You've heard about war more than once. The word "war" is repeated on many pages of the history textbook. You hear them on TV. You read about wars in the daily press. War is a terrible thing. It leaves behind ruined cities and villages, orphaned children, broken families.
The cause of any war is the lack of love. When people stop loving each other, when they cannot be kind to each other and only think of themselves, then they are spreading around the world : hate, selfishness and disputes, that lead to war. Is there no help for this ?
The chosen people serve God by loving their neighbor
The law of the covenant, in addition to the commandments on the relationship of man to God, also contains commandments concerning coexistence between people. Let us look for answers in Leviticus :
"You will not steal, you will not lie, you will not cheat one another. You will not falsely swear by my name. It would be to defile the name of your God. I am the Lord ! You will not oppress your neighbor, you will not exploit him. The mercenary's wage will not stay in your house overnight until morning. You will not curse the deaf. Thou shalt not put an obstacle in front of the blind, but you will fear your God. I am your Lord !
You will not pass unjust sentences. You will not be partial to the poor, nor will you be favored by the rich. You will judge your neighbor justly. You shall not slander your relatives, you will not seek your neighbor's life. I am your Lord ! You will not hate your brother in your heart. You will admonish your neighbor, so as not to be guilty of it. You will not seek vengeance, you shall not bear a grudge against the sons of your people, but you will love your neighbor as yourself. I am your Lord !” (Lt. 19, 11-18). All these commandments are contained in the last one : "You will love your neighbor as yourself". This is what the Lord wants, God of the covenant.
Loving one's neighbor is not an easy thing, it requires a lot of effort from man and overcoming himself. Therefore, God gradually allowed people to understand, how important the law is. We find the law of love in many other places of Scripture. We read in the book of Proverbs : “Workers should not be denied payment, when you have the opportunity to act. Don't tell your neighbor : " Go away, come back later, I will give tomorrow »- when you can give immediately. Do not plot against your neighbor, when he lives with you carelessly " (Ex 3, 27-29).
Tobias is talking to his son : “Honor your mother and don't forget her all the days of her life. Do it, what she will like, and do not grieve her soul with any of your deeds. Remember the child, what many dangers she has been exposed to because of you, when she carried you in her womb. And when he dies, bury her " (Tob 4, 3-4).
Strangers too are to be loved and done well. Therefore, in the Book of Exodus we find the command : “You will not oppress foreigners, for you know the lives of foreigners, because you yourself were foreigners in Egypt " (Wj 23, 9).
The Prophet Isaiah with these words exhorts us to love our neighbor : “Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes ! Stop doing evil ! Train yourselves in good ! Concern for justice, help the oppressed, do the orphans, stand up for the widow " (From 1, 16-17).
The law of the covenant takes special care of the poor : “If you lend money to the poor of my people, living next to you, then you will not treat him like a moneylender and you will not make him pay interest " (Wj 22, 24). Whoever despises his neighbor sins, happy - who sympathizes with the poor " (Ex 14, 21). "As soon as it suits you according to your wealth, give alms out of it. You will have little - give less, but do not hesitate to give alms, even on small property " (Tob 4, 8).
Christ's law of love
Jesus Christ placed the law of charity alongside the law of love of God (by. Mt 22, 38-40). He approved it all, what about charity was found in the Scriptures. Old Covenant. Moreover, on Holy Thursday, he established new ones, a more perfect law of love.
He said : “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another so, as I have loved you ; that you also love one another. Everyone will know by that, you are my disciples, if you love one another " (J 13, 34-35). And Christ loved people so much, that he gave himself up to die for them.
In the New Covenant too, the law of love for one's neighbor is the basis of God's commandments, which talk about duties towards others. The Catechism gives them in these words :
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. Do not kill.
6. Don't commit adultery.
7. Do not steal.
8. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. Do not covet your neighbor's wife.
10. Neither does any neighbour's thing.
Ten, who really loves his neighbor, he will keep each of the commandments mentioned.
If you love your parents, then you can respect and honor them. You will try to do so, so as not to upset them.
Who loves his neighbor, won't hurt him. He will not kill anyone or harm his health, contrary, he will take care of his neighbor's health. He will come to his aid in his illness.
Who understands, how beautiful is love, he will respect his own body and that of others. He will be respectful of all these matters, which are related to the transmission of life. If you love your neighbors, you surely won't take their items, which belong to them. Contrary, if necessary, you will gladly share your property. You will respect every borrowed thing.
If you love another person, you will not speak badly of him. You will not mislead him or lie to him. You will be sincere and gentle in your dealings with your fellow men.
Man, who loves his neighbor, he will not break up the family, he will not take their father or mother from the children.
If you love your neighbor, you will not envy it, what he has. Yes, you can enjoy the joy of your neighbors.
Thus, love of neighbor is necessary to keep God's commandments.
How will I answer God ?
From 1000 years our nation has been called to witness the law of love. Nevertheless, we still do not love each other enough. You can see yourself in your own environment, how much selfishness and self-love are still among us.
Therefore, at the beginning of the second millennium of faith in Poland, Polish bishops announced the Crusade of Love. They urge all believers to love their neighbors in both deeds, and in words.
Christ's law of love must be put into practice. This requires a great deal of effort and work on the part of each baptized person. Christ calls you to this effort, especially in 3 Lenten Sunday (year B), when you hear a reading about the Law of the Covenant in the church.
How often do you remember this most important duty according to Christ's law of love ?
How are you towards your parents, siblings ? How do you behave towards teachers ? How do you relate to your colleagues and the elderly ?
How do you treat strangers you meet on the street, in a shop or on the bus ? remember, that the testimony of God's love is true love of neighbor. Remember it with the words of the song :
“Where is mutual love and goodness, there you will find a living God.
Christ's love has brought us together, let us rejoice in him and be glad.
Let us sincerely love God, let us love one another from a pure heart. Where mutual love and kindness, there you will find a living God. Since we all gather here, let's beware of this, what separates us.
Let all anger and strife cease, and let Christ be in the midst of us. Where mutual love and kindness, there you will find a living God
■ Think :
1. What law is related to the law of love of God ?
2. Like Holy Scripture. The Old Covenant commands to love your neighbor : parents, foreigners, strangers, employees, the oppressed, widows, orphans, the poor ?
3. How Christ perfected the law of charity ?
4. With what words did Christ announce his new commandment? ?
5. What Christ calls every baptized person to do ?
6. What are you doing, to better fulfill Christ's commandment of love ?
■ Remember :
43. As in the Law of the Covenant, God commands that we love our neighbor ?
God commands in the Law of the Covenant : "You will love your neighbor as yourself".
44. How Christ's law of love of one's neighbor sounds ?
Christ's law of love is : "Love one another, how I love you ".
■ Task :
1. During the evening prayer, I will reflect on this more often, how I show love for my neighbor in my family, at school, while having fun, on the street.
2. What examples of Christian love for your neighbor have you come across in your life??