UBI CARITAS ET AMOR, DEUS IBI EST ( where there is Charity and Love,
there God abides)
Written by: Gerald
"Where there is Charity and Love, there the God of love abides
The Love of Christ has gathered us as one rejoice in him with joy that he imparts let us revere and love the living God and Love each other with unfeigning hearts."
James McCauley.
I always reflect on this sentence ' where there is Charity and Love there God abides' and it gets me thinking; is there any difference between these two great words ' Love and Charity? Again why does God identifies himself in the midst where Love and Charity is practiced?
The Greek had four words for what the English could use to describe the word 'Love' -
Agape, Phileo, Eros and Storge. Agape was used to describe the Love that was selflessly committed to the well-being of another.
Phileo was the word used for the non-sexual affection of those sharing a strong bond like 'brotherly Love'.
Eros was the word used for romantic feelings like ' being in Love',
Storge was the word used for fondness of someone or something through familiarity with them or it
In this context, Agape best suits the word for 'Love and Charity' no wonder some bible versions use charity in place of love. The words are used interchangeably. Example is the older versions of the king James translation. Some are even in the opinion that the word charity is not to be used in religious term. Preferring 'love'. But is there really much difference between the two words?
When the word 'Agape is used in the context of vertical action (God toward man and/or man towards God.) It is translated as 'love': "for God so love the world that he sent his only begotten Son". (John 3:16). When the word Agape is used in the context of horizontal actions (man toward neighbour or enemy) it is translated as Charