Sirach 7:1-16: a reflection

1Do no evil, so no evil will overtake you. 2Depart from wrong, and it will turn away from you. 3My son, don’t sow upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you won’t reap them sevenfold. 4Don’t seek preeminence from the Lord, nor the seat of honor from the king. 5Don’t justify yourself in the presence of the Lord, and don’t display your wisdom before the king. 6Don’t seek to be a judge, lest you not be able to take away iniquities, lest perhaps you fear the person of a mighty man, and lay a stumbling block in the way of your uprightness. 7Don’t sin against the multitude of the city. Don’t disgrace yourself in the crowd. 8Don’t commit a sin twice, for even in one you will not be unpunished. 9Don’t say, “He will look upon the multitude of my gifts. When I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.” 10Don’t be faint-hearted in your prayer. Don’t neglect to give alms. 11Don’t laugh a man to scorn when he is in the bitterness of his soul, for there is one who humbles and exalts. 12Don’t devise a lie against your brother, or do the same to a friend. 13Refuse to utter a lie, for that habit results in no good. 14Don’t babble in the assembly of elders. Don’t repeat your words in your prayer. 15Don’t hate hard labor or farm work, which the Most High has created. 16Don’t number yourself among the multitude of sinners. Remember that wrath will not wait.

Among the practical counsels of Sirach comes a brief but pointed word about prayer: Don't be faint-hearted in your prayer. Prayer can grow weak and faint, a half-hearted, discouraged thing, offered without conviction or perseverance, ready to give up. Sirach counsels against this: not to be faint-hearted, but to pray with a steadfast, persevering heart, not losing heart or giving up. Prayer is not to be a weak, discouraged murmur that expects little and soon fades; it is to be offered steadfastly, without losing heart, with a conviction that keeps praying rather than growing faint.

Notice the counsel: don't be faint-hearted in your prayer. There is a way of praying that is faint-hearted, weak, discouraged, ready to give up, expecting little; and Sirach warns against it. Prayer is meant to be offered with a steadfast heart, persevering, not losing heart or growing faint. The faint-hearted prayer soon fades, giving up before it has persevered; but the steadfast heart keeps praying, not discouraged, not losing heart. To be faint-hearted in prayer is to give up too soon, to expect too little, to let discouragement quench our praying. Sirach calls us instead to pray steadfastly, with a heart that does not grow faint but keeps on.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can grow faint-hearted in prayer, and are called instead to pray steadfastly. Our prayers can grow weak and discouraged, faint-hearted, ready to give up when answers do not come quickly, expecting little and soon fading; but Sirach counsels us not to be faint-hearted in prayer, but to pray with a steadfast, persevering heart. Prayer is not to be given up on when it grows hard, but offered steadfastly. Do not grow faint-hearted in your prayer, giving up too soon or expecting too little; pray with a steadfast heart, persevering, not losing heart. Pray with a steadfast, persevering heart rather than a faint-hearted one that gives up too soon, as Sirach counsels us not to be faint-hearted in prayer; for prayer is meant to be offered steadfastly, not quenched by discouragement, and the heart that does not grow faint but keeps praying is the heart Sirach calls us to.

Lord, among the practical counsels of Sirach comes a brief but pointed word about prayer: don't be faint-hearted in your prayer. Prayer can grow weak and faint, a half-hearted, discouraged thing, offered without conviction or perseverance, ready to give up. Sirach counsels against this: not to be faint-hearted, but to pray with a steadfast, persevering heart, not losing heart or giving up. Prayer is not to be a weak, discouraged murmur that expects little and soon fades. Show me the counsel: don't be faint-hearted in your prayer. There is a way of praying that is faint-hearted, weak, discouraged, ready to give up, expecting little; and Sirach warns against it. Prayer is meant to be offered with a steadfast heart, persevering, not losing heart or growing faint. The faint-hearted prayer soon fades, giving up before it has persevered; but the steadfast heart keeps praying. To be faint-hearted in prayer is to give up too soon, to expect too little, to let discouragement quench our praying. Take that to my heart, for I too can grow faint-hearted in prayer, and am called instead to pray steadfastly. My prayers can grow weak and discouraged, faint-hearted, ready to give up when answers do not come quickly; but Sirach counsels me not to be faint-hearted in prayer. Prayer is not to be given up on when it grows hard. Keep me from growing faint-hearted in my prayer, giving up too soon or expecting too little; help me pray with a steadfast heart, Lord, persevering, not losing heart, for prayer is meant to be offered steadfastly, not quenched by discouragement.