The host repeatedly highlighted the title as a rich source of practical wisdom, emphasizing its focus on the fear of the Lord as the foundation of true insight. Fr. Mike Schmitz (and occasionally Jeff Cavins) enthusiastically recommended it, describing it as a mind‑blowing gift that offers guidance on work, relationships, and caring for the needy. Listeners were encouraged to read it as part of the deuterocanonical wisdom books during the Maccabean period.
Episode: Day 193: The Book of Tobit (2024)
The book of Sirach is described as being full of wisdom and said to be a gift, and is also known as Ecclesiasticus.
But not only that you guys, when we get to Sirach, oh, it's going to blow your mind, book of wisdom, it's going to just, it's going to knock your socks off. It is, it's a gift.
Episode: Day 284: Near Occasion of Sin (2023)
Many wise sayings within Sirach were discussed, covering topics like the value of work, relationships, and guarding one's soul from lust. It was explained how the advice in the book is not always universal, but it offers guidance on how to live a life that gives God glory.
Do not hate toilsome labor or farm work, which were created by the most high.
humble yourself greatly
Do not exchange a friend for money.
Do not exchange an old friend for a new one.
Do not go to meet a loose woman. Do not associate yourself with a woman singer. And a woman, not just women who sing, because there are a lot of great women who sing, but that kind of person, it was a technical kind of a situation, right? Do not look intently at a virgin. Do not give yourself to harlots. This is good. Do not look around in the streets of a city, nor wander about in its deserted sections. And you can even picture a person wandering about in the, like the, as you'd say, the seedy part of town. It's like, you're not going to find anything there but trouble. Turn your eyes away from a shapely woman. Do not look intently at beauty belonging to another.
Episode: Day 283: Mattathias Attacks (2023)
It was compared to Proverbs on steroids, with a focus on everyday life, friendship, and wisdom. It was highlighted for its advice on taking care of the poor and the importance of carefully choosing friends.
there's that sense of like precepts for everyday life the first beginning of this is this reminder take care of the poor take care of those who beg I love this is just because this is this is what I need to hear that's why I say I love it in chapter four verse five it says do not avert your eye from the needy nor give a man occasion to curse you do not avert your eye from the needy gosh you guys how many times do we pull up to a stoplight and there's someone begging on the corner and I just like yep just look straight ahead look straight ahead look down at your on your knuckles on the on the steering wheel look anywhere except for into the eyes of this person who's begging but here's scripture do not avert your eye from the needy and I just I'm convicted by this that's so important
so my invitation for us is when we hear the book of Sirach and we hear the book of wisdom kind of like proverbs is to have your bible with you if you can because there's something so powerful about being able to follow along all this stringing together of pieces of wisdom is really really incredible
in chapter six talks about friendship my gosh this is incredible let those that are at peace with you be many like your acquaintances let your acquaintances be many but let your advisor advisors be one in a thousand how often golly how often are we in a position where I take advice from whoever yeah I know this person I'll trust them and I'll take their advice no scripture says yeah let your acquaintances many anybody can be your acquaintance anyone can be your pal but let your advisor be one in a thousand
when you gain a friend gain him through testing and do not trust him hastily sometimes we meet someone we have something in common with them they seem fun they seem charming they seem like we agree on a lot of stuff and we trust them before testing them here's scripture when you gain a friend gain him through testing do not trust him hastily
a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter he that has found one has found a treasure there is nothing so precious as a faithful friend and no scales can measure his excellence a faithful friend is an elixir of life those who fear the lord will find him whoever fears the lord directs his friendships are right for as he is so is his neighbor also
Episode: Day 282: Antiochus Desecrates the Temple (2023)
It was said to have been written around the time of the Maccabean revolt and is described as a book full of wisdom and about the fear of the Lord, which is described as the beginning, full measure, and root of wisdom.
Oh my gosh, you guys, you're going to love the book of Sirach. I love it so much. It's incredible.
It's all about the fear of the Lord.
Now think about the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
This is one of those things that, ah, the fear of the Lord is wisdom's full measure.
And it goes on to say, you know, the fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom.
Episode: Introduction to the Maccabean Revolt (with Jeff Ca...
It was mentioned as one of the four books from the Maccabean Revolt period, which some listeners may not be familiar with, and is part of the Catholic canon.
We have four books during this time period. We have not only 1 and 2 Maccabees, we also have Sirach and the Book of Wisdom that are going to be not necessarily familiar with everyone who's part of this community.
Episode: Day 281: Good and Evil (2023)
It was mentioned as one of the books they would be reading the following day, as part of the wisdom books.
The first one of those is Sirach that we're going to be reading.
So Sirach, you might not have ever read Sirach. I've got to tell you, I have a sense and the sense is you're going to love it. So if you want, that'll be day 282. But today is day 281.
