By Dr. Tim Millea
Catholic Health Care Today
In 2nd century Jerusalem, a Jewish sage and astute observer of life and behavior recorded his advice for a good life, which we know today as the Book of Sirach. In the 38th chapter, we find the only Bible passages that praise the physician and the value of his work. Sirach’s approach triangulates the relationship between the patient, the physician and God. As a result, Sirach 38:1-7, is a clarion call to medical care that remains pertinent today.
Sirach emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the giver of care and its recipient. More importantly, he emphasizes the preeminent role of the Divine Physician in the pursuit of the benefits from treatment to both the body and spirit. The wisdom of each verse is timeless and calls for a deeper contemplation of its meaning in our era of modern medicine.
Verse 1: “Make friends with the doctor, for he is essential to you; God has also established him in his profession.”
What does friendship have to do with the patient-physician relationship? Today, the most common complaint reported by patients about interactions with their doctor is a lack of attentive listening to their concerns. If, however, the two of them develop and cultivate a true friendship, mutual benefits will be realized.
Sirach exhorts his readers to “make friends with the doctor.” It is equally important that the physician “make friends with the patient.” Together they must seek a partnership, with the goal of optimal care for the patient.
The second half of this verse, sadly, is an overlooked reality in modern medicine. A medical career is a gift and a blessing, endowed by God. Without the gifts required to attain it — intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual — all aspiring physicians would fall short.
Verse 2: “From God the doctor has wisdom, and from the king he receives sustenance.”
The wisdom of the doctor is also a gift from God. In medicine, scientific research reveals the astonishing perfection of God’s work and the knowledge gained becomes the wisdom required to care for others. It is important to recognize the difference between the two. Knowledge is the gaining of information but wisdom is the skill to discern and judge what is true and good.
Verse 3: “Knowledge makes the doctor distinguished, and gives access to those in authority.”
Physicians are consistently at the top of rankings of professions viewed with a high degree of respect. This elevated level of regard is a testament to physicians’ arduous education and training, resulting in the skill, knowledge and wisdom required to practice medicine. Physicians surely warrant respect but they must remain humble, with the understanding that their elevated role in society is ultimately a gift from God.
Verse 4: “God makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent should not neglect…”
Just as God provides gifts that allow physicians to be formed (see verse 1), he has also created remedies for use in helping the afflicted. Over the centuries, the transition from herbs, potions and balms to medications and surgeries is evidence of the never-ending abundance of resources that are available. It would be imprudent to ignore such blessings.
Verse 5: “…was not the water sweetened by a twig, so that all might learn his power?”
This verse refers to the trials of the Israelites in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 15:25). As Moses led them from the Red Sea through the wilderness to Sinai, water was scarce and, when it was found, it was “too bitter.” With the increasing agitation of his followers, Moses “cried out to the Lord.” God pointed to a “piece of wood” which, when thrown into the bitter water, “the water became fresh.” That experience remains a lesson for us: if God can purify water with a twig, we do well to remember his power in all our physical needs.
Verse 6: “He endows people with knowledge, to glory in His mighty works…”
Sirach reiterates two important factors noted in earlier verses: 1. Established and ever-expanding knowledge is critical to optimal medical care and, 2. Worshipful gratitude to God for all his gifts is necessary and right.
Verse 7: “…through which the doctor eases pain…”
Throughout the history of medicine, the foundational aspect has been the alleviation of suffering. The “pain” described by Sirach includes discomfort, stress, anxiety, fear, loneliness and a seemingly endless list of ailments, all of which can benefit from the physician’s skills and God’s compassion for all of us.
In our modern world, advances in technology and scientific understanding continue at an ever-increasing pace. However, at least one consistent factor has remained over the millennia: human nature. Sirach’s admonitions from a dusty Jerusalem 2,000 years ago may seem antiquated but his advice is equally pertinent today. When God is the paramount factor in the patient-physician relationship, miracles are possible.
(Dr. Tim Millea is president of the St. Thomas Aquinas Medical Guild and a member of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport.)
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