Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - Modern language has hackneyed many words, include the word “love”. This is a serious impoverishment of the vocabulary of human experience. Yet Benedict XVI with love’s (sage) ingenuity chose it for his first encyclical. It is a text which instils hope. Many utopias, many ideologies have come to an end. Many people are disappointed, resigned. The Pope is not resigned to a world without love: “Love is possible, and we are able to practise it because we are created in the image of God”. (Deus caritas est 39).
This is how he encourages Christians working with the poor, in mission lands or in difficult situations who sometimes feel dispirited. His intention is to “to call forth in the world renewed energy and commitment in the human response to God’s love” (Deus caritas est introduction). He wishes to awaken the dawn of the day of love in the Church and in the world. We might reply: there exist more concrete problems! We are afraid to love because love leads us away from ourselves. It does not flee concreteness. It is a great vocation, to which the Pope calls us, reminding us that to love we have need of God. At times, while maintaining generous intentions, solidarity has lost its vital link with faith. So love among Christians and in institutions has waned. It got lost in ideologies, bureaucracy and professionalisation.
On the contrary to live and to grow daily solidarity needs prayer: as so many humble Christians for years close to the poor or on mission well know: “those who draw near to God do not withdraw from men, but rather become truly close to them” - the Pope says. (42) There are not two worlds, one of action and the other of spirituality. Love for others is nourished with prayer: “I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ”. (18) The encyclical invites all our communities to make an examination of conscience with regard to love. It is important to reflect on it to avoid that spiritual consumerism which makes us go from one text to another and in the end turn around on ourselves. Understood by the heart these words will unleash energies of love.
There exists a personal dimension of charity which cannot be referred to institutions or specialists. Everyone can and must be a specialist in charity: “We contribute to a better world only by personally doing good now, with full commitment…” -says Benedict XVI. (31) Certainly the Church operates with its institutions. But here too expertise is not enough. There is need of a “a hearts which sees”. (31b) Today we see much suffering (including that in distant lands). We are disorientated and perhaps end up closing our heart. Love is never impossible. Our neighbour is near to us. But a characteristic of the present day-the Pope says - is that we are aware of the needs of people who are distant. What is needed therefore is a love which sees in the distance. The Pope also makes resound that expression of conscience which existed among the first generations of Christians, today too often shelved: “In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life.”(25) I am thinking of the Christians in the south of the world.
However charity is not limited to Christians it reaches out to all the poor. Living charity with makes the life of the Church more profound and more beautiful. In fact charity represents the splendour of Christian and ecclesial life. In this perspective it evangelises, but not in the sense the solidarity is instrumental. “A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God - the Pope says and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak.” (31 c) . But charity communicates in a real and mysterious way the closeness of God . The encyclical Deus caritas est is then a pressing call to have “a heart which sees” with love. I am convinced that if our hearts opens to the Gospel of Jesus our world will be more open to love. (Andrea Riccardi) (Agenzia Fides 27/1/2006 - righe 42, parole 640)
