Who is my neighbor?

Contrary to what many people think, not everyone is our neighbor. According to the Word of God the neighbor is the brother in Christ.

Of course, this is far from being the thought received and taught by the world, but it is nevertheless the truth. The neighbor is above all the one who has the Love of God in him, this is what this parable of the Lord teaches:

Jesus spoke again, and said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, charged him with many blows, and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest , who by chance was going down the same way, having seen this man, passed on. Likewise also a Levite came to this place, he saw him and passed on. But a Samaritan, who was traveling, having come there, was moved with compassion when he saw him. He approached, bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; then put him on his own mount, took him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day, leaving he took two denarii from his purse, and gave it to the host, saying to him: "Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will return it to you when I return." So which of these three do you think was the neighbor of him who fell into the hands of the robbers? ”He replied:“ It is he who showed mercy towards him. ”Jesus therefore said to him:“ Go, and you too, do the same. "" (Luke 10: 30-37)

The Love of which this parable speaks to us represents the Love that Jesus teaches us to have for one another to us who are in Christ:

"I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, you too, love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another. ”" (John 13: 34-35)

Knowing that it is not enough to love to please God but that we must also believe in him, we understand that it is not a question of loving anyone in this way but the one who am the Lord Jesus -Christ with us:

"Now it is impossible to be agreeable to him without faith, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists and that he is the remunerator of those who seek him." (Hebrews 11: 6)

Paul speaks to us of neighbor as brother in Christ:

"We who are strong must endure the infirmities of the weak and not please ourselves. May each of us therefore please his neighbor, in what is good, in view of its construction. For even Jesus- Christ did not seek to satisfy himself, but as it is written, “The outrages of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For all things that were written before were written for our instruction, that through perseverance and consolation of the scriptures we may have hope, and may the God of perseverance and consolation grant you to have one mind towards one another, according to Jesus Christ, that May you all, with one heart and one mouth, glorify our God and Father, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another, as Christ also welcomed us, for the glory of God. " (Romans 15; 1-7)

It is a matter of reciprocal fraternal Love between several people, because true Love cannot be lived alone. It is in true communion that Love exists and grows, and it is this Love that Jesus commands us to have for the brothers and sisters who are in Jesus Christ.

Of course we must love even our enemies (Luke 6:35), but it is obvious that we do not love the people of the world as those who are of the family of the faith:

"And let us not lose heart in practicing what is good, for we will reap in due time, if we do not slack off. Therefore, while we have time, let us practice what is good for everyone, but mainly to those who are of the family of the faith. " (Galatians 6: 9-10)

The two greatest commandments which fulfill the law are Love for God and Love for neighbor, and it is said you shall love your neighbor as yourself. For such Love to be possible it is necessary that people in communion feel boundless compassion for one another, and it is the sufferings of Christ that live in every Christian that allows us to have just this compassion. to each other:

"Brothers, we must always give thanks to God for you, and this is appropriate, because your faith is increasing a lot and your mutual charity is making progress, so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God , because of your perseverance and your faith, in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you have to endure.It is a proof of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be judged worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which also you are suffering. " (2 Thessalonians 1: 3-5)

“And if one member suffers from anything, all the other members suffer with it. If one member is honored, all the others together rejoice with it. You are the body of Christ, and you are each one. one of its members. " (1 Corinthians 12: 26-27)

The Bible clearly compares the neighbor with the brother in faith in the story of Moses:

"Now it came to pass at that time, that Moses, having grown up, went out to his brethren and saw their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian man who beat a Hebrew man, one of his brethren. And having looked here and there. , and seeing that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. He went out the second day and saw two Hebrew men who were quarreling. He said to the guilty, "Why are you striking your neighbor? ? ”(Exodus 2: 11-13)

It is written here that the Egyptian struck one of the brothers of Moses, that is to say a Jew, which represents the Christian today. But concerning the Egyptian we understand that it is an enemy and not a neighbor.

"But when he had reached the age of 40, it rose to his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing that one of them was being treated unfairly, he took up his defense and avenged the one who was mistreated, by killing the Egyptian. He thought that his brethren would understand thereby that God would deliver them by his means; but they did not understand him. And the next day he appeared among them as they were fighting, he tried to restore peace between them, saying, "Men, you are brothers! Why are you mistreating each other?" But he who mistreated his neighbor pushed him away, saying: "Who made you prince and judge over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" "(Acts 7: 23-28)

The Lord Jesus is very clear about this:

"Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not approach him because of the crowd. And they came to him and said," Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you. "But he answered: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” ”(Luke 8: 19-21)

"But answering, he said to him who had told him," Who is my mother and who are my brothers? "And stretching out his hand over his disciples, he said:" Here are my mother and my brothers! will of my Father who is in heaven, this is my brother, and my sister, and my mother. ”” (Matthew 12: 48-50)

"I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are yours. And everything that is mine is yours and what is yours is yours. I, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world. And I am going to you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name which you have given me, so that they may be one like us. " (John 17: 9-11)
Share by: