Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Chapter 3
2
For the Lord established that children should respect their father; he also affirmed the right of the mother over her children.
3
Whoever honors his father atones for his sins;
4
he who gives glory to his mother prepares a treasure for himself.
5
Whoever honors his father will find joy through his own children and will be heard when he prays.
6
Whoever glorifies his father will have a long life. Whoever obeys the Lord brings comfort to his mother.
12
My child, care for your father in his old age and do not cause him sorrow while he is alive.
13
Even if he has lost his mind, be patient; do not show disrespect while you are healthy.
14
Kindness toward your father will never be forgotten; it will make up for your sins.
Commentaries
Honor Your Father and Mother.
Ben Sirach references Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16, which clearly command honoring one’s father and mother. In a society that deeply valued family structure, it was natural for him to highlight respect and reverence for those who represent and maintain divine order—namely, parents. The family was the first human community where the main social hierarchy was evident: the father stands at the top, similar to how God is viewed in relation to the world and the king over the nation; the mother comes next, and must be honored and respected; then the children, who are entirely subject to this social order—within the family, to their parents; and in society, to the king and his officials. According to Jesus of Nazareth, this family structure must be left behind if one truly wants to follow him: “whoever does not leave father and mother…” (Lk 14:26). This does not mean abandoning family members, but rather rejecting a family system that has traditionally supported social, economic, and religious systems opposing God’s will and hindering the coming of the kingdom.