Sirach 17:17-32: a reflection

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.

After describing how God sees all our ways and that our sins are not hidden from him, Sirach turns to the great mercy of God, who grants a return to those who repent and comforts those losing hope. How great is the mercy of the Lord, Sirach exclaims, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him! To those who repent he grants a return; he comforts those who are losing hope. And he calls the reader: return to the Lord, and forsake sins. Though God sees all our sins, none hidden from him, his mercy is great toward those who turn back to him; he grants a return, forgives, comforts the hopeless. This is a warm invitation to return to the God whose mercy is great. This shows the greatness of God's mercy and forgiveness to those who turn to him. God's mercy is great toward those who turn to him. Return to the Lord, whose forgiveness is great. God grants a return to those who repent, and comforts the hopeless. However great our sin, God's mercy invites our return.

Notice the movement of Sirach's words, from God's seeing our sins to his great mercy. Sirach has said that nothing is hidden from God, that all our sins are before him; this might leave us in dread. But then he turns to the greatness of God's mercy: how great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him. Though God sees all our sins, he does not deal with those who repent according to their sins; he grants them a return, forgives them, and even comforts those who are losing hope. And Sirach warmly invites the reader: return to the Lord, forsake sins, turn back to the Most High. This is a great encouragement for us. We might think that because God sees all our sins, there is no hope for us; but Sirach declares that God's mercy is great toward those who turn to him. However great our sin, God's mercy is greater; he grants a return to any who repent, forgives them, and comforts them when they are losing hope. This invites us, whatever our sin, to return to God, who receives the returning with great mercy and forgiveness. We need not despair of God's mercy, but can turn back to him, who welcomes us with forgiveness. God's mercy is great; turn back to him whatever your sin. However great our sin, God's forgiveness to the returning is greater. Do not despair; return to the God of great mercy. God grants a return, forgives, and comforts the hopeless who turn to him.

That is worth resting in, for God's mercy is great toward those who turn to him, granting a return, forgiving, and comforting the hopeless, so that whatever our sin we can return to him. We can despair, thinking that because God sees all our sins there is no hope; but Sirach declares that God's mercy is great, his forgiveness abundant to those who turn to him, and warmly invites us to return to the Lord and forsake sins. God's mercy welcomes the returning. When you feel there is no hope because of your sin, remember that God's mercy is great, and return to him. Rest in the truth that God's mercy is great toward those who turn to him, granting a return, forgiving, and comforting the hopeless, so that whatever our sin we can return to him, as Sirach, after describing how God sees all our ways and that our sins are not hidden from him, turned to the great mercy of God, exclaiming, how great is the mercy of the Lord and his forgiveness to those who turn to him, and calling, return to the Lord and forsake sins; for though God sees all our sins, none hidden from him, which might leave us in dread, he does not deal with those who repent according to their sins but grants them a return, forgives them, and comforts those losing hope, which is a great encouragement, since we might think that because God sees all our sins there is no hope for us, but Sirach declares that God's mercy is great toward those who turn to him, greater than our sin, so that he grants a return to any who repent and comforts them when they are losing hope, inviting us, whatever our sin, to return to God, who receives the returning with great mercy and forgiveness, so that we need not despair of God's mercy but can turn back to him.

Lord, after describing how you see all our ways and that our sins are not hidden from you, Sirach turns to your great mercy, who grant a return to those who repent and comfort those losing hope. How great is the mercy of the Lord, Sirach exclaims, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him! To those who repent he grants a return; he comforts those who are losing hope. And he calls the reader: return to the Lord, and forsake sins. Though you see all our sins, none hidden from you, your mercy is great toward those who turn back to you; you grant a return, forgive, comfort the hopeless. This is a warm invitation to return to you, whose mercy is great. Show me the movement of Sirach's words, from your seeing our sins to your great mercy. Sirach has said that nothing is hidden from you, that all our sins are before you; this might leave me in dread. But then he turns to the greatness of your mercy: how great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness to those who turn to him. Though you see all my sins, you do not deal with those who repent according to their sins; you grant them a return, forgive them, and even comfort those losing hope. And Sirach warmly invites me: return to the Lord, forsake sins. This is a great encouragement. I might think that because you see all my sins, there is no hope for me; but Sirach declares that your mercy is great toward those who turn to you. However great my sin, your mercy is greater; you grant a return to any who repent. Take that to my heart, for your mercy is great toward those who turn to you, granting a return, forgiving, and comforting the hopeless. When I feel there is no hope because of my sin, keep me from despair; help me remember that your mercy is great, Lord, and return to you, who receive the returning with great mercy and forgiveness, whatever my sin.