8123. That such things belong to charity toward the neighbor, is because every man is the neighbor, but in various ways (see n. 6818); a society smaller or larger is more the neighbor (n. 6819, 6820); our country is yet more the neighbor (n. 6819, 6821); the church still more (n. 6819, 6822); the Lord's kingdom still more (n. 6819, 6823); and the Lord above all (n. 6819, 6824). In the universal sense the good which proceeds from the Lord is the neighbor (n. 6706, 6711), consequently so also are justice and right. And therefore he who does any good whatsoever for the sake of good, and anything just for the sake of justice, loves the neighbor and exercises charity, for he acts from the love of what is good, and the love of what is just, and thus from the love of those in whom these are. But he who does what is unjust for the sake of any self-advantage whatever, hates his neighbor.
