Saturday, February 9, 2008

Sirach about priests and ministers

With all your soul, fear God,
revere his priests.
With all your strength, love your Creator,
forsake not his ministers.
Honor God and respect the priest;
give him his portion as you have been
commanded:
First fruits and contributions,
due sacrifices and holy offerings.
To the poor man also extend your hand,
that your blessing may be complete. (Sirach 7: 29-31).

((Notice the deliberate order. You must start with God, giving him love and fearing him, and then extending this next to his priests and ministers, and THEN the poor complete your blessings. Many have this order totally reversed. They put social work first, then the ministry, and last God and his priests.))