On the Chief Commandment.

4. Which is the Chief Commandment that includes all the others?

The Commandment of Charity, i.e. the Commandment of the Love of God, and of our Neighbour.

5. How is this Commandment of Charity expressed? It is expressed in these terms: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the greatest and the first Commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mark 12, 30. 31; Matt. 22, 37-40.)

§. 1. On the Love of God.

6. What is the Love of God?

It is a virtue infused by God into our soul, by which we give ourselves up with all our heart to Him, the Sovereign Good, in order to please Him by fulfilling His will, and to be united with Him.

7. What qualities must our Love of God have? It must be, 1. Supernatural; 2. Sovereign; and 3. Active.

8. When is our Love supernatural?

Our Love is supernatural, when, with the help of God's grace, we love Him as we know Him, not only by our reason, but by our faith.

"Now the end of the commandment is charity, from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith. From which things some going astray, are turned aside unto vain babbling." (1 Tim. 1, 5. 6.)—"My just man liveth by faith; but if he withdraw himself, he shall not please my soul." (Hebr. 10, 38.)-By faith we know God not only as the Creator of the world, and the Giver of all natural goods, which we can likewise perceive by our reason but also as the Author and Giver of the supernatural graces and benefits: as the most merciful Father, who has most graciously adopted us, and has given His own Son, in order to save us, to sanctify us, and to make us one day eternally happy in the kingdom of His glory.

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9. When is our Love of God sovereign?

Our love of God is sovereign, when we love Him more than all other things, so that we are willing to lose all, rather than separate ourselves from Him by sin.

"I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God." (Rom. 8, 38. 39.) -This degree of Love, by which we are actuated to lose all, rather than commit a grievous sin, is absolutely necessary to salvation; but this is not the highest degree. For a higher degree is this, when we are not only determined not to commit any grievous sin, but not even the least sin; and there is a higher degree still, when we are resolved always to do what is most perfect, or most pleasing to God.

10. When is our Love active?

Our Love is active, when we do what is acceptable to God; that is, when we keep His Commandments. "He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth Me." (John 14, 21.)-"This is the charity of God, that we keep His Commandments." (1. John, 5, 3.)

II. Why must we love God?

We must love God, 1. Because He is the sovereign and most perfect Good; 2. Because He has loved us first, and has bestowed innumerable blessings upon us in soul and body; and 3. Because He commands us to love Him, and promises us eternal salvation as a reward for it.

12. When is our Love of God perfect?

Our Love is perfect when we love God on account of His infinite goodness; that is, when we love Him above all things, because He is both infinitely good in Himself, and infinitely good to us.

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"Let us, therefore, love God, because God first hath loved us. (1 John 4, 19.)-Of this perfect Love it is said: He that abideth in Charity, abideth in God, and God in Him;" and, "Every one that loveth, is born of God." (1. John 4, 16. 7.)-Example: Mary Magdalen: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much." (Luke 7, 47.)

13. When is our Love imperfect?

Our Love is imperfect, when we love God chiefly because we expect good things from Him.

Example: The Prodigal Son: "How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger! I will arise, and will go to my father." (Luke 15, 17. 18.)

14. By what means is the Love of God increased and perfected in us?

1. By frequently and worthily receiving the Holy Sacraments; 2. By meditating on the Perfections and Graces of God, especially on the bitter Passion and Death of Jesus Christ; 3. By self-denial, and patience in afflictions; and 4. By performing good works.

15. How is the Love of God lessened and banished? By mortal sin the Love of God is banished from our hearts, and, by venial sin, its fervour is lessened.

Application.-Exercise yourself assiduously in the Love of God by these means: Often think of Him, and often pray to Him; delight in hearing and speak. ing of Him; do and suffer every thing for His sake, and fear nothing so much as to offend Him.

§. 2. On the Love of our Neighbour.

16. Whom must we particularly love after God? Our neighbour; i.e. all men without exception. 17. Is it then not enough, if we love God? "If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar." (1 John 4, 20.)

18. Why must we love our neighbour?

1. Because Christ, our Lord, commands us to love him, and, by the fulfilment of this Commandment, He will know His true disciples; 2. Because He Himself in His life and death taught us so by His example; and 3. Because every one is a child and an image of God, was redeemed with the blood of Christ, and is called to eternal salvation.

1. " 'By this shall all men know that you are My Disciples, if you have love one for another." (John 13, 35.)—2. "Be ye, therefore, followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us." (Eph. 5, 1. 2.)-3" Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us ? Why then doth every one of us despise his brother ?" (Mal. 2, 10.)

19. What qualities must the love of our neighbour have?

It must be, 1. Sincere; 2. Disinterested; 3. General.

20. When is our love sincere?

Our love is sincere, when we love our neighbour, not in appearance, but as ourselves?

"My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth." (1. John 3, 18.)

21. When do we love our neighbour as ourselves? We love our neighbour as ourselves, when we observe the command of Christ: "All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them." (Matt, 7, 12.)

"See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another." (Tob. 4, 16.)

22. When is our love disinterested?

Our love is disinterested, when we do good to our neighbour for God's sake, and not that we may be praised or rewarded by men.

"When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind and thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense; for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14, 13. 14.)

23. When is our love general?

Our love is general, when we exclude no one from it, whether he be our friend, or our enemy.

"For, if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the publicans this? And if you

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salute your brethren only, what do you more? Do not also the heathens this?" (Matt. 5, 46. 47.)—Ex: The Good Samaritan. (Luke 10.)

24. Is it not enough, if we do not revenge ourselves on our enemies?

No; God commands us to love our enemies; i.e. to wish them well, and to be ready to assist them in their necessities, as much as lies in our power.

"Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you; that you may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven, who maketh His sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust." (Matt. 5, 44. 45.)—Ex : St. Stephen.

25. Why must we love our enemies?

1. Because the Lord our God commands us to love them; 2. Because Christ Jesus, our Divine Model, has given us the example of loving our enemies; and 3. Because we also wish to be forgiven by God.

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1. "But I say to you, Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; etc. (Matt. 5.)-2. Jesus addressed even His betrayer in the kindest manner, saying: Friend, whereto, art thou come ?" (Matt. 26, 50.) and He prayed on the cross for His murderers: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23, 34.)—3. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we" etc.-Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. (Matt. 18, 23-35.)

26. What has he to expect who will not forgive him, by whom he has been offended?

Judgment without mercy.

"Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy." (James 2, 13.)-" But if you will not forgive, neither will your Father that is in Heaven, forgive you your sins." (Mark 11, 26.)

27. What must we do when we have offended some one ?

We must go and be reconciled to him. (Matt. 5, 23, 24.)