Charity

Charity
(Vinod Anand)

Charity is one of the greatest virtues of the universal church. Christians following the footsteps of Jesus Christ in performing acts of giving during Lenten. Charity is born of unconditional love which prompts people to give lovingly and generously The Bible says, ‘And now abide in faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Love supersedes everything and out of unfathomable love overflows charity. Charity is universal love which intends to promote common welfare. “Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things, and love our neighbours as ourselves for the love of God,” says the catechism of the Catholic Church. Charitable acts include simple deeds of giving, including alms- giving, caring for deprived ones, helping the needy, offering aid in times of crisis and assisting the less privileged.

All these are motivated by the spirit of active goodwill towards all and for transformation of society For Christians, “the practice of all virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’; it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and goal of Christian practice.
Charity upholds and purifies our ability to love, and raises it to the supreme perfection of divine love.” Charity includes advising, instructing, consoling, comforting, forgiving, loving, sacrificing and being patient. Jesus once said to the young man who was looking for eternal life, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.” There are both direct and indirect references to giving in the New Testament: the parable of the Good Samaritan which asks not only that one love one’s enemy, but also tend to the physical needs of the enemy. In the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, a young boy is asked to share his own meagre portion of food with a large, hungry crowd. Acts of the Apostles remind believers that they should share all things in common according to the need and objective of the community. St Peter was once asked by a man for alms but lacking silver and gold he gave him what he had — ‘blessings’ in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—and the lame man rose up and walked. Giving is also a way for Christians to enter heavenly bliss.

This is evident in the gospel of St Matthew: “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world — ‘for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’.”

Christianity asks the faithful to steward their goods, time and abilities for the growth and development of all. To be a responsible steward is to share freely blessings that one has received from God, to use wisely resources of the earth for the good of all. The time, talents or treasures that are shared are given unconditionally, with neither expectation of payment nor reward. This leads those of charitable nature to attain the pinnacle of self-actualization of human “goodness” within.