Chapter 41. Man’s Duty to his Neighbor

| Man’s duty towards his neighbor is embraced in the pracce of charity and mercy. Read Holy Scriptures and you ill appreciate the importance of these virtues. The writgs of the prophets, Apostles, and evangelists abound with punsels concerning them. | God teaches us in Isaias that one of the duties of justice is narity to our neighbor. Thus when the Jews exclaimed: Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded; have we umbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice?’ God nswers: “In the day of your fast your own will is found, d you exact of all your debtors. You fast for debates and tife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Is this such a fast as have chosen? Is not this rather the fast that I have nosen—loose the bands of wickedness; undo the bundles |at oppress; let them that are broken go free; and break under every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and be the needy and harborless into thy house. When thou aalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own esh. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear, and ve thee rest continually, and fill thy soul with brightness.” 's. 58). The prophet continues to the end of the chapter to sclare the blessings with which God will reward this narity to our neighbor.

Behold how highly the great Apostle extols the virtue of larity; how strongly he recommends it; how minutely he enumerates its advantages. He gives it the first place among the virtues, and tells us that it is the bond of perfection, the end of the commandments, and the fulfillment of the law (Cf. 1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 3:14; 1 Tim. 1:5; Rom. 13:8; Gal 5:14).

It would be difficult to say more in praise of charity. Cer: tainly these words of the Apostle must suffice to make you love and practice this virtue, if you desire to be pleasing te God.

Charity was also a favorite virtue with the beloved disci. ple. He frequently mentions it in his epistles, with the high. est praise and commendation. And not only in his writing: but in his discourse did he display the same devotedness tc this virtue. So frequently did he repeat to his disciples the touching words, “My little children, love one another,” tha’ at last, as St. Jerome tells us, they became somewhat weary of always hearing the same, and asked him: Good master why do you always give us this one command? His answer says St. Jerome, was worthy of John: “Because it is the command of the Lord; and if you do this alone it wil suffice.”” (De Scriptoribus Eccles.). Without doubt therefore, he who desires to please God must fulfill thi: great precept of charity, not only in word but also in deed “He that hath the substance of this world,” says St. John “and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up hi bowels from him, how doth the charity of God abide i1 him? My little children, let us not love in word nor i1 tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (J Jn. 3:17-18).

Among the works comprised in charity to our neighbo the following are the most important: advice, counsel, suc cor, forbearance, pardon, edification. These are so strongh linked with charity that the practice of them indicates thi progress we have made in the practice of charity.

There are Christians who pretend to love their neighbor but their charity goes no further than words. Others ar ifling to give advice, but no more substantial proof of their iarity. Others will perform both these duties, but will not frain from resenting an injury, or will refuse to bear with ke infirmities of their neighbor, forgetting that the Apostle ‘ils us: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so you shall nifill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2). Others, again, while not resenting an injury, continue to arbor it in their hearts and will not freely pardon it. inally, many fulfill all these obligations, yet in their words < conduct they fail to give their neighbor that edification ‘hich is the most important duty of charity. Let us iligently examine our hearts and our actions, and learn iow far we fulfill the precepts of this virtue. It may be said that he who simply loves his neighbor lossesses the first degree of charity; he who gives him good ounsel possesses the second; he who assists him in poverty ir distress possesses the third; he who patiently bears an inury possesses the fourth; he who freely pardons it, the fifth; md he who in addition to all these fulfills the duty of idification to his neighbor has attained the highest degree f charity. _ The works of which we have just been treating are what re called positive acts of charity, which teach us what we ught to do for our neighbor. Besides these there are others, alled negative duties, which indicate what we must avoid n our intercourse with our neighbor. Such are judging shly, speaking evil, using abusive or insulting language, hjuring his honor or reputation, and giving scandal by vords or evil counsel. If you would fulfill the law of charity, void all these. To reduce to practice what we have said, let your love for our neighbor be like that of a mother for her child. See vith what devotion a good mother cares for her child; how udently she counsels him in danger; how faithfully she ssists him in his necessities; how ingenious she is in regard to his faults, sometimes patiently bearing them, at other times justly punishing them, or again prudently ignoring them. How earnestly she rejoices in his prosperity; how deeply she grieves at his misfortune as if it were her own! How zealous she is for his honor and advancement; how fervently she prays for him; how cheerfully she denies herself to give to him; how utterly she forgets herself in her care of him! Your charity would be perfect did it resemble this. Though you may not attain this degree, you must nevertheless aspire to it, for the higher you aim the more noble will be your conduct.

You will doubtless urge that you cannot feel such affection for one who is a stranger to you. But you should not regard your neighbor as a stranger. Behold in him rather the image of God, the work of His divine hands, and a living member of Christ. (Cf. Rom. 12:5). Hence St. Paul tells us that when we sin against our neighbor we sin against Christ. (Cf. 7 Cor. 8:12). Look on your neighbor, therefore, not as a man but as Christ Himself, or one of His living members; for though he is not so in body, he is truly so by participation in the spirit of Christ, and by the reward which is promised to us, for Christ assures us that He will consider as done to Himself all that we do to our neighbor.

Think of the affection which ties of blood establish between creatures, and blush to let nature influence you more powerfully than grace. You will doubtless urge that your relatives are descended with you from the same ancestor, and that the same blood flows in your veins. Remember, however, that there are closer and stronger bonds uniting us as brethren in Christ. In God we have one Father; in the Church one mother; and in Jesus Christ one Lord and Saviour. One faith springs from the same source which enlightens all Christians and distinguishes them from the rest of men.

The object of our hope is the same kingdom, where we ail have but one heart and one soul. Baptism has made us iidren of the same Father, brothers and heirs of the same “eritance. Our souls are nourished with the same Food, je adorable Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us :e with Himself. Finally, we are united in a participation ihe same Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by faith alone or » the union of faith and grace, communicating to us life :d strength. Behold the union which exists between the embers of the same body, however diverse their functions, ‘cause they are animated by one soul! How much greater ould be the union between the faithful who are animated ’ the same Divine Spirit, the Holy Ghost Himself!

|But, above all, ever keep before your eyes the incomurable example of Our Saviour’s love for us. Why did He t us with so much tenderness, devotion, and generosity, not to encourage us by His example, and oblige us by His tnefits faithfully to fulfill the precept which He has imbsed upon us? “A new commandment I give unto you,” ere His parting words to His Apostles on the night before i suffered; “that you love one another, as I have loved pu.” (Jn. 13:34). Having treated this subject at greater ss in a work on Prayer and Meditation, | would refer the ader to it for a more complete development of this virtue.