There is an inherent tension in the advice St. Paul gives to the Church in Thessalonica. On the one hand he tells them to progress even more in fraternal charity. On the other he says they should aspire to live a tranquil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands. Which is it — charity toward others or minding my own business? Fraternal charity necessarily entails involving oneself in the affairs of others and almost always disturbs one’s tranquility! Perhaps we resolve this tension by widening our understanding of what “our affairs” include. Charity happens when our circle of care includes not only our immediate family but our extended family, our neighbors and community, the nation, and ultimately the whole world.
