Fear God in time of trials
1 My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials.
2 Keep your heart upright and remain resolute; do not be upset in the time of adversity.
3 Hold fast to the Lord, do not sep ar ate yourself from him so that you may be successful to the end of your days.
4 Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled,
5 for as gold is tested in the fire, so those acceptable to God are tested in the crucible of humiliation.
6 Have confidence in him and he will take care of you; follow the right path and hope in him.
7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy and do not turn away lest you fall.
8 You who fear the Lord, trust him and you will not lose your re ward.
9 You who fear the Lord, hope for all good things; hope for eternal joy and mercy.
10 Remember what happened to your ancestors. Who has ever trusted in the Lord and been confounded? Who has persevered in fear of the Lord and been abandoned? Who has called upon him and not been heard?
11 For the Lord is compassion and loving-kindness; he forgives our sins and saves us in time of distress.
12 Woe to faint hearts and weak hands, to the sinner who wavers be tween two paths.
13 Woe to the fainthearted who lack confidence, because of this they will not be pro tected.
14 Woe to you who have lost patience! What will you do when the Lord calls you to account?
15 Those who fear the Lord do not dis obey his commandments; those who love him faithfully keep his laws.
16 Those who fear the Lord seek to please him; those who love him are filled with his law.
17 Those who fear the Lord keep their hearts ready and humble them selves in his presence saying,
18 “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of mortals, for great as his power is his mercy.”
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Comments Sirach, Chapter 2
• 2.1 Those who want to serve God must be ready to face trials and contradictions. Authentic trust in God is demonstrated when things do not turn out well. Along with faith and perseverance, trust is the basic quality of the believer.