Charity in Truth

On 29 June 2009, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, on the 5^th year of his pontificate, Pope Benedict VI issues his 2^nd encyclical - Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate).

In his introduction, the pope writes, “The search for love and truth is purified and liberated by Jesus Christ from the impoverishment that our humanity brings to it, and he reveals to us in all its fullness the initiative of love and the plan for true life that God has prepared for us. In Christ, charity in truth becomes the Face of his Person, a vocation for us to love our brothers and sisters in the truth of his plan. Indeed, he himself is the Truth (cf. Jn 14:6).”

The encyclical is very timely and relevant. It somehow, revealed the hidden meaning of true charity by leading us back to the source which is God and God is love. Charity in truth somehow negates the notion that giving our excesses (most of the time, it is actually a small part of our excesses) is charity. True charity as exemplified by Jesus is giving of oneself. If we are not giving ourselves to others then it is not true charity.

The pope makes clear that truth and charity are linked. It is the public dimension of our faith in God who is both  Agape and Logos: Charity and Truth, Love and Word . Without truth he adds, “charity degenerates into sentimentality.”

Charity without God, as St. Augustine says is just activism, an exercise of the mind and emotion which we find in many philanthropists of the past and even in our times. The pope added, “a Christianity of charity without truth would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance. In other words, there would no longer be any real place for God in the world.” That charity without truth becomes the springboard of selfish agendas, of self glorification; robbing God of all good He has provided us so that we can be our brothers’ keeper and missing the opportunity to witness for Him.

I am amazed with the charity in truth that Blessed Mother Teresa communicated to the world. It shows the abundance of God’s love and truth. That despite of our personal circumstances, God loves us. That despite that others may consider us irrelevant because we are poor or sick or disabled, God loves us not for what is our status in society but for what we are – a creation of God equal in dignity with the others. It communicates that God values life from whatever circumstances our life maybe. That to God, we are all relevant and we are his beloved child.

That Charity in truth is not about a movement or organization working for the poorest of the poor or those who seek justice by peaceful means. It is about being a brother and a sister to others.  As the pope concluded quoting St. Paul in Rom 12:9-10 ‘’Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honour.”