When I die, I hope people say about me: “He was one of the most naïve people I ever met. He always assumed people were much better than they actually were.” Then I hope they say, “Let’s not make that mistake about him. He was probably much worse than he seemed. We all better pray for him; he’ll need it.”
I’m reminded of this from St. Thomas More: “Bear no malice or evil will to any man living. For either the man is good or wicked. If he is good and I hate him, then I am wicked.
If he is wicked, either he will amend and die good and go to God, or live wickedly and die wickedly and go to the devil. And then let me remember that if he be saved, he will not fail (if I am saved too, as I trust to be) to love me very heartily, and I shall then in like manner love him.
And why should I now, then, hate one for this while who shall hereafter love me forevermore, and why should I be now, then, an enemy to him with whom I shall in time be coupled in eternal friendship? And on the other side, if he will continue to be wicked and be damned, then is there such outrageous eternal sorrow before him that I may well think myself a deadly cruel wretch if I would not now rather pity his pain than malign his person.”
#MementoMori