“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.”
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”
KNOW IT
The Catechism tells us that charity is: “The theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.”
Charity is sometimes thought to be the same as love but not all forms of love are charity. Examples of love that are not charity: I love ice cream. I love my dog because he can do tricks that make me laugh.
True charity ("caritas" in Latin) is to love as God loves. Charity embraces selflessness (wanting a good purely for someone else, not for ourselves). God created all things as pure gift with selfless love. Charity involves sacrifice. God became man, suffered, and died for our sins that we might share in eternal life with Him.
We were created by God to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. In charity we do these things for God. Through charity toward our neighbor we get to participate in God’s action. For love of God we can “become” His voice, His hands, His feet, offering love and service for others without any thought of gain for ourselves.
How can we live this? Remember, charity comes in many forms, big and small. As St. Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love”. The most important thing is for you to pray for others, to obey the Commandments, and to be a good example for others; charity has a ripple effect, able to spread love beyond what we can imagine.
PRAY IT
Act of Love
O my God, I love thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because thou art all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of thee. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.
PRACTICE IT
Click to download a printable summary sheet, with suggestions of ways to practice this virtue.
