Charity
Andy Mendoza
10/10/13
RS 411: Introduction to Catholic Spirituality
Father Theodore Lange
Theological Virtue of Charity Virtue as defined in A Concise Dictionary of Theology is “A habit of good behavior that enables one to do what is right with ease, pleasure and consistency.” (286). To better explain this, and as recently stated by Father Jacob Stronach in his recent conference on “Love in the life of virtue and spirituality”, a virtue is nothing more than habitually doing what is good. This virtue then is known to be acquired by our own motivation, which makes it a habit, but most importantly with the help of God’s grace. Charity then, as defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is “… the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake…” (1723), this means we love God because of who he is, and not because of how his friendship or attention might benefit us in any way. The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on explaining that charity not only is the love of God but the love of “… neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.”(1723) as we can see charity is clearly defined as love. And if charity is love then it only makes sense to say that the first thing to love would be Love itself. If then all virtues grow with the helping grace of God; and love comes from Love itself. For it is written, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (Jn. 4:8). Again virtue and vice are nothing more than habits, and as such habits can be good or bad. Just as we are capable of developing good habits, which transform into virtues and virtues can help us grow more in the love of God. We are also capable of developing bad habits, which in turn transform into vices, which will lead us astray from the love of God. Those habits which lead us away from God and the practice of his love, better known as vices, are the types of habits we must get rid of. In order to get rid of the vices one must practice the virtues that
10/10/13
RS 411: Introduction to Catholic Spirituality
Father Theodore Lange
Theological Virtue of Charity Virtue as defined in A Concise Dictionary of Theology is “A habit of good behavior that enables one to do what is right with ease, pleasure and consistency.” (286). To better explain this, and as recently stated by Father Jacob Stronach in his recent conference on “Love in the life of virtue and spirituality”, a virtue is nothing more than habitually doing what is good. This virtue then is known to be acquired by our own motivation, which makes it a habit, but most importantly with the help of God’s grace. Charity then, as defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is “… the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake…” (1723), this means we love God because of who he is, and not because of how his friendship or attention might benefit us in any way. The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on explaining that charity not only is the love of God but the love of “… neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.”(1723) as we can see charity is clearly defined as love. And if charity is love then it only makes sense to say that the first thing to love would be Love itself. If then all virtues grow with the helping grace of God; and love comes from Love itself. For it is written, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (Jn. 4:8). Again virtue and vice are nothing more than habits, and as such habits can be good or bad. Just as we are capable of developing good habits, which transform into virtues and virtues can help us grow more in the love of God. We are also capable of developing bad habits, which in turn transform into vices, which will lead us astray from the love of God. Those habits which lead us away from God and the practice of his love, better known as vices, are the types of habits we must get rid of. In order to get rid of the vices one must practice the virtues that