“The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought: and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God. Just is my help from the Lord: who saveth the upright of heart. God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day? Except you will be converted, he will brandish his sword: he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. And in it he hath prepared the instruments of death, he hath made ready his arrows for them that burn.”
“Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that built it” (Psalm 126:1). Without an upright, just love, the actions thereof are but dust: “Whatever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Therefore, the Psalmist exhorts the one trapped in sin to turn from wickedness and embrace love, for it is love that brings the just to their fulfillment: “Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). This same Lord sees the heart and motivations for one’s actions in addition to the actions themselves, as well as where your joy is: “For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also” (Matthew 6:21). Consider, Theophila, how difficult it is to do one little action of pure love! To do something upright and loving, from an abundance of love, not begrudgingly but joyfully so: “In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy” (Ecclesiasticus 35:11), as much as you may try, this can only be done by grace: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22); “Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God” (1 John 4:7). Therefore, it is just to receive help from God, for if He were to leave you alone in your poverty, you would not be able to perform a single well-ordered act of love: “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), for all justice is of God: “Whereas I was more good, I came to a body undefiled. And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was” (Wisdom 8:20-21); “What hast thou that thou hast not received?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Take heart, however, for “in this is my Father glorified: that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples”; “The Lord who is your leader, he himself will be with thee: he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Therefore, the Lord is just in aiding you, who so needs His aid, and He will preserve the upright heart that He has given you: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10). God, then, is a just judge, for He sees how utterly broken and feeble you are: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled” (Psalm 6:3), but will give you the grace to love: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity” (2 Corinthians 12:9). He is strong, all-mighty in love, for He did not condemn even those who had turned away from Him during His passion, but came to them bearing peace: “Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: ‘Peace be to you’” (John 20:19), knowing how feeble they were to love Him in return: “As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him: for he knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 102:13-14); “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak” (Matthew 26:41). Therefore, He is compassionate with your weaknesses, not angry, but extending His hand to pick you up: “He raiseth up the needy from the dust” (1 Kings 2:8). His compassion and patience never ceases, giving those lost to sin every opportunity to convert, always inviting them with His love: “Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and patience, and longsuffering? Knowest thou not, that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance?” (Romans 2:4), but where necessary with fear, where hate has calcified. The instruments of the punishment that inspires fear are demonic forces, those that have been lost to hate, and to whom those that flee the loving protection of God are subject: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just, is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10).