"What is man? What is his purpose? What is the good in him and what the bad? Take the length of his life: a hundred years is long. Like a drop of water from the sea, a grain of sand, such are his few years compared with eternity. For this reason, the Lord has patience with them and pours out his mercy on them. He sees and realizes how miserable their end is and so he heaps his forgiveness upon them. Man’s mercy is for his neighbor but the compassion of the Lord reaches all people; he rebukes, corrects, teaches and brings back his flock like a shepherd. He takes pity on those who accept correction and eagerly seek his will."