Evangelium Vitae Articles 75 - 77: Love Your Neighbor
This post is taken from the book, “The Encyclicals in Everyday Language” by Joseph G. Donders.
75. The negative moral commandments
indicate the minimum we must respect,
beneath which we cannot lower ourselves.
They are the beginning and the first stage
of a further journey toward freedom.
76. The commandment “you shall not kill”
is a point of departure.
It leads us to promote and serve life actively.
With the gift of his Spirit,
Christ gives new content and meaning
to our being entrusted to one another.
The Spirit becomes the new law.
77. Jesus laid down his life for us,
and we ought to lay down our lives
for our brothers and sisters (1 Jn 3:16)
We are committed to ensure a service of love
to our neighbors, defending and promoting their lives,
especially when they are weak and threatened.
From “Evangelium Vitae” #75-77
“John Paul II - The Encyclicals in Everyday Language” by Joseph G. Donders
For a study guide to Evangelium Vitae, see the Priests for Life website
For the original encyclical in its entirety, see the Vatican website
