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From: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

God, Just and Forbearing (Continuation)

[13] “For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men,
to whom thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly;
[16] For thy strength is the source of righteousness, and thy sovereignty
over all causes thee to spare all.
[17] For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of
thy power,
and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it.
[18] Thou who art sovereign in strength dost judge with mildness,
and with great forbearance thou dost govern us;
for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose.
[19] Through such works thou has taught thy people
that the righteous man must be kind,
and thou hast filled thy sons with good hope,
because thou givest repentance for sins.

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Commentary:

12:12-27. This passage is imbued with very solid faith in the goodness and po-
wer of God, who is the only God, almighty, and has to account to no one for
what he does (vv. 12-14). Here the book of Wisdom connects up with sapiential
tradition (cf. Job 9) and with prophecy (cf. e.g. Is 45:9-13; Jer 18: 5-11). His all-
embracing power does not make God an unjust tyrant; on the contrary, God is
always righteous (vv. 15-17). Nor is his justice in any sense at odds with his mer-
cy and kindness. He shows this in his dealings with Israel, especially, but also
in his dealings with mankind at large, whose evil actions he punishes gently, to
give people a chance to change (vv. 18-25). However, he will indeed punish those
who are obdurate in their unbelief and wickedness (vv. 26-27). We find the same
teaching in the New Testament (cf. e.g., Mt 16:15-16).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Romans 8:26-27

Christians are Children of God (Continuation)

[26] Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to
pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for
words. [27] And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of
the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of
God.

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Commentary:

“The action of the Holy Spirit may pass unnoticed because God does not reveal
to us his plans, and because man’s sin obscures the divine gifts. But faith tells
us that God is always acting. He has created us and maintains us in existence,
and he is leading all creation by his grace towards the glorious freedom of the
children of God” (St J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 130).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.