Question 25 — The Object of Charity

We must now consider the object of charity; which consideration will be twofold: (1) The things we ought to love out of charity: (2) The order in which they ought to be loved. Under the first head there are twelve points of inquiry:

(1) Whether we should love God alone, out of charity, or should we love our neighbor also?

• (2) Whether charity should be loved out of charity?
• (3) Whether irrational creatures ought to be loved out of charity?
• (4) Whether one may love oneself out of charity?
• (5) Whether one’s own body?
• (6) Whether sinners should be loved out of charity?
• (7) Whether sinners love themselves?
• (8) Whether we should love our enemies out of charity?
• (9) Whether we are bound to show them tokens of friendship?
• (10) Whether we ought to love the angels out of charity?
• (11) Whether we ought to love the demons?
• (12) How to enumerate the things we are bound to love out of charity.