Article III. On sins against charity toward neighbor

604. Preliminary Note. The precept of charity toward neighbor is at the same time positive and negative. Insofar as it is positive, it enjoins acts of charity, by omitting which a man sins. Let the things said in the preceding article suffice for judging these sins of omission. But insofar as the precept of charity is negative, it prohibits several acts: hatred, enmities, envy, discord, contentions, war, quarrels, scandal, cooperation in evil, etc. Already above enough has been said concerning hatred, enmity, and also envy.¹⁰² War will be treated below, t. II, because by war not only charity but also justice is usually violated.

Discord (Zwietracht) is opposed to concord, which is union of hearts. Discord is a disagreement of wills concerning the good of God and neighbor; but not a disagreement of opinions, which sometimes is licit and existed, e.g., between St. Peter and St. Paul. Discord arises from excessive love of self and notably from vain glory.¹⁰³ Sacred Scripture bearing witness (Prov. 6, 19 and 17, 19), he who meditates discords loves quarrels, and him who sows discords among brothers God detests.

Contention (Wortstreit) is a disordered fight of words, or, as Cicero (Rhet. lib. 3) says, "it is sharp speech fitted for confirming and refuting." This disordered fight of words is accustomed to arise from vain glory, just as discord.¹⁰⁴

A quarrel (tatlicher Streit) between private persons is a certain private war, which is waged not only with words, but also by exterior deed. A quarrel is accustomed to arise from anger and is more or less sinful, unless it happens from just defense.¹⁰⁵

It remains only that here scandal and cooperation be treated more fully. Those two sins are not specifically distinct, but differ only in degree. Nevertheless, for the sake of clarity we shall treat separately 1. of scandal and 2. of cooperation in evil.

¹⁰² Cf. n. 421 sqq.

¹⁰³ S. theol. 2, 2, q. 37, a. 2.

¹⁰⁴ Ib. q. 38, a. 2.

¹⁰⁵ Ib. q. 41, a. 2.