Chapter — Marc, Institutiones Morales
Chapter II: On Charity Toward Neighbor
St. Thomas, 2.2, q. 25; St. Alphonsus, II, n. 25; Billuart, disp. V; Laymann, l. 2, tr. 3, c. 3; Elbel, II, n. 207; Suarez, l. c.; Van Roey, de Natura et Ordine carit.; Steinmuller, die Feindesliebe; Berardi, Theol. mor., II, n. 96.
- Things to be noted beforehand: 1. That the secondary object of charity comprises ourselves and neighbor was said above (n. 465).
But under the name NEIGHBOR come all who are capable of eternal beatitude, or already enjoy it, that is, Angels, the Blessed in Heaven, souls in Purgatory, and especially men wayfarers, whether just or sinners. Hence that saying of Gerson (Summa, l. 5, q. de Carit.): "Everything which is beatifiable is to be loved from charity." Only the damned are excepted.
The norm of this love of neighbor is supernatural charity which we ought to have toward ourselves. The precept of loving oneself has not indeed been imposed on man in express words, because the tendency of loving oneself is too connatural to each rational being; whence express promulgation of this precept was not necessary. Nonetheless it is a strict and urgent precept.
From this necessity of love there follows that each one is bound to wish for himself and procure those goods which are fitting to himself:
a) Supernatural goods, which are: knowledge of the supernatural end and of the means to the end, sanctifying grace, conversion after sin, sacraments.
b) Spiritual goods, such as: instruction, firmness of will, whence each one can devote himself to those things which are imposed on him by office.
c) Bodily goods, under which are comprehended food, clothing, and habitation. Yet moderation must necessarily be present in these. We are bound to those things which health, modesty, and the state of the family require; but attention must be given to those restrictions which temperance and diversity of condition impose.2
d) External goods of the person, such as honor and reputation. It belongs to charity toward oneself to care for a good name, to seek that it be recovered. But someone can, the things to be posited having been posited, renounce this right.
e) External goods of fortune. This is required by reason of preserving life, or feeding a family, or fulfilling an office. From this arises the obligation of laboring and of embracing a certain state of life (Ami du Cl., 1898, p. 1084). Yet besides necessary riches, we are bound to acquire no riches. Cf. Lehmkuhl, I, 727; Noldin, II, 66; Tanquerey, I, n. 764.
These things having been premised, the following will be better understood.
(2) From these things it is seen how less prudently he would act who rejected a priori gymnastic exercises and bodily games; but how prudently those act who exhort workers to this, and provide help to them, so that they may acquire proper, healthy homes for themselves.
- PRINCIPLES. I. There is given a precept, both affirmative and negative, of loving neighbor. For 1. just as we pursue him with natural love because our image shines forth in him, so we ought to love him with supernatural love on account of that which is of God in him (St. Francis de Sales, Theotim., l. 7, c. 8). 2. It is established from the words of the Lord, saying: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:39), and more often repeating that commandment of his, and prescribing love of enemies themselves.
But we ought to love neighbor: a) with affective love; for to love is to will good to someone. This is established from the 10th proposition condemned by Innocent XI, which sounds thus: "We are not bound to love neighbor by an internal and formal act." b) With effective love, according to that saying (1 John 3:18): Let us not love in word nor with the tongue, but in deed and in truth; for the will is always effective of those things which it wills, provided that faculty is present (2.2, q. 25, a. 1, and q. 44, a. 7; St. Alph., Vera Sposa, c. 12).
- II. The precept of charity, insofar as it is affirmative, obliges sometimes to an internal act of love, and to an external one according to circumstances; but insofar as it is negative, it forbids, forever, all and each acts repugnant to charity. The general reason is that we are bound to love neighbor as ourselves. But we love ourselves by an internal and external act, according to the demand of circumstances.
But because in charity a RIGHT ORDER, or proportion of love to the lovable, as St. Thomas speaks, ought to be preserved, it follows that one must discuss three things, namely: 1. the order of charity; 2. the acts which charity prescribes; 3. the acts which it forbids.3
(3) If we compare charity with justice, it is evident that acts against charity in themselves contain greater malice than acts against justice. But on the other side, justice wounded imposes graver offices than charity wounded. The greatest difference between the two virtues is placed in this, that charity for the most part more easily excuses from positive external acts than justice does. See Lehmkuhl, 1, 785, note.