What is brotherly love?
–Brotherly love is charity towards our fellowmen, our brothers in Christ. (See Chapter 26 on Anger, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth) Our Lord said: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). And St. John exhorts: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. … He who does not love does not know God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). Love and envy cannot live in the same heart. Our Lord says: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another” (John 13:35) ; and He commands: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you” (Mat. 5:44) If God commands us to love even our enemies, how much more should we love those who have done us no harm, and avoid envying them! Let us remember that the mark of the Christian is love for his fellow-men; all that we do to others, whether for good or ill, we really do to Our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, when we feel the temptation to
