ARE you not surprised that so many tears were considered a merit in Saint Thomas? Because parents and teachers do not encourage children to cry.
But there are all sorts of tears, just as water is more or less pure and clear.
Some tears come from anger and rage, from envy and wickedness. These are bad.
Others are caused by suffering, by pain, and sorrow; they call for compassion.
There are still others whose source is the admiration of great and beautiful things, perfect things; or pity, or friendship; and tears like these are good.
But there are also tears which are a gift of God. They are called the gift of tears.
Their source is grace itself, divine love which makes the heart generous and tender, easily touched by Beauty, Truth and the Goodness of God, by the sufferings of Jesus and the pains of men.
The tears of the Angel of the Schools were a gift of God.