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Objection 1: It would seem that charity does not require us to love
our enemies. For Augustine says (Enchiridion lxxiii) that "this
great good," namely, the love of our enemies, is "not so universal
in its application, as the object of our petition when we say:
Forgive us our trespasses." Now no one is forgiven sin without he
have charity, because, according to Prov. 10:12, "charity
covereth all sins." Therefore charity does not require that we should
love our enemies.
Objection 2: Further, charity does not do away with nature. Now
everything, even an irrational being, naturally hates its contrary,
as a lamb hates a wolf, and water fire. Therefore charity does not
make us love our enemies.
Objection 3: Further, charity "doth nothing perversely" (1
Cor. 13:4). Now it seems perverse to love one's enemies, as
it would be to hate one's friends: hence Joab upbraided David by
saying (2 Kgs. 19:6): "Thou lovest them that hate thee, and
thou hatest them that love thee." Therefore charity does not make us
love our enemies.
On the contrary, Our Lord said (Mt. 4:44): "Love your
enemies."
I answer that, Love of one's enemies may be understood in three
ways. First, as though we were to love our enemies as such: this is
perverse, and contrary to charity, since it implies love of that which
is evil in another.
Secondly love of one's enemies may mean that we love them as to their
nature, but in general: and in this sense charity requires that we
should love our enemies, namely, that in loving God and our
neighbor, we should not exclude our enemies from the love given to our
neighbor in general.
Thirdly, love of one's enemies may be considered as specially
directed to them, namely, that we should have a special movement of
love towards our enemies. Charity does not require this absolutely,
because it does not require that we should have a special movement of
love to every individual man, since this would be impossible.
Nevertheless charity does require this, in respect of our being
prepared in mind, namely, that we should be ready to love our enemies
individually, if the necessity were to occur. That man should
actually do so, and love his enemy for God's sake, without it being
necessary for him to do so, belongs to the perfection of charity. For
since man loves his neighbor, out of charity, for God's sake, the
more he loves God, the more does he put enmities aside and show love
towards his neighbor: thus if we loved a certain man very much, we
would love his children though they were unfriendly towards us. This
is the sense in which Augustine speaks in the passage quoted in the
First Objection, the Reply to which is therefore evident.
Reply to Objection 2: Everything naturally hates its contrary as
such. Now our enemies are contrary to us, as enemies, wherefore this
itself should be hateful to us, for their enmity should displease us.
They are not, however, contrary to us, as men and capable of
happiness: and it is as such that we are bound to love them.
Reply to Objection 3: It is wrong to love one's enemies as such:
charity does not do this, as stated above.
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