My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. 2 Be sincere of heart and steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of adversity. 3 Cling to him, do not leave him, that you may prosper in your last days. 4 Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient. 5 For in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation. 6 Trust in God, and he will help you; make your ways straight and hope in him. 7 You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, do not stray lest you fall. 8 You that fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. 9 You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. 10 Consider the generations long past and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been ignored? 11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; forgives sins and saves in time of trouble.
The wisdom of Ben Sira offers guidance on how one should face trials and tells us that trials are not necessarily a sign that God is not pleased with us. He warns that those who decide to serve the Lord should prepare themselves for adversity. They should be pure of heart, hold firmly on to their faith, trust in God, and exhibit fortitude in times of trial. They should accept the circumstances in which they find themselves, even if their trials are humiliating. Such trials strengthen and purify individuals, so they are ultimately beneficial. Believers should be patient, lead a righteous life, and trust in God who will be merciful and help them in His own time.
Those who believe in God should wait patiently for God’s mercy and remain faithful because not staying on the path of righteousness can harm their spiritual life. Trust in the Lord will ultimately be rewarded and believers who trust in the Lord should hope for lasting joy and mercy. Those who have persevered and trusted God throughout history have never been disappointed or ignored.
Almighty God, help us to prepare our hearts and minds for the challenges that may come, and grant us the strength to remain steadfast in our faith. Help us to trust in You and to be patient in times of adversity. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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