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The Christmas Cycle
one’s neighbor, is the most fundamental principle of the spiritual life, around which all else
centers; it is the standard by which our progress in holiness is measured. We can never have
too much love for our neighbor.
“The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength” (Offertory). Christ the Lord founded
the Church on love. On Pentecost He sent the Holy Spirit upon His entire Church. Now “the
multitude of the believers had but one heart and one soul. . . . All things were common unto
them” (Acts 4:32). After Christ’s ascension the brethren persevered in brotherhood and in
prayer. “Fear came upon every soul. . . . All they that believed were together and had all things
in common, . . . praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:43 ff.).
Charity soon became the distinguishing mark of the Christians, for the pagans pointed
to them and said: “See how they love one another.” Shortly before Christ began His passion,
He besought the Father: “That they all may be one as Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee; that
they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” ( Jn 17:21).
“Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house
shall fall” (Lk 11:17). The kingdom of Christ, the Church, must therefore be united in love.
For “the glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as We
also are one” ( Jn 17:22). The “glory” which Christ had from His Father before all time, He
has given us in sanctifying grace, “that they may be one as We [the Father and the Son] also
are one.” Sanctifying grace makes us children of God and unites us in love. Men are to love
one another and to be united in heart and soul, not for any mere human motive, but because
they are children of the same Father, and it is the will of the Father that they be one, “as Thou
Father in Me, and I in Thee.” Who can work this miracle of grace in our hearts? Only Christ,
the divine King. “The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength.”
If the love of neighbor is the fulfilling of the law, then we fulfill the great commandment of the
love of God only in so far as we love our neighbor. The two are really one and the same virtue
and have one and the same motive, which is God Himself.
Love of neighbor is not an isolated part of Christian piety; it is the whole life of the
Christian. The true state of our soul is more plainly discernible in our attitude toward our
neighbor than it is in our external works of piety. External works of piety and virtue may give
the impression of holiness where it does not actually exist. Where genuine charity is practiced,
no such mistake can be made.
The Church calls the attention of the faithful to the duty of practicing charity at each celebration
of the Holy Sacrifice. The faithful gather about the altar in the true spirit of brotherhood.
Anyone who bears hatred or enmity toward his neighbor in his heart, can hardly join
with sincerity in the sacrifice, and certainly not in the union that is realized in the reception of
Holy Communion.
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another.” Perhaps the practice of charity even
among Christians falls far short of the ideal. Not enough importance is attached to the inward
quality of our charity. Sins against charity are perhaps more frequent than any others among
the chosen ones of God, both priests and religious. The lack of charity is often the besetting sin
of the pious. What wonder, then, that grace is not more fruitful in their hearts when they fail in
the first and greatest commandment, which is that of love. That is undoubtedly the reason why
the Church today in the name of Christ asks for an increase of charity.
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