A Topic of Moral Theology

Love of enemies

Common and special signs of charity owed to enemies; forgiving on request; the duty of the offender to apologize; antipathies.

Within this topic

Also asked about as…

forgiving someone · hatred · holding a grudge · revenge (ed.)

In the index as Charity · Hatred · Enemy · Love · Enemies · Enmity · Necessity · Abomination · Offense · Desire · Mercy · To Greet · Neighbor · Reconciliation · Brother · Despair · Envy · Flight · Hatred, what it is · Sign · Anger · Capital Vices · Condonation · Detraction

In the manuals

Summa of Moral Theology (Summa Theologiae Moralis)

Vol. II, Part First. On the Precept…, Book Third. On the Precept…, Question Third. On Charity…, Article Fourth. On the Love of Enemies, nn. 81, 82, 83, 84 & 85 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Vol. I, Bk. IV, Pt. II, Ch. II, 4. Anger, n. 1 — Anger is the inordinate appetite for revenge. Revenge is the infliction of pain in satisfaction for an injury. As private individuals we are not allowed to avenge injuries which have been done us: “To no man rendering ev… Read in context →

Vol. I, Bk. V, Pt. III, Chapter III. Love of Enemies, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manual of Moral Theology (Manuale Theologiae Moralis)

Vol. I, Bk. II, Tr. I, Diss. III, Part II. On the Cultivation of Charity Toward God, n. 520 — II. Sins against charity toward God - besides omission of the act prescribed by reason of the precept of charity - are: hatred of God and sloth. 1. Hatred of God. Hatred taken generally is an act by which someone is badl… Read in context →

Vol. I, Bk. II, Tr. I, Diss. III, Pt. IV, Sect. I, Ch. II, Article III. On Certain Other Works of Spiritual Mercy, nn. ¶1, 540 & 541 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, Bk. II, Tr. I, Diss. III, Pt. IV, Sect. II, Chapter I. On Internal Sins, nn. ¶1, 542 & 543 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)

Vol. I, On Human Acts, I. On the Nature of the Human Act, n. 17 — What are the acts of the will which consist in the pursuit of good and in flight from evil? - These acts of the will can be distinguished according as the passions of the sensitive appetite, to which they correspond, are… Read in context →

Vol. I, On Sins and Virtues, V. On the Capital Vices, nn. 327 & 328 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, On the Precept of Hope, nn. 376 & 377 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, On the Precept of Charity, I. On the Necessity of Charity, nn. 384, 387 & 388 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, On the Precept of Charity, II. On the Order of Charity, n. 389 — What order generally is to be observed in charity toward neighbor? In the order of charity each one is bound after God to love: 1. himself according to spiritual goods, insofar as he wills God, his end, i.e., the supreme… Read in context →

Vol. I, On the Precept of Charity, III. On the Love of Enemies, nn. 395, 396, 397, 398, 399 & 400 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. III, On the Sacraments in General, I. On the Nature of the Sacraments, n. 305 — How many are the sacraments of the New Testament? - There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Order, Matrimony. Namely, as in bodily life we are born, grow, are nourished, are healed wh… Read in context →

Cases of Conscience, Proposed by Cardinal de Lugo, by Fr. Beniamino Elbel, by Fr. Ioannes Petrus Gury and by Other Authors, and Resolved (Casus conscientiae)

34. On Love of Enemies, n. 1 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Vol. I, Treatise On Virtues, Ch. III, Art. II, § I, Point II. On the Precept of Charity Toward Enemies in Particular, nn. ¶1, 224, 225 & 226 (21 passages — hover a number to read it)

Synopsis of Moral and Pastoral Theology

Vol. II, On the Theological Virtues…, On the Virtue of Charity, nn. 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788 & 789 (10 passages — hover a number to read it)

Theologia Moralis: Principles — Responses — Counsels

Vol. II, First Book: On the Theolog…, Tr. III, Chapter II: Corollaries on the Love of Enemies, nn. ¶1, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 & 95 (10 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Vol. I, Pt. I, Tract IX. On theological c…, Ch. III, Art. I, § 2. On the extension of the precept of charity to enemies, nn. ¶89, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577 & 578 (9 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Vol. I, Special Moral Theology, Treatise: On Divine Charity, Second Part: On the Object…, Question Two: On the Mater…, Article V: On Enemies to Be Loved, nn. ¶1, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899 & 900 (29 passages — hover a number to read it)

Pastoral Questions

Ch. II, § B. Concerning Certain Si…, Q. V, Which Is the Cause of Harm…, Honor, and Friendship, nn. ¶4946–¶4968 (23 passages)

Compendium of Moral Theology

Vol. I, Tr. V, Ch. III, Art. II, § I. On the Precept of Love of Neighbor in Itself, nn. 168, 169, 170, 170, Q. 2, 171, 172, 173, 174, 174, Q. 2, 174, Q. 3, 174, Q. 4 & 174, Q. 5 (12 passages — hover a number to read it)

Christian Theology, Dogmatic and Moral, in Compendium

Bk. III, Diss. III, Chapter IV — On the love of enemies, nn. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII & VIII (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Palladium Theologicum, Tome V: On the Virtues

Tr. I, Disputation VIII: On Charity, Question XXIV: Whether it is necessary to love enemies out of charity, nn. 1–25 (25 passages)

Tr. I, Disputation VIII: On Charity, Question XLVII: Whether it is more meritorious to love an enemy than a friend, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 (13 passages — hover a number to read it)

The Casuist: A Collection of Cases in Moral and Pastoral Theology

Vol. I, Case XLV: Marks of Friendship Toward an Enemy, nn. ¶1–¶17 (17 passages)

Vol. V, Case VI: Forgiving Injuries, nn. ¶1, ¶2 & ¶3 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (The Roman Catechism)

Pt. III, The Fifth Commandment, nn. ¶30, ¶31, ¶32, ¶33, ¶34, ¶35, ¶36 & ¶37 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Treated under the broader heading Charity — McHugh–Callan, Moral Theology · Koch–Preuss · Marc, Institutiones Morales · Konings, Theologia Moralis · Billuart, Summa Summae · Slater, Cases I · Rickaby, Moral Philosophy · Coppens, Moral Philosophy · St. Alphonsus, True Spouse · Rickaby, Four-Square — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)