Sirach 23:1-16: a reflection

1O Lord, Father and Master of my life, don’t abandon me to their counsel. Don’t let me fall because of them. 2Who will set scourges over my thought, and a discipline of wisdom over my heart, that they spare me not for my errors, and not overlook their sins? 3Otherwise my errors might be multiplied, and my sins abound, I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy rejoice over me. 4O Lord, Father and God of my life, don’t give me a haughty eyes, 5and turn away evil desire from me. 6Let neither gluttony nor lust overtake me. Don’t give me over to a shameless mind. 7Listen, my children, to the discipline of the mouth. He who keeps it will not be caught. 8The sinner will be overpowered through his lips. By them, the insulter and the arrogant will stumble. 9Don’t accustom your mouth to an oath, and don’t be accustomed to naming the Holy One, 10for as a servant who is continually scourged will not lack bruises, so he also who swears and continually utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin. 11A man of many oaths will be filled with iniquity. The scourge will not depart from his house. If he offends, his sin will be upon him. If he disregards it, he has sinned doubly. If he has sworn falsely, he will not be justified, for his house will be filled with calamities. 12There is a manner of speech that is clothed with death. Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob, for all these things will be far from the godly, and they will not wallow in sins. 13Don’t accustom your mouth to gross rudeness, for it involves sinful speech. 14Remember your father and your mother, for you sit in the midst of great men, that you be not forgetful before them, and become a fool by your bad habit; so you may wish that you had not been born, and curse the day of your birth. 15A man who is accustomed to abusive language won’t be corrected all the days of his life. 16Two sorts of people multiply sins, and the third will bring wrath: a hot passion, like a burning fire, will not be quenched until it is consumed; a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease until he has burned out the fire.

Sirach opens this passage with a prayer, not for outward things, but for inward discipline over his own thoughts and desires: O Lord, Father and Master of my life, don't abandon me to their counsel. He asks God to set a discipline over his heart, and specifically to guard him from the inner things that trip a person up: Don't give me haughty eyes, and turn away evil desire from me. Let neither gluttony nor lust overtake me. He prays for God to discipline his thoughts and desires, to guard him from pride and craving before they lead him into sin. His prayer is for inner discipline, that his own heart not betray him.

Notice what Sirach prays for: God's discipline over his thoughts and desires. He does not pray merely to be spared outward troubles; he prays to be guarded from the inner things that lead to sin, pride, evil desire, the cravings of appetite. He asks God to set a discipline over his heart, to turn evil desire away, to keep pride and craving from overtaking him. He knows that the danger begins within, in the thoughts and desires, and he prays for God to guard him there, before the inner craving becomes an outward sin. His prayer reaches to the root, asking God to discipline the heart itself.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can ask God to discipline our thoughts and desires, guarding us from pride and craving at their root. We often pray about outward things, but neglect to ask God to guard our inner life, our thoughts and desires, where sin begins; yet Sirach prayed for God to set a discipline over his heart, to turn evil desire away, to keep pride and craving from overtaking him. There is wisdom in asking God to guard us at the root, in our thoughts and desires, before they become sin. Do not neglect to ask God to discipline your thoughts and desires, guarding you from pride and craving at their root; the danger begins within. Ask God to set a discipline over your thoughts and desires, guarding you from pride and craving before they lead you into sin, as Sirach prayed that evil desire be turned away and neither pride nor appetite overtake him; for sin begins in the heart, and it is wisdom to ask God to guard our thoughts and desires at their root, before the inner craving becomes an outward wrong.

Lord, Sirach opens this passage with a prayer, not for outward things, but for inward discipline over his own thoughts and desires: O Lord, Father and Master of my life, don't abandon me to their counsel. He asks you to set a discipline over his heart, and specifically to guard him from the inner things that trip a person up: don't give me haughty eyes, and turn away evil desire from me; let neither gluttony nor lust overtake me. He prays for you to discipline his thoughts and desires, to guard him from pride and craving before they lead him into sin. Show me what Sirach prays for: your discipline over his thoughts and desires. He does not pray merely to be spared outward troubles; he prays to be guarded from the inner things that lead to sin, pride, evil desire, the cravings of appetite. He asks you to set a discipline over his heart, to turn evil desire away. He knows that the danger begins within, and he prays for you to guard him there, before the inner craving becomes an outward sin. His prayer reaches to the root. Take that to my heart, for I too can ask you to discipline my thoughts and desires, guarding me from pride and craving at their root. I often pray about outward things, but neglect to ask you to guard my inner life, my thoughts and desires, where sin begins; yet Sirach prayed for you to set a discipline over his heart. Keep me from neglecting to ask you to discipline my thoughts and desires; the danger begins within, Lord. Help me ask you to set a discipline over my thoughts and desires, guarding me from pride and craving before they lead me into sin, as Sirach prayed that evil desire be turned away and neither pride nor appetite overtake him.