First Reading:  Sirach 27:30-28:9

The Price of Hatred

What is the personal cost of holding onto hatred?

Jesus ben Sirach wrote this book of wisdom about 180 B.C. This book (also known as Ecclesiasticus) was a text for the education of wealthy young men in Jerusalem just before the Hasmonean revolution (167-164 B.C.). Sirach revealed the tensions in the city: the rifts between rich and poor, between the local populace and their foreign rulers, between male and female. How does a righteous Jew live in such a culture of tension?

Maintaining friendships would be especially difficult in this environment. The temptation to "sell out" a friend for gain was great. But the repercussions would be greater. For example, slander injured the victim, the slanderer, and the person who believed the lie. In such an atmosphere, how does one repair damage?

Sirach gave the key: forgiveness. This virtue heals hearts and egos, restores relationships and peace. Forgiveness is a cornerstone upon which the just society is built. Yet, as we all know, forgiveness was not (and is not) a popular virtue. It's too easy to nurse anger and a vengeful spirit. "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you" seem to be the most difficult words to say.

Sirach reminded his contemporaries, just as the Nazarean told his followers, that to forgive others was the first step in realizing the forgiveness of God.

What emotional or spiritual wounds do you nurse? How can you forgive those who caused your pain? How can you place your pain and those who hurt you before the Lord?