The eighth commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves is a divine mandate for Christians to represent the truth in our relationship with others. Meaning, representing God, who is the truth, and who wills the truth. (CCC 2464)

It’s a commandment of “love,” but it is interesting that in the catechsim, the entire chapter that is composed of 50 paragraphs would repeat the word “truth” 80 times. This is because love and truth need each other.

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) has stated this perfectly in her writings. Pope Saint John Paul II quoted her in his homily during her canonization:

[The] love of Christ and human freedom are intertwined, because love and truth have an intrinsic relationship. The quest for truth and its expression in love… call for one another…

In our time, truth is often mistaken for the opinion of the majority. In addition, there is a widespread belief that one should use the truth even against love or vice versa. But truth and love need each other…

Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love which lacks truth! One without the other becomes a destructive lie.

HOMILY OF JOHN PAUL II FOR THE CANONIZATION OF EDITH STEIN

“Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love which lacks truth!” In other words: “A truth said with no sufficient love or a love that compromises the truth can be a destructive lie.”

I am sharing this amazing quote because reminding ourselves of our behavior when correcting someone has become imperative today, especially in the online environment. I am guilty of such behavior in the past, and as a human being, I will probably be guilty of this fault at some points in the future.

How to avoid this ungodly behavior when dealing with a “neighbor”? This is like asking how to avoid committing the sin of rash judgment, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola has outlined a good recommendation for us.

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved

Catechism of the Catholic Church 2478