Single lesson
Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition
Sirach 36:1–17; Sirach 36:18–26
Sirach 36:1–17 is a communal prayer from the Catholic additional books. It asks God for mercy, judgement, restoration and public recognition, while remaining prayer language throughout rather than turning into a narrated event. This lesson also brings together Discernment and a supportive household.
Before you teach
The prayer addresses the Lord as “the God of all”. Its requests move from God’s action toward the nations, to the gathering and mercy of Israel, Jerusalem and Zion, and finally to fulfilled prophecy, rewarded waiting and a prayer heard so all the earth may know the Lord.
Explain the central teaching of Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition, using two details from the reading. This prayer asks God to act in mercy and judgement so his people are restored and his unique identity is known. This passage teaches that wise people learn to discern quality and truth, and it presents a kind, humble, supportive wife as a rich gift within household life.
Welcome: Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition
5 minIntroduce “A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition”, “Discernment and a supportive household” and locate Sirach 36:1–17; Sirach 36:18–26. This prayer asks God to act in mercy and judgement so his people are restored and his unique identity is known. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Sirach 36:1, Sirach 36:9, Sirach 36:17
Read and explain the passage
12 minA communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition (Sirach 36:1–17): The prayer begins by asking the Lord to show mercy and favour. It then asks him to send fear on the nations and lift up his hand against foreign peoples. These lines are petitions to God, showing what the speakers ask for rather than describing completed action.
Discernment and a supportive household (Sirach 36:18–26): The passage begins with a simple observation: the belly may eat any food, yet some foods are better than others. That picture becomes a lesson about words. Just as a mouth tastes food, an understanding heart can detect false speech. Wisdom is not only receiving things, but judging them carefully.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition”, “Discernment and a supportive household”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Sirach 36:1, Sirach 36:2, Sirach 36:3, Sirach 36:18, Sirach 36:19
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What does the prayer want the nations to know about God?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that wise people learn to discern quality and truth, and it presents a kind, humble, supportive wife as a rich gift within household life. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Sirach 36:5, Sirach 36:7, Sirach 36:10, Sirach 36:11, Sirach 36:13, Sirach 36:24, Sirach 36:25, Sirach 36:26
Make and respond: Words and images response sheet
12 minWork on “Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition: Words and images response sheet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition”, “Discernment and a supportive household” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Sirach 36:1, Sirach 36:14, Sirach 36:26
Closing: return to Discernment and a supportive household
3 minRevisit Sirach 36:18–26. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Discernment and a supportive household and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Sirach 36:18, Sirach 36:22, Sirach 36:26
Questions to explore
What does the prayer want the nations to know about God?
Find the line that says there is no God but only him.
Sirach 36:5
How does the prayer shift after its strong words about enemies?
Notice the move from wrath and destroyed enemies to gathering Jacob and showing mercy to Israel and Jerusalem.
Sirach 36:7, Sirach 36:10, Sirach 36:11, Sirach 36:13
Which word pictures show support and security in household life?
Notice the phrases help meet, pillar of support, hedge, and nest, and describe what each image suggests within the passage.
Sirach 36:24, Sirach 36:25, Sirach 36:26
Make, think or respond
Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition: Words and images response sheet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “A repeated word or image”, “Its verse reference”, “What it expresses”.
- Read Sirach 36:1–17; Sirach 36:18–26. Use “A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition”, “Discernment and a supportive household” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Choose one image and add a short written response or a simple drawing. Explain how it connects with the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Sirach 36: A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “A communal prayer for Israel’s restoration and God’s recognition”, “Discernment and a supportive household” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Sirach 36:1–17; Sirach 36:18–26. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Sirach 36:1–17; Sirach 36:18–26. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Sirach 36
1 Have mercy upon us, O Lord the God of all, and look at us with favor;
2 and send your fear upon all the nations.
3 Lift up your hand against the foreign nations and let them see your mighty power.
4 As you showed your holiness in us before them, so be magnified in them before us.
5 Let them know you, as we also have known you, that there is no God but only you, O God.
6 Show new signs, and work various wonders. Glorify your hand and your right arm.
7 Raise up indignation and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary and destroy the enemy.
8 Hasten the time and remember your oath. Let them declare your mighty works.
9 Let him who escapes be devoured by raging fire. May those who harm your people find destruction.
10 Crush the heads of the rulers of the enemies who say, “There is no one but ourselves.”
11 Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and take them for your inheritance, as from the beginning.
12 O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by your name, and upon Israel, whom you likened to a firstborn.
13 Have compassion upon the city of your sanctuary, Jerusalem, the place of your rest.
14 Fill Zion. Exalt your oracles and fill your people with your glory.
15 Give testimony to those who were your creatures in the beginning, and fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name.
16 Reward those who wait for you, and men will put their trust in your prophets.
17 Listen, O Lord, to the prayer of your servants, according to the blessing of Aaron concerning your people; and all those who are on the earth will know that you are the Lord, the eternal God.
18 The belly will eat any food, but one food is better than another.
19 The mouth tastes meats taken in hunting, so does an understanding heart detect false speech.
20 A contrary heart will cause heaviness. A man of experience will pay him back.
21 A woman will receive any man, but one daughter is better than another.
22 The beauty of a woman cheers the countenance. A man desires nothing more.
23 If kindness and humility are on her tongue, her husband is not like other sons of men.
24 He who gets a wife gets his richest treasure, a help meet for him and a pillar of support.
25 Where no hedge is, the property will be plundered. He who has no wife will mourn as he wanders.
26 For who would trust a nimble robber who skips from city to city? Even so, who would trust a man who has no nest, and lodges wherever he finds himself at nightfall?
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.