Charity
Most people think of charity as an act of generosity to someone
needy, or a gift given to someone in need or an organization
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word. But the theological virtue of charity would more be synonymous
with love. For example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes 1
Corinthians 13 thus: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the
greatest of these is charity��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
think “love.”
“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) Charity is at the root of all the virtues. The Catechism
says, “The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity,
which ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’; it is the form
of the virtues; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice.”
(CCC 1827)
Charity is so important that Jesus has given it as the new commandment.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved
you.” (John 15:9, 12) Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abol-
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(Matthew 5:17) Thus, we’re supposed to keep the commandments. But
how do we do that? Through charity.
The Catechism lists as sins against charity “indifference, ingratitude,
lukewarmness, acedia or spiritual sloth, and hatred of God, which comes
from pride.” (CCC 2094) We must remember to keep charity above all
things, because as St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:8, “Charity never
fails.”
For further study:
CCC 1822-1829 • CCC 2093-2094
1 Corinthians 13
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