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The answer that changes the way we see the world
The answer he receives is neither emotional nor ambiguous. It is a direct, almost formulaic explanation that completely transforms the human perspective.
God reveals to him that his justice leaves nothing unpaid : no good goes unrewarded, no evil without consequence. But the key lies in when and with what currency the payment is made.
The wicked, though they live turned away from grace, are not incapable of doing small acts of kindness: an occasional act of solidarity, a useful deed, a momentary act of compassion. And God, being just, must reward these acts.
However, since these people have closed their hearts to eternity, only one currency remains available: temporal prosperity .
Thus, the success of the wicked is not a loving blessing, but an advance on their wages , a final settlement. God pays them everything here and now so that He will owe them nothing later. Health, money, fame, pleasures: all given on earth, because in eternity their balance will be zero.
What from the outside seems like a privilege, from this perspective is a farewell.
The mercy that also hides behind success
The revelation goes even further. God allows this prosperity as a final act of mercy, hoping that gratitude will soften the sinner’s heart and lead him to repentance. But when that abundance is used to fuel pride and mockery, prosperity becomes condemnation.
There is a phrase that is chilling:
God grants them paradise on earth because He knows it is the only paradise they will ever have.
At that moment, Brígida’s indignation transforms into compassion. She understands that envying the life of the wicked is like envying the last supper of a condemned man