Two by two

Here the Lord sends his disciples out two by two to preach: this is because the precept of charity is twofold, love of God and love of neighbor (cf. Lev 19:18; Mk 12:30-31), and there can be no charity except between at least two people. For one cannot properly say of anyone that they have charity for themselves; through love they tend toward another, so that charity can exist. The Lord sends his disciples out two by two to make us understand that if one does not have charity for others, one should certainly not undertake to preach.

What good is it to love ourselves if we neglect our neighbor? Conversely, what good is our love and zeal for our neighbor if we neglect ourselves? He who truly loves himself purely loves his Creator, when his heart burns with the love of truth for himself and for his neighbor.

St. Gregory the Great

Saint Gregory the Great († 604), Doctor of the Church, was Prefect of Rome, monk and founder, deacon, legate, then Pope from 590 to 604. / Homilies on the Gospels, 17, l. 11, trans. R. Étaix, C. Morel and B. Judic, Paris, Cerf, 2005, Sources Chrétiennes 485, p. 365, 381-383.