The Merciful Heart

We all have famous prayers and reflections from the tradition that we keep coming back to. For my part, I revisit Isaac of Nineveh's reflections upon the merciful heart:

What is a merciful heart? It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation, for humanity, for the birds, for the animals, for demons, and for every created thing. And at the recollection and sight of them, the eyes of a merciful person pour forth tears in abundance. By the strong and vehement mercy that grips such a person’s heart, and by such great compassion, the heart is humbled and one cannot bear to hear or to see any injury or slight sorrow in any in creation.

Isaac's description echos Jesus' own description of the heart of God and his call to emulate this love:

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

"He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." That line always haunts me.