Wis 12:19

“Their just God, teacher of mercy and compassion—who would later bestow the Law (by which he would give his people the precepts that would enable them to act with mercy and compassion and to do good works)—wanted them to first suffer every kind of affliction, tribulation and anguish in a foreign land. This was so they would more easily pity those who suffer these same things and so respect his commandments. Imagine a wise farmer who, before sowing the seed, takes time to soften the land with plow and rake, so that the seed that he entrusts to it will not be lost. Likewise God soaks and softens his people for a long time before bestowing on them the salutary seeds of the commandments. Finally, so that it would be even more evident that this was why he inflicted these things on his people, we see that the Lord says in his commandments, "Do not molest or oppress the alien, because you were aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt." We also read, "The great God, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes, who renders justice to the alien, the orphan and the widow. Delight in giving them bread and clothing, because you were like them in the land of Egypt." And elsewhere it says, "When harvesting your fields, if you miss a sheaf, do not go back to get it. It will be for the alien, the orphan and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the works of your hands. You will remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore I command you to do this." It is easy, then, to recognize that this is why he afflicted his people with every kind of misery, so that from what happened to them they would learn to be merciful toward others, as it is written, "In this way you taught your people that the righteous must love." In my opinion, it is very clear how God wants his people to be and how he shows, with many examples, the works by which they can gain his kindness.”

“For by the wondrous works of the almighty God the faithful are instructed to beware of involving themselves in the sins of the wicked, and rather to strive to keep themselves untainted by such matters, and by maintaining faith and hope in the Lord, not to neglect the time granted to them for doing penance and good works; indeed, with all their strength, through love, they should try to serve their Creator.”

“(Verse 19). For you have taught your people: but others are not taught, whence Sirach twenty-one: "He who is not wise in good will not be instructed"; through such works, namely of justice and mercy together. Because it is necessary to be just, because you are just, and humane, that is, gentle, because man is by nature a gentle animal: and this, because you are merciful, not only just; whence in the Psalm: "Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord"; likewise: "The Lord is merciful and compassionate and just." And if the Lord, therefore also the servant; whence Matthew eighteen: "Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I also had mercy on you?" Ecclesiastes seven: "Do not be excessively just," namely to such a degree that you exclude mercy from your justice: for the Samaritan poured upon the wounded man not only wine, but also oil together. And you have made your children of good hope, that is, concerning the obtaining of pardon, your faithful ones, who are your children: whence John one: "He gave them the power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name." This is the good hope, concerning which in the Psalm: "Hope in him, all you assembly of the people"; likewise: "In God my heart has hoped, and I have been helped"; First Peter one: "Hope in the grace that is offered to you." Because judging, that is, punishing sinners, you give a place of repentance amid sins, that is, to those remaining in sins, namely by waiting for them unto repentance; Isaiah thirty: "Therefore the Lord waits, that he may have mercy on you." The place of repentance is this world: for after departure from this world there remains no place of repentance: on account of which Ecclesiastes eleven: "Wherever the tree falls, whether to the south or to the north, there it shall be." Chrysostom: "Then there will be no place of repentance, nor time for making satisfaction, nor power of restitution"; therefore Ecclesiastes nine: "Whatever your hand is able to do, work at it earnestly, because neither work nor reason nor knowledge nor wisdom will be in the netherworld, to which you hasten."”