“If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
~ 1 Corinthians 13
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches 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” (CCC 1822). As a virtue, charity is not merely a passive feeling or an emotion, but an unconditional and sacrificial form of love. This highest form of love, often described using the Greek word agápē, is a selfless act of the will. It is the fatherly love God has for us and our reciprocal love for Him; it is our love for our neighbors as if they were extensions of ourselves. This supernatural virtue of love purifies and raises our will so that we favor loving God above all others and above all worldly goods. It orders our priorities so that everything we do points back to God. Similarly, charity transforms all of the virtues by determining this holy end toward which they also aim.
Albert the Great explains: “It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for ‘God is Charity’ (1 John 4:8).” Saint Thomas Aquinas states that the material object of charity is God Himself, and the formal object of charity is God as beloved–as our first and best friend. It is important to note that on our own, we are incapable and unworthy of this friendship with God. We are able to love, because God loves us first. Only through His grace are we capable of experiencing this divine love and friendship; only through His grace are we made more like the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son as their mutual love. “Charity unites us to God,” says Pope Saint Clement I. “There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect.”
In addition to holding charity in our hearts, we must also put it into action. Saint Ignatius of Loyola tells us, “Love is shown more by deeds than by words.” Saint Augustine elaborates: “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” Charity gives meaning to all of our good works by offering them for the Kingdom of God. Pope Saint Gregory the Great adds: “The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”
Charity, which is the willing of another’s good, is distinct from kindness, which is the desire to relieve one’s suffering. Tough love occurs when the loving thing to do does not at first seem like the kind thing to do. A loving father allows us to make mistakes for the sake of learning. He offers us frank correction for our protection. Just as God the Father permits some suffering for our greater good, we engage in long-term loving actions over short-term kindness when it is beneficial to others.
Love is not always easy. Saint Ignatius of Loyola proclaims, “There is no better wood for feeding the fire of God’s love than the wood of the Cross.” Even hardship, when embraced as an opportunity for growth and union with God, can ignite charity. At times, love leaves us feeling vulnerable. We take a risk when we choose to open ourselves to a selfless love. Yet when we pour out our love and give ourselves to others, charity flows back to us and reinforces our image in the likeness of God. In such a way, we receive back the gift we give away.
Exercised internally, charity produces joy, peace, and mercy. It helps us comprehend the fulfillment of beatitude. Exercised externally, charity is displayed through beneficence, alms giving, and fraternal correction. Sins against charity generally stem from the hatred of God but also arise when we are moved by an inordinate desire or fear. Sins against the joy of charity include sloth and envy, against the peace of charity include discord, contention, schism, war, strife, and sedition, and against the beneficence of charity include scandal.
Although the day comes when we no longer need faith and hope, charity endures forever. When we reap our eternal reward, the friendship with God we start on earth continues to grow both perfectly and exponentially in heaven.
The gift of the Holy Spirit that enhances charity is wisdom. The gift of wisdom, separate from the intellectual excellence attained through the virtue of wisdom, enables us to see God as the sovereign good and final end. Through supernatural wisdom, we can judge and govern human actions according to divine principles, thus willing the proper order for our lives.
When we view the theological virtues as parts of a plant, charity is the fragrant flower that crowns the top. The hidden potential within the plant blooms to reveal its full splendor and thereafter spreads its seeds of love. Likewise, Saint Teresa of Calcutta encourages us to blossom: “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” Saint Augustine observes, “Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.”
This week, think about how you express charity in your thoughts, words, and actions. Do you approach others with compassion and understanding? Do you try to empathize with their struggles? Do you show forgiveness and mercy when you are wronged? Are you loving even when it hurts? Think also about your special gifts. How can you use your talents to spread your seeds of love?
The Venerable Fulton Sheen reminds us: “The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white host.” In the spirit of Easter, reflect upon this greatest love known to mankind–the love of God. Recognizing the enormity of that love, ask yourself if your loving service to Him is big enough. Are you being a good friend to God? Are you trying to resist sin and live in a way that is pleasing to Him? Do you spend enough of the hours He gives you in worship, prayer, study, thanksgiving, and adoration?
Best wishes to you and your loved ones for an Easter season filled with faith, hope, and charity. Rejoice and be glad. For He is truly risen! Alleluia!
