(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
The book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiastes, belongs to a family of biblical writing of Greek origin, not of the Hebrew language. As such, the Jewish community at Jerusalem did not recognize it part of the Bible. The early Christian Church, however, as did some other Jewish communities, recognized it as part of the Bible. Protestant Christians, however, like the Jewish people of Jerusalem, did not accept them as inspired. The term used to describe this is apocryphal. The term used by those recognizing this kind of writing as inspired is deuterocanonical, belonging to the second official list of inspired books.
After that prelude, we go to the homily. The book of Sirach follows the classical thought that Moses gave us the Law; David, the Psalms; and Solomon, the wisdom literature. In its praise of David, no mention is made of David’s sin in the affair of Bathsheba and Uriah, except that the Lord forgave his sins. Instead, the passage celebrates David’s skill in battle and musical endowment of the Temple liturgies.
Long after our death, when another writer recounts the people of long ago, how will the writer praise us before God’s throne? Will the writer gloss over our sins to praise us for our gracefulness to others in God’s service or will the writer have only our evil deeds to recount. The stories of the Bible are told to teach us how to live in God’s sight all the day of our life.
How do we measure up to the tasks God has given us to do?