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Via the Reverend Canon A.M. Allchin of + Memory Eternal +
Saint Isaac the Syrian writes:
An elder was once asked 'What is a compassionate heart?'
He replied,
'It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation, for humanity, for the
birds, for the animals, for demons and for all that exists.
'At the
recollection and at the sight of them such a person's eyes overflow
with tears owing to the vehemence of the compassion which grips his
heart; as a result of his deep mercy, his heart shrinks and cannot bear to
hear or look on any injury or the slightest suffering of anything in
creation.
'This is why he constantly offers up prayer full of tears, even
for the irrational animals and for the enemies of truth, even for those
who harm him, so that they may be protected and find mercy. He even
prays for the reptiles as a result of the great compassion which is
poured out without measure - after the likeness of God - in his heart. '
The heart of compassion:
daily readings with St Isaac of Syria
(London 1989),
p9.
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