Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself - (Pasche)
"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matthew 7:12.
It has been truly said that when a man loves God, his neighbors will find it out; that is to say, such a man will lead a godly life, he will love also his fellow-men. Love of God results in love of our fellow-men. The love of God is the source and fountain of our Christian attitude to those who, like ourselves, have been created by God and redeemed by Christ.
What is that love which Christ demands of His disciples? It is the healthy daughter of true faith in Jesus. Its lips overflow with words of kindness; its hands are strong to do some work; its feet are quick to render some useful service. Christian love is quiet, modest, and self-forgetting. It does not seek its own glory. Its sole intention is to serve, to help, and to do its full duty. The true Christian is willing to sacrifice himself, his own person and his own interests, in rendering service to others. That is love, Christian love, patterned after the love of our Savior. This sin cere, unselfish love toward all our fellow-beings we should let shine before men. This love never works harm to our neighbor. “Love is the fulfilling of the Law.”
It seems easy to love when we hear this admonition of Scrip ture: “Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” But perhaps you find it difficult to love your enemies, and yet the Lord says: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” It seems so hard to love our enemies. That is the experience of every one of us. But let us bear in mind that God loves them; He cares and provides for them. If our hearts are filled with love of God, they will also go out in love toward our enemies. And if our love proceeds from faith in Him who first loved us, God will look upon our works of love as if they were done to Him.
Prayer.
O God the Holy Ghost, who dost labor faithfully at the work of our sanctification, Thou hast said: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.” Oh, what an appeal to us to show love, to banish from our hearts all hatred and malice, to agree quickly with our adversary, to extend the hand of reconciliation, and to do the work of the good Samaritan! Amen.
