Concerning persons the following is the order established by
iharity: After God — 1. Ourselves. 2. Our neighbour. And
imongst the neighbours, the order is, i. Relations. 2. Strangers*
Vnd amongst relations, when they are not in extreme necessity^
hose to be helped are : i. The wife in respect to the husband^
Lnd the husband in respect to the wife. 2. Children. 3. Parents*
^ Brothers and sisters ; and so on. In extreme necessity the
parents have to be assisted before all others. They, in such a
s^e, have the first claim inasmuch as they gave us life.
From the foregoing doctrine, and also from the precept of
oving our neighbour, the following conclusions may be dravvni

I. The love of our neighbour, which proceeds from the love of
xod, should be for God's salce or through motives of faith, inasr
Quch as my neighbour, no less than myself, is a creature and
hild of God, and redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ, and
tecause fraternal charity is Christ's precept : This is Mypricept^
hat you love one another.
^ii Convent Life; or, The Duties of Sisters.
2, If the motive of Faith be absent, then our love for our..
neighbour will be merely human friendship and unstable, or a
friendship that is injurious or dangerous, according to the words
of St. James : Know you not that the friendship of this world is
the enemy of God f Whosoever^ ihereforey will be a friend of this
world becometh an enemy of God.
