A really hard-hitting sermon from St. Alphonsus Liguori on what it means to be charitable to our neighbors. Needless to say, Christ expects us to do way more than we initially might think for the sake of kindness and respect to our friends, our enemies, and the poor.
http://www.traditionalcatholicpriest.com/2017/06/18/charity-neighbour-st-alphonsus/
Some highlights:
>They who listen to detraction, and afterwards go and tell what was said to the person whose character had been injured, have to render a great account too. These are called talebearers. Oh! how great is the evil produced by these talebearing tongues that are thus employed in sowing discord. They are objects of God’s hatred. “The Lord hateth him that soweth discord among brethren.” (Prov. vi. 16, 19.)
>You should not only keep it shut up in your heart, but you must let it die within you. He that is only shut up may escape and be seen; but he that is dead cannot leave the grave. When, then, you know anything injurious to your neighbour, you ought to be careful not to give any intimation of it to others by words, by motions of the head, or by any other sign. Sometimes greater injury is done to others by certain singular signs and broken words than by a full statement of their guilt; because these hints make persons suspect that the evil is greater than it really is.
>In your conversations be careful not to give pain to any companion, either present or absent, by turning him into ridicule. You may say: “I do it through jest;” but such jests are contrary to charity. “All things, therefore,” says Jesus Christ, ”that you will that men should do to you, do you also unto them.” (Matt. vii. 12.) Would you like to be treated with derision before others? Give up, then, the practice of ridiculing your neighbours.
>Abstain also from contending about useless trifles. Some times, certain contests about mere trifles grow so warm that they end in quarrels and injurious words. Some persons are so full of the spirit of contradiction, that they controvert what others say, without any necessity, and solely for the sake of contention, and thus violate charity. ”Strive not,” says the Holy Ghost, ”in matters which do not concern thee.” (Eccl. xi. 9.) But they will say: “I only defend reason; I cannot bear these assertions which are contrary to reason.” In answer to these defenders of reason, Cardinal Bellarmine says, that an ounce of charity is better than a hundred loads of reason.
>Thus, dearly beloved brethren, if you wish to be loved by God and by men, endeavour always to speak well of all. And, should you happen to hear a person speak ill of a neighbour, be careful not to encourage his uncharitableness, nor to show any curiosity to hear the faults of others. If you do, you will be guilty of the same sin which the detractor commits. ”Hedge in thy ears with thorns,” says Ecclesiasticus, ”and hear not a wicked tongue.” (Eccl. xxviii. 28.)
Let's all pray to the Lord that He will put a watch over our tongues and our hearts, that we may sin neither by word nor by deed in offending our brothers and sisters. We are all one in Christ, and we should remember to be kind in words and actions. Our words, both spoken and typed, will drag us to Hell if we aren't careful.