Sirach 40:22. "The eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both."

Verses 18-27 of the 40th chapter of Sirach contain a list of comparisons of good things, reminding us in each case which is the greater good. Sirach reminds us here that grace and beauty are pleasing to us, they are very good things, they are gifts from God that remind us how lovely our heavenly home with Him will be. But we cannot get to grace and beauty if we don't have food, so green shoots of grain, also gifts from God, are the most beautiful things of all.

Our lives cannot be all about pursuing what we find pleasing or attractive, or we will end up with false, empty lives. Think of a man who chooses his wife solely on the basis of looks. He often ends up miserable. In the end, earthly things do not last, beauty is fleeting, food is consumed as it sustains us. All earthly things are pointing us to Heaven.

Sirach did not know of the Eucharist, the Bread from Heaven. His words will eventually be given so much more meaning when the epitome of grace and beauty becomes our food for eternal life. The Eucharist shows how grace, beauty, and, most importantly, grain point us to Heaven, the place were all good things exist in their perfect state and perfect order.