‘...An encounter, and a belief in God’s love’
The first section of the letter is on the word ‘love’ itself, and the Holy Father points out that being a Christian is not the result of an idea, or an ethical choice, but the result of an encounter, and a belief in God’s love. God lavishes this love on us (see the first letter of St John) and we in our turn must share it with others.
The Pope reflects on the many uses of the word ‘love’ – the love of one’s country, love between friends, love within a family, love of God. He singles out particularly love between man and woman ‘where human beings glimpse an apparently irresistible promise of happiness’. Are all these forms of love a single reality or are we using the same word to designate a number of different realities The Holy Father suggests that the original love between man and woman, over time, also develops an aspect where each of the couple is willing to sacrifice his or her own will for the sake of the other.
We are able to love others because we ourselves receive love as a gift from God. As this love develops, our wills and God’s will become one – God’s will is no longer an alien will imposed on us, but part of our being.
The practice of love by the Church
The second part of the encyclical deals with the practice of love by the Church. Love is the responsibility of every Christian, but also of the Church as a community. This has always been the case, as can be seen in the Acts of the Apostles, where the first deacons were appointed especially to ensure that this love was shown in an ordered way. This incident in Acts also shows that the practice of love by the Church is not without its tensions – the appointments were made because it was difficult for the apostles to concentrate on preaching the word, and on overseeing the distribution of charity.
Love of our neighbour is directed towards anyone with whom we come in contact. This may start with our local community –‘within the community of believers there can never be any room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life’ – but modern communications mean that we are increasingly aware of need worldwide, and as we become aware of that need we are bound to respond to it. Anyone who needs my help is my neighbour, but this must not be an abstract idea. It has to be lived out in reality – a ‘practical commitment here and now’
Love and justice
The Pope reflects on the view that what is not needed is charity but justice, and concludes that this is not entirely true. Justice does not rule out the need for love. Justice is political – the just ordering of society and the state is the central responsibility of politics, and individual Christians should understand the need for justice and work for it, having been informed by the Church’s social teaching. The Church must not sit on the sidelines in the fight for justice, but it is not the Church’s task to effect political change. It is the Church’s task to love and offer support. Love is always needed because even if there is justice and equable sharing of the world’s goods, there will always be people who are lonely, sick or trying to manage difficult situations.
Offering love without condition
Charity is not the means of changing the world ideologically. The Church must offer love without condition – it must not be offered to make someone change their views. Love is free, not practised as a way of achieving something else, such as persuading someone to convert to Christianity.
The Pope puts forward criteria for the Church’s practice of love as an ordered service to the community. He says that Church based organisations have distinctive characteristic in that they don’t just meet the needs of the moment, but dedicate themselves to others with ‘heartfelt concern’. He also points out the need for adequate training for all those engaged in this work, so that the support they offer is of the very highest quality. He includes in this training the need for ‘formation of the heart’ in order to offer the concern previously mentioned.
The Holy Father concludes with a reflection on models of charity among the saints, and particularly Our Lady, who gives the greatest example of receiving and sharing God’s love. I have published his concluding prayer on the back page of this magazine
Tricia Steel