Notes from Wikiquote
‘And what is humility?’ | ‘It is a twofold voluntary death to all things.’ | ‘And what is a merciful heart?’ | ‘It is the heart’s burning for the sake of the entire creation | for men, for birds, for animals, for demons, and for every created thing | and at the recollection and sight of them | the eyes of a merciful man pour forth abundant tears. | From the strong and vehement mercy that grips his heart and from his great compassion | his heart is humbled and he cannot bear to hear or to see any injury or slight sorrow in creation. | For this reason he offers up prayers with tears continually | even for irrational beasts, for the enemies of the truth, and for those who harm him | that they be protected and receive mercy. | And in like manner he even prays for the family of reptiles | because of the great compassion that burns without measure in his heart in the likeness of God.’ | Homily 71, p. 491