NOTES for Sir 4:10-17
What is going on here? Look at what Jesus son of Sirach says about Wisdom: “At first she will walk with him by winding ways, bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline until she can trust his soul and has tested him by her ordinances.” Does this mean that an evil God has decided to torment His children and sends them a terrifying wisdom that torments them, leads them in circles, and makes them tremble with fear? But we believe that God is good and merciful. Then why such horrors? Let us think. God’s wisdom is not at all the same as human wisdom. The one who gains His wisdom begins to see the world differently. The path he follows may appear winding from the point of view of ordinary human logic. And comparing everything that once seemed normal with the radiant and dazzling reality of God’s truth may prove simply agonizing! The reading ends here, but I will nevertheless continue so as to end on a brighter note. Jesus son of Sirach goes on to say: “But afterward she will return to him on the straight way, gladden him, and reveal her secrets to him.”