96. These are the degrees of the neighbour, and with those who are in a state of love towards the neighbour their love rises to higher levels by these degrees. But these degrees are degrees of successive order, and in this what is prior or higher is to be preferred to what is posterior or lower. And because the Lord is the neighbour in the highest degree, and He is to be regarded in each degree as the end in view, so He is to be loved above all people and all things. From this it can now be established how love to the Lord links itself with love towards the neighbour.