Charity Begins at Home
Be diligent in breathing in peaceful fraternal love and mutual reverence among the members of the Congregation. The spirit of respect and perfect obedience to the superiors and the spiritual fathers, recognizing in them the God who speaks, commands and leads. (OOCC, II, p. 284)
St. Vincent Pallotti believed that living out a person’s love for the other should be first directed towards those persons with whom he spends his daily life. In other words, practice of charity must begin at home. St. Vincent recommended the practice of a mutual, peaceful and reverential love with those whom we live. He asked his followers to be diligent in practicing peaceful fraternal love within the community. Though members within the community live together all the time, they should not lag behind in respect for one another. On the contrary, there must be mutual reverence and the attitude of ‘give and take’ must characterize the life of the members within the congregation. Love must be specifically shown towards those persons who lead and guide the community. Love for them is usually manifested through member’s respectful obedience, recognizing in them the God who speaks, guides, commands and leads. Love of members within the community also implies that each one develops a sensitive attitude towards others so that ones thoughts, words and deeds do not hurt the other, but attempt to build up mutual understanding and concern for one another. In his own personal life, St. Vincent Pallotti took special care that he would truly live his charity towards his brothers within the community.
Do I take care to begin my practice of charity towards those with whom I live? Do I practice reverential love towards everyone with whom I live? Is there the attitude of ‘give and take’ in the community in which I live?
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Rom. 13: 8)