On Wisdom’s Stewardship and the Scroll of Praise (Sirach 38:24–39:11)

  

 The Final poem of Sirach is not a quiet ending - it is a commissioning.  It lifts up the scribe, not as a scholar locked in ivory towers, but as a humble steward of Wisdom.  He is one who steps away from the rush of daily toil to dwell in the Word, to stay the ways of the ancients, and to our fourth praise.

"'The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity for leisure . . . ' (Sirach 38:24).  'He will see out the wisdom of all the ancients . . . ' (Sirach 39:1).  'He will pour forth his words in wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the Lord.' (Sirach 39:6).'"

     This is not just a portrait of a biblical figure - it is a mirror held up to each of us.  In a world of endless scrolling and shallow noise, Sirach invites us to become scribes of the soul.  To carve our sacred space for selection. To seek wisdom not in trends, but in truth. To let our words become vessels of praise.

    The scribe of Sirach is a contemplative in action.  He studies, yes - but he also teaches, prays, and sings.  He is not detached from the world; he is deeply engaged, but from a place of rootedness.  Hie leisure is not laziness - it is liturgy, His silence is not avoidance - it is attentiveness.  In a world of distraction and moral drift, the final poem in the Sirach Cycle—Sirach 38:24–39:11—offers a sacred commission: to become a steward of wisdom. This passage doesn’t merely conclude a series of reflections; it invites readers into a vocation of memory, reflection, and proclamation. It speaks to those who long to live with clarity, reverence, and purpose.

    And this vocation is not reserved for theologians or monks.  It is open to every parent who teaches their child to pray.  Every worker who pauses to give thanks.  Every student who seeks truth with humility.  Every believer who remembers what God has done and proclaim what God is doing.

    In Jesus Christ, this calling is fulfilled.  He is the Wisdom of God made flesh - the one who taught, healed and suffered, and rose.  And in Mary, Seat of Wisdom, we see the perfect response: a heart that listens, ponders, rejoices, and intercedes. 

    The final poem of Sirach is a call to live wisely, speak gratefully, and remember faithfully,  It is a call to become scribes of the Kingdom - people who carry the Word in their hearts and share it with the world.

Jewish Moral Tradition: Rooted in Torah

    The moral arc of the Sirach Cycle is not abstract—it is deeply rooted in the Torah, the foundational revelation of God’s will to Israel. In Jewish tradition, Torah is not merely law—it is instruction, path, and wisdom (תּוֹרָה, torah from yarah, “to guide or shoot straight”). Ben Sira’s poems are meditations on this moral vision, refracted through the lens of Wisdom literature. Each of the six poetic passages in Sirach reflects a lived ethic that flows from this covenantal heart:

Wisdom as preexistent with God; fear of the Lord as the beginning of knowledge. Sirach 1:1-10 (Genesis 1; Proverbs 1). Wisdom disciplines like a parent; echos of Israel's wilderness testing.  Sirach 4:11-19 (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Pursuing Wisdom as one would the Law; delighting in her day and night.  Sirach 6:18-37 (Exodus 20; Psalm 1).  Choosing life and blessing; joy in the commandments.  Sirach 14:20-15:10 (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).  Wisdom as Torah itself - flowing like the Gihon, nourishing like the tree of life. Sirach 24:1-33 (Sirach 24:23: "All this is the book of the covenant . . .").  The Scribe as teacher, interpreter, and praise-bearer of the Law. Sirach 38:24-39:11 (Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

    For Catholic readers, this Jewish framework deepens the understanding of the scribe as a precursor to the Christian theologian, catechist, and evangelist. His leisure is akin to lectio divina—a sacred attentiveness that leads to proclamation. His memory work parallels the Church’s magisterial tradition, which preserves and interprets the Word across generations.

    In this light, Sirach 38:24–39:11 is not merely a vocational sketch—it is a theological icon. The scribe is a steward of Wisdom, a moral craftsman, and a liturgical voice. His life is a bridge between Sinai and the Church, between Torah and Gospel, between memory and mission.   

     

Fulfillment in Jesus Christ

    The six poetic passages of Sirach culminate in a vision of Wisdom that is fully realized in the person of Jesus Christ. The New Testament, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Church’s Magisterium all affirm that Christ is the incarnate Wisdom of God, the fulfillment of the moral, prophetic, and contemplative themes found throughout Sirach in the New Testament:

Christ is the eternal Word, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; Sirach 1:1–10 (John 1:1–3, Colossians 2:3) . Christ is tested in the wilderness and learns obedience through suffering; Sirach 4:11–19 (Luke 4:1–13, Hebrews 5:8). Christ invites us to take his yoke and models humility and perseverance; Sirach 6:18–37 (Matthew 11:29, Philippians 2:7–8). Christ is the joy of contemplation, the one thing necessary;  Sirach 14:20–15:10 (Luke 10:39, John 15:11). Christ is Wisdom dwelling among us and nourishing us with his very body; Sirach 24:1–33 (John 1:14, John 6:51). Christ forms scribes for the Kingdom who proclaim treasures old and new; Sirach 38:24–39:11 (Matthew 13:52, Luke 24:27) .

Living the Sirach Cycle

    The Sirach Cycle is more than a series of reflections—it is a spiritual journey. From the awe-filled beginning in Sirach 1:1–10, where Wisdom is revealed as the breath of God, to the final commissioning in Sirach 38:24–39:11, where the scribe becomes a steward of truth, we are invited to walk a path of reverence, discipline, joy, and proclamation.

    Each poem builds upon the last:

•  We begin with holy fear.

•  We endure Wisdom’s testing.

•  We pursue her with perseverance.

•  We delight in her presence.

•  We dwell in her nourishment.

•  We proclaim her with praise.

    This arc is not just literary—it is liturgical. It mirrors the rhythm of the spiritual life: conversion, purification, illumination, communion, and mission.

    In Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God made flesh, this cycle finds its fulfillment. He is the origin, the teacher, the path, the joy, the dwelling, and the proclamation. And in Mary, Seat of Wisdom, we see the perfect human response: a heart that listens, a soul that endures, a voice that rejoices, and a life that intercedes.

    The final poem of Sirach does not close the book—it opens the commission. It calls each of us to become scribes of the Kingdom. Not just writers, but witnesses. Not just thinkers, but proclaimers. Not just students, but servants.

    Whether you are a parent teaching your children, a worker seeking integrity, a seeker longing for truth, or a minister stewarding legacy—this cycle is for you. It is a map of moral renewal, a song of spiritual clarity, and a call to live wisely in a world that often forgets what wisdom looks like.

    Let your life become a scroll of praise. Let your choices reflect the ancient paths. Let your voice echo the joy of Wisdom. And let your heart, like Mary’s, magnify the Lord.

Closing Prayer: The Scribe’s Offering

Lord of Wisdom,  

You have spoken through prophets, poets, and scribes.  

You have walked among us in Christ,  

and you dwell within us through your Spirit.  

Make us stewards of your truth—  

quiet enough to hear,  

bold enough to proclaim,  

faithful enough to endure.  

Let our lives reflect the arc of Wisdom,  

from reverence to proclamation.  

And through the intercession of Mary, Seat of Wisdom,  

may we become living scrolls—  

written in grace,  

read with joy,  

and offered back to You.  

Amen.

Ancient paths unfold—  

the scribe walks, remembers, sings—  

Wisdom dwells in praise.