I'm so excited to read the books of Maccabees first and second Maccabees to read Sirach to read Wisdom so good and then we go to Luke and then we're all living in the New Testament so that's coming up really soon
Episode: Day 193: The Book of Tobit (2023)
It was mentioned as one of the seven Deuterocanonical books, also known as Sirach, found in the Catholic Bible and was removed from Protestant Bibles by Martin Luther in the 1500s. Fr. Mike anticipated the listeners would be blown away by this book.
But not only that you guys, when we get to Sirach, oh, it's going to blow your mind, book of wisdom, it's going to just, it's going to knock your socks off. It is, it's a gift.
Episode: Day 298: The Gift of Life (2022)
It was discussed as a book with wisdom and guidance, including reflections on marriage and the importance of a good wife, and comparisons of different goods and the best choices in life, which was highlighted alongside death and how people perceive it.
the book of sirach chapter 40 human wretchedness and joys of life much labor was created for every man and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of adam from the day they come forth from their mother's womb till the day they return to the mother of all their perplexities
children in the building of a city establish a man's name but a blameless wife is better than both so a lot of kids building a city a great name yeah but a good wife a blameless wife is better than both goes on to say a friend or companion never meets one to miss those are good things but a wife with her husband are better than both
life is sweet for the self-reliant and the worker yeah but he who finds a treasure is better off than both so basically lottery winners um wine and music gladden the heart but love of wisdom is better than both flute and harp pleasant melody pleasant voice is better than both like there's something so good about this recognition that in a world of a lot of goods our task is to choose the best that in a world of full of goods that we can't let the good get in the way of the best
oh death how bitter is the reminder of you to one who lives at peace among his possessions to man is without distractions who is prosperous and everything and still has vigor to enjoy his food and basically how bitter is the reminder of death to one who's at peace and one who has prosperity one who has health on the other hand oh death how welcome is your sentence to one who is in need and is failing in strength who's very old and distracted over everything to one who's contrary and has lost his patience
whether life is for 10 or 100 or a thousand years there is no inquiry about it in hades there is something about that that just is so important for us one of the things that i i reflect on so often is that every single day is a gift that whether a person lives for a day or for a hundred years as a thousand here it says in sirach every day of those is undeserved every one of those is a gift
Episode: Day 284: Near Occasion of Sin (2022)
It was highlighted as a book offering guidance on proper behavior in various life aspects, including work, relationships, and avoiding lust, but its universal applicability was also questioned.
Do not hate toilsome labor or farm work, which were created by the most high.
humble yourself greatly.
Do not exchange a friend for money.
Do not exchange an old friend for a new one.
Do not go to meet a loose woman. Do not associate yourself with a woman singer. And a woman, not just women who sing, because there are a lot of great women who sing, but that kind of person, it was a technical kind of a situation, right? Do not look intently at a virgin. Do not give yourself to harlots.
Do not look around in the streets of a city, nor wander about in its deserted sections. And you can even picture a person wandering about in the, like the, as you'd say, the seedy part of town. It's like, you're not going to find anything there but trouble. Turn your eyes away from a shapely woman. Do not look intently at beauty belonging to another.
Never dine with another man's wife, nor revel with her at wine. Lest your heart turn aside to her, and in blood you'd be plunged into destruction.
Forsake not an old friend, for a new one does not compare with him.
Episode: Day 282: Antiochus Desecrates the Temple (2022)
It was described as a book of wisdom, specifically about the fear of the Lord and how it leads to wisdom and understanding. It was mentioned alongside 1 and 2 Maccabees as a book relevant to the Maccabean Revolt.
Oh my gosh, you guys, you're going to love the book of Sirach. I love it so much. It's incredible.
Now think about the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
ah, the fear of the Lord is wisdom's full measure.
And it goes on to say, you know, the fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom.
And this is something, the fear of the Lord is a root of wisdom.
Episode: Introduction to the Maccabean Revolt (with Jeff Ca...
It was discussed as one of four books related to the Maccabean Revolt period, and it was mentioned alongside 1 and 2 Maccabees and the Book of Wisdom as potentially less familiar to listeners.
We have not only 1 and 2 Maccabees, we also have Sirach and the Book of Wisdom that are going to be not necessarily familiar with everyone who's part of this community.
Episode: Day 281: Good and Evil (2022)
Sirach was mentioned as a book that was going to be read in the upcoming days, the beginning of new wisdom books in the reading plan.
The first one of those is Sirach that we're going to be reading.
So Sirach, you might not have ever read Sirach. I've got to tell you, I have a sense and the sense is you're going to love it.
And I'm so excited to read the books of Maccabees first and second Maccabees to read Syrac, to read wisdom.
Episode: Day 193: The Book of Tobit (2022)
It was mentioned as one of the seven Deuterocanonical books, also known as Sirach, that are included in the Catholic Bible but not in the Protestant one. Fr. Mike Schmitz alluded to its profound wisdom, suggesting it would be 'mind-blowing'.
But not only that you guys, when we get to Sirach, oh, it's going to blow your mind, book of wisdom, it's going to just, it's going to knock your socks off. It is, it's a gift.
