Morals of the Church
Library › Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology › Volume I › Book II. On the Exercise of the Christian Life, or on the Cultivation of the Virtues › Treatise I. On the Cultivation of the Theological Virtues › Dissertation III. On the Cultivation of Charity › Part IV. On the Cultivation of Charity Toward Neighbor › Section I. On Prescribed Acts

Chapter — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Chapter I. On Prescribed Acts Generally

529.

Both internal acts - or those by which we are well affected toward our neighbor and will good to him and rejoice over his good - and external acts are distinguished. Now:

I. With regard to internal acts it suffices to note:

  1. Internal acts of charity toward neighbor are prescribed. This is clear: 1. from Sacred Scripture, which, by prescribing love toward neighbor, in the obvious sense also regards internal acts;1 2. from propositions condemned by Innocent XI, namely 10: "We are not bound to love our neighbor by an internal and formal act";2 and 11: "We can satisfy the precept of loving neighbor by external acts alone."3

  2. The internal act obliges:

a) By reason of the precept pertaining to charity, almost as was said about charity toward God (n. 519). For the same reasons hold here with almost the same force, since the formal motive of charity toward neighbor is God Himself (n. 516). Practically, however, satisfaction is commonly made if the internal act is elicited as often as an external act is imposed.

b) By reason of a precept pertaining to another virtue, in practice there is rarely an obligation.

II. Besides internal acts, external acts are also prescribed, as will be clearer from the things to be said. Now from among external acts, some merely exhibit a sign of internal charity, such as greeting; others besides furnish aid or help to one's neighbor.

  1. With regard to mere signs of charity, there is an obligation of exhibiting to all signs absolutely common; and to those specially joined to us, signs relatively common. The reason is that denial of the said signs would involve a signification of enmity. Now signs absolutely common are those which all are accustomed to exhibit to all, of which are counted: to answer one speaking, to return the greeting of one who greets, to sell goods to one asking. Those are called relatively common which persons joined by such a relation are accustomed to exhibit to each other. Thus, for example, blood relatives are accustomed to visit one another sometimes. Signs relatively common are judged special with respect to those who are not so closely joined (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 25, a. 9; St. Alphonsus, II, 28). To signs relatively common can be reduced the help of itself to be given to those who are in a certain condition, for example in grave necessity; these are relatively common helps. For the rest, in judging signs of charity, attention should be given to the condition of persons and the customs of various places.

  2. We must speak specifically about acts of helping one's neighbor.

1 Matthew 22:37-39.

2 Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1160.

3 Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1161.

Charity