Man’s Duty to his Neighbor is Charity and Mercy
2 min • Digitized on December 25, 2021
From The Sinner’s Guide, page 423
By Venerable Louis of Granada
CHAPTER XLI.
Man’s duty to his neighbor.
Man’s duty towards his neighbor is embraced in the practice of charity and mercy.
Read Holy Scripture and you will appreciate the importance of these virtues. The writings of the Prophets, Apostles, and Evangelists abound with counsels concerning them.
God teaches us in Isaias that one of the duties of justice is charity to our neighbor.
Thus when the Jews exclaimed:
Why have we fasted, and Thou hast not regarded; have we humbled our souls, and Thou hast not taken notice?
God answers:
In the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. You fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Is this such a fast as I have chosen?
Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? Loose the bands of wickedness; undo the bundles that oppress; let them that are broken go free; and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and harborless into thy house. When thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh.
Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear, and give thee rest continually, and fill thy soul with brightness. [Isaias lviii.]
The prophet continues to the end of the chapter to declare the blessings with which God will reward this charity to our neighbor.