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CHARITY: The benevolent goodwill or love of humanity

By Jerry Eaton LMSW
Executive Director
Catholic Charities

“I am aware of the ways in which charity is misconstrued and emptied of meaning, with the consequence of being misinterpreted, detached from ethical living, and, in any event undervalued. In the social, juridical, cultural, political, and economic fields – the contexts, in other words, that are most exposed to this danger – it is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility.” Pope Benedict XVI “Charity in Truth”

This spring after we lowered our fees by one-third at Catholic Charities in response to the financial crisis and needed to have a special collection to help make up the losses we would suffer it became clear to me how limited the definition of charity is in many people’s minds. Charity seems to be thought of as give away programs for the poor and nothing more.

The word charity is derived from the Latin word caritas meaning Christian love: Charity as defined by the dictionary 1) “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity.” This is the first meaning given and then the second meaning in the dictionary; 2) “kindly liberality and helpfulness especially toward the needy and suffering.” It is the second meaning that comes from the first meaning that seems to be accepted meaning and it is often devoid and emptied of the first meaning – “the benevolent goodwill or love of humanity.”

The “kindly liberality and helpfulness toward the needy and suffering” definition can easily lead to dismissing charity as the activity of bleeding heart liberals and devoid of any sense of moral responsibility, devoid of any sense of direction for us in our social, political, and economic lives. The first definition “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” attaches itself as an underpinning of ethical living for all of us while giving us a real sense of direction in our social, political, and economic lives.

I can see why the second definition of charity “is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility.” “Kindly liberality and helpfulness especially toward the poor and needy” may be a very nice thing to do; but it doesn’t necessarily attach itself to our economic, political, and social life.

In the Pope’s three encyclicals, as I read them, he is bringing us back to understanding the roots of our faith. The first encyclical was on Love and was in two parts; the first on love and the second on Charity. Love and charity go together for the Christian and his second section on charity gives the reader the understanding of what true charity is.

“Those who practice charity in the Church’s name will never seek to impose the Church’s faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love. A Christian knows when it is better to say nothing and to let the love speak alone.” “..a pure and generous love … let the love speak alone.”, the unity between love and charity and the opening of ourselves to the love and charity God places in our hearts gives us definite sense of direction.

“This love does not simply offer people material help, but refreshment and care for their souls, something which is even more necessary than material help.” We aren’t talking about give away programs here; we are talking about love and charity that contains “something even more necessary than material support.”

“We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need more than technically proper care. They need heartfelt concern.” To be charitable means that we don’t “Merely meet the needs of the moment, but... dedicate ourselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of humanity.”

Now in this new encyclical the Pope again returns to love and charity, “aware of the ways in which charity has been and continues to be misconstrued and emptied of meaning, with the consequent risk of being misinterpreted, detached from ethical living, and in any event, undervalued.. In the social, juridical, cultural, political, and economic fields – the contexts, in other words, that are most exposed to this danger – it is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility.” Charity is part of our way of life, or not. Without the love and charity God places in our hearts the world would be a very barren place. Imagine what the world could be like if love and charity gave us a sense of direction in our social, political, economic lives?

The encyclical is called “Charity in Truth” and that role needs to be added as well. As the Pope says, “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.” “Truth needs to be sought, found and expressed within the ‘economy’ of charity, but charity in its turn needs to be understood, confirmed and practiced in the light of truth, but we also help give credibility to truth, demonstrating its persuasive and authenticating power in the practical setting of social living….. through this link with truth, charity can be recognized as an authentic expression of humanity and as an element of fundamental importance in human relations, including those of a public nature.” We are devoid of real solutions to human problems, to our global problems, without combining reasoning with love, science with faith so that each is enhanced and we find charity in truth and truth in charity.