CHAPTER XII.
FRATERNAL CHARITY.
I.
The Necessity of this Virtue, and its Practice in our Thoughts and Sentiments.
To love God without at the same time loving our neighbor is impossible. The same precept that prescribes love towards God imposes a strict obligation of fraternal charity. And this commandment we have from God that he who loveth God love also his brother. Hence St. Thomas teaches that the love of God and the love of our neighbor proceed alike from charity. For charity makes us love God and our neighbor, because such is the will of God. Such too was the doctrine of St. John the Evangelist. St. Jerome relates that being asked by his disciples why he frequently recommended fraternal love, that holy apostle replied: "Because it is the precept of the Lord, and the fulfilment of it alone is sufficient."
St. Catharine of Genoa once said to the Lord: "My God, Thou dost command me to love my neighbor; and I can love nothing but Thee." " My child," answered Jesus, "he that loves me, loves whatsoever I love." Indeed, when we love any person we also love his relatives, his servants, his likeness, and even his clothes, because we know that he loves them. And why do we love our
