Morning Prayer: "Show the splendor of your right hand and arm" (Sirach)
When Sirach says “show the splendor of your right hand and arm,” it’s tapping into one of the oldest symbolic languages in the ancient Near East — a language that isn’t about anatomy at all, but about power, fidelity, and decisive action . ✨ What “splendor” means here Splendor in this context isn’t glitter or radiance. It’s the visible manifestation of God’s capacity to act — to intervene, to defend, to restore, to set things right. Think of it as: Strength made visible Justice made active Mercy made concrete Presence made unmistakable When Sirach asks God to “show” that splendor, it’s a plea for God to step into history again , the way God did in the Exodus, the way God does in moments of rescue, clarity, or transformation. It’s not “show off your muscles.” It’s “make your saving power unmistakable.” 💪 Why the right hand and arm? Ancient cultures — Hebrew, Greek, Roman, Egyptian — all used the right side as shorthand for: Authority Skill Strength Favor Legitimacy Not becau...