Charity.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart. This is the greatest and the first commandment,
and the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” — St. Matt. 22:38
TWENTY-NINTH DAY.
A Christian ought in manner to have three hearts in one: one for God, another for his neighbor, and the third for himself. — St. Benedict Joseph Labre.
This great servant of God, of whom it may be said that the Holy Ghost was his teacher, explains in a most admirable manner these three objects of Christina charity — God, our neighbor, and ourselves. “It is necessary that the first heart,” he said, “be for God: pure and sincere, that it direct all its actions towards Him, that it breathe only with love for Him and with ardor in His service, that it embrace all the crosses it pleases God to send. The second heart must be for our neighbor: generous, fearing no labor, no suffering in his service; compassionate, praying for the conversion of sinners, the souls in purgatory, consoling those who are afflicted. The third heart, which is for himself, should be firm in its resolutions, abhorring all sin, mortified even to a life of sacrifices, giving its body to austerity and penance.” The saint practiced to the letter what he taught. Through this means he attained a perfect charity, after the example of Jesus Christ.
Prayer.
My God, let me have for Thee the heart of a child who tenderly loves his father. Give me for my neighbor the heart of the best of mothers. For myself, give me the heart of a judge who is most just.