I love because I love, I love that I may love

Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

Today, August 20, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Bernard, Abbot and Doctor, we are invited to reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (39:1-10), entitled “The wisdom of the man learned in Scriptures”. Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot.

Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon in France. After a religious upbringing, he joined the Cistercians in 1111 and later was chosen abbott of the monastery of Clairvaux. There he directed his companions in the practice of virtue by his own good example. Because of schisms which had a risen in the Church, he traveled all about Europe restoring peace and unity. He wrote many theological and spiritual works. He died in 1153.

In short, St. Bernard teaches that humility is self-knowledge—the honest acceptance of myself in all my sinfulness. This sincere confrontation with myself inevitably leads to humility; but at the same time this sometimes difficult experience is for St. Bernard the beginning of the true knowledge of God.

The Wisdom of Ben Sira derives its title from the author, “Yeshua [Jesus], son of Eleazar, son of Sira” (50:27). This seems to be the earliest title of the book. The designation “Liber Ecclesiasticus,” meaning “Church Book”, is perhaps due to the extensive use the church made of this book in presenting moral teaching to catechumens and to the faithful. The title “Sirach” comes from the Greek form of the author’s name. The author, a sage who lived in Jerusalem, was thoroughly imbued with love for the wisdom tradition, and also for the law, priesthood, Temple, and divine worship. As a wise and experienced observer of life he addressed himself to his contemporaries with the motive of helping them to maintain religious faith and integrity through study of the books sacred to the Jewish tradition.

The book contains numerous well-crafted maxims, grouped by affinity, and dealing with a variety of subjects such as the individual, the family, and the community in their relations with one another and with God. It treats of friendship, education, poverty and wealth, laws, religious worship, and many other matters that reflect the religious and social customs of the time.