This volume in the popular Ignatius Catholic Study Bible series leads readers through a penetrating study of the books of Wisdom and Sirach using the text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights by renowned Scripture scholars Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes provide rich historical, cultural, geographical, and theological information pertinent to the Old Testament books—information that bridges the distance between the biblical world and our own. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies, and Charts. The Topical Essays explore the major themes of the books of Wisdom and Sirach, often relating them to the teachings of the Church. The Word Studies explain the background of important biblical terms, while the Charts summarize crucial biblical information "at a glance"

Although it is found in every major extant Christian manuscript of the Old Testament, the later exclusion of the Wisdom of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) from the Protestant canon has made it one of the little-known gems of Holy Scripture. Composed in Hebrew and translated into Greek in the second century before Christ, it is among the last books of the Old Testament. Sirach represents the more primitive and conservative aspect of Israel's Wisdom tradition-the practical application of the fear of God to daily life-but he enhances that tradition by a singular attention to biography and historical literature in the shaping of the soul. In short, "Wise Lives." Sirach's social context-the struggle to preserve the Jewish religion and culture against the corrosive influence of Hellenic paganism-will resonate with Christians living in the secular world today. In this commentary, Fr. Patrick Reardon illustrates for contemporary readers the riches of this often-neglected jewel of the Bible. Other titles by the author: "Christ in the Psalms":978188821221 "Christ in His Saints":9781888212686 "The Trial of Job":9781888212723

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The national directory addresses the dimensions and perspectives in the formation of deacons and the model standards for the formation, ministry, and life of deacons in the United States. It is intended as a guideline for formation, ministry, and life of permanent deacons and a directive to be utilized when preparing or updating a diaconate program in formulating policies for the ministry and life of deacons. This volume also includes Basic Standards for Readiness for the formation of permanent deacons in the United States, from the bishops' Committee on the Diaconate, and the committee document Visit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate Formation Programs.