wicked
thought or action? They might know it and yet be unable to harm me, but
He, all-powerful, could destroy me instantly. Nay, more; not only will
God see and know this evil deed or thought; but, by His gift, the
Blessed Mother, the angels and saints will know of it and be ashamed of
it before God, and, most of all, my guardian angel will deplore it.
Besides, this sin will be revealed to the whole world on the last day,
and my friends, relatives, and neighbors will know that I was guilty of
it.

19 Q. Can God do all things?
A. God can do all things, and nothing is hard or impossible to Him.

20 Q. Is God just, holy, and merciful?
A. God is all just, all holy, all merciful, as He is infinitely perfect.

"All just"--that is, most just. "Just" means to give to everyone what
belongs to him--to reward if it is merited or to punish if it is
deserved. "Holy"--that is, good. "Merciful" means compassionate,
forgiving, less exacting than severe justice demands. In a court a just
judge is one who listens patiently to all the arguments for and against
the prisoner, and then, comparing one with the other, gives the sentence
exactly in accordance with the guilt. If he inflicts more or less
punishment than the prisoner deserves, or for money or anything else
gives an unfair sentence, then he is an unjust judge. The judge might be
merciful in this way. The laws say that for the crime of which this
prisoner is proved guilty he can be sent to prison for a term not longer
than ten years and not shorter than five: that is, for anything between
ten and five years. The judge could give him the full ten years that the
law allows and be just. But suppose he believed that the prisoner did
not know the law and did not intend to be as wicked as he was proved; or
that it was his first offense, or that he heard the prisoner's mother,
who was old and infirm, pleading for him and saying he was her only
support; or other extenuating circumstances that could awaken sympathy:
the judge might be merciful and sentence him for the shortest term the
law allows. But if the judge dismissed every prisoner, no matter how
guilty, without punishment, he would not be a merciful but an unjust
judge, who would soon be forced to leave the court. In the same way, God
is often merciful to sinners and punishes them less than He could in
strict justice. But if He were to allow every sinner to go without any
punishment whatsoever--as unbelievers say He should do, b