"Young man, do not forget to pray... Remember also: every day and whenever you can, repeat within yourself:
"Lord, have mercy upon all who come before you today."
For every hour and every moment thousands of people leave their life on this earth, and their souls come before the Lord- and so many of them part with the earth in isolation, unknown to anyone, in sadness and sorrow that no one will mourn for them, or even know whether they had lived or not. And do, perhaps from the other end of the earth, your prayer for his repose will rise up to the Lord, though you did not know him at all, nor he you. How moving it is for his soul, coming in fear before the Lord, to feel at that moment that someone is praying for him, too, that there is still a human being on earth who loves him. And God too, will look upon you both with more mercy, for if even you so pitied him, how much more will he who is infinitely more merciful and loving than you are. And he will forgive him for your sake.
Brothers, do not be afraid of men's sin, love man also in his sin, for this likeness of God's love is the height of love on earth. Love all of God's creation, both the whole of it and every grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God's light. Love animals, plants, love each thing. If you love each thing, you will perceive the mystery of God in things. Once you have perceived it, ou will begin tirelessly to perceive more and more of it every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with and entire, universal love."
~ Father Zosima in
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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