lectionary.com

Epiphany Season · Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year C

Sirach 27:4-7

The Test of a Person Is in His Speech

February 27, 2028

Orchard in Blossom (Plum Trees), Vincent van Gogh
Orchard in Blossom (Plum Trees), Vincent van Gogh, 1888Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
One of fourteen orchards Van Gogh painted in a few weeks at Arles, racing the blossom before it fell.The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree, so a person's speech discloses the cultivation of the mind.Vincent van GoghVan Gogh (1853-1890) trained first for the ministry and preached in a Belgian mining district before taking up painting, which he did seriously for only the last decade of his life.Van Gogh Museum, AmsterdamBuilt around the pictures Van Gogh's brother kept, and so the only place to follow his ten working years in order.Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 6:39-45Lk 6:39-45
Second Reading1 Cor. 15:54-581 Cor 15:54-58
First ReadingSir. 27:4-7Sir 27:4-7
Responsorial PsalmPs. 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (cf. 2a)Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (cf. 2a)

Overview & Insights

"The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so a person's speech discloses the cultivation of his mind." (Sirach 27:6)

Ben Sira uses the image of a sieve shaking husks out from grain to describe how a person's speech, under testing, reveals what is really in their heart. The passage pairs naturally with the Gospel's teaching that a tree is known by its fruit.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Sirach 27:4-7

Commentary

StudyLight: Sirach 27 (Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary)StudyLight: Sir 27 (Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary) StudyLight

George Haydock's Catholic notes on testing speech like grain in a sieve.

Agape Bible Study: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C) Agape Bible Study

Catholic verse-by-verse notes on all four of this Sunday's readings, Sirach included.

Catholic Productions: 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre

Brant Pitre's video walk-through of all four Mass readings, including this deuterocanonical one.

Background & Word Study

New Advent: Sirach 27 (Douay-Rheims)New Advent: Sir 27 (Douay-Rheims) New Advent · Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Douay-Rheims text of the chapter for reference alongside the lectionary translation.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Luke 6:39-45
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.