Isaías 26
Bede
Isaías 26:12
"A man's steps are directed by the Lord." Whoever walks a straight path composed of human steps does so not by the freedom of human judgment but by the governance of him to whom Isaiah said, "All of our works were accomplished by you." "What man can understand his way?" In this it becomes clear that whatever goodness anyone possesses from himself he does not have except through the grace of God, because no one is able to understand through the freedom of his own judgment either what kind of future he will have or the quality and duration of conquests to come. — Commentary on Proverbs 2:20
Isaías 26:18
"When a woman gives birth, she is sorrowful because her hour has come." He refers to holy church as a woman on account of her fruitfulness in good works and because she never ceases to beget spiritual children for God. He says also in another place about this, "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole [mass] was leavened." A woman took some yeast when the church, by the Lord's generosity, secured the energy of love and faith from on high. She hid this "in three measures of flour until the whole [mass] was leavened" when she performed her ministry of imparting the word of life to parts of Asia [Minor], Europe and Africa, until all the bounds of the world were on fire with love for the heavenly kingdom. The one who said sadly to those who were departing from the purity of the faith, "My little children, for whom I am again in travail, until Christ be formed in you," was indicating that he was among this woman's members. They testified that they were among her members who were enkindled with heavenly desires, who cried out in praise of their Maker, "It is out of fear of you, Lord, that we have conceived and been in travail and given birth to the Spirit." — Homilies on the Gospels 2:13