your weakness, the brevity of your life, do not imagine it makes God impatient with you; he multiplies his mercy because he knows what you are. Rest in the abundance of God's mercy, which is poured out the more because he understands your frailty and how brief your life is, as Sirach says he multiplied his forgiveness seeing our frailty; for God's knowledge of our weakness moves him to mercy, not contempt, and he is patient and forgiving toward us because he remembers that we are dust.

Lord, Sirach reflects on the vast distance between your eternity and our frailty. You live forever and made the whole universe; our days at most are a hundred years, and even those are like a drop of water from the sea, a pebble from the sand. And it is precisely because you understand our frailty and the brevity of our lives that you are so merciful: the Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them; he saw their end, and therefore he multiplied his forgiveness. Your mercy is abundant because you know how frail and brief our lives are. Show me the reason given for your abundant mercy: you know our frailty and the brevity of our lives. You are eternal; our years are a drop in the sea by comparison. And Sirach says it is because you see this, because you know how short and weak our lives are, that you are patient with us and multiply your forgiveness. Your mercy is not grudging but abundant, poured out, because you understand what we are: dust, here for a little while, frail. Let me rest in that, for your mercy toward me is abundant precisely because you understand my frailty. I can imagine that my weakness and the brevity and failure of my life make you impatient with me; but Sirach says the opposite: it is because you know how frail and brief I am that you multiply your forgiveness. You remember that I am dust, and have mercy. When I am aware of my frailty, keep me from imagining it makes you impatient with me; you multiply your mercy because you know what I am, Lord. Help me rest in the abundance of your mercy, poured out the more because you understand my frailty and how brief my life is.