…judges Francis’ idea that Jesus came into the world to learn how to be a man
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A path ornate with the plenitude of love and also with justice to liberate man
[The Creator], acted toward our salvation with wisdom and justice. He did not wish to merely use his omnipotent power to grant us the gift of liberty, nor to employ only mercy against the adversary of the human race; so that he would not accuse mercy of injustice, but rather [He willed] to create a beautiful path, ornate with the plenitude of love and also with justice. In effect, having united to Himself the vanquished nature [of man], he lead it to combat; and He prepared it to make reparation for the defeat and to entirely overcome the one who before had iniquitously conquered, and to be unloose the tyranny of the one who had subjected us to bitter slavery and to recover the original liberty. (Theodoret of Cyrus. De Providentia, Oratio 10 – PG 83: 747)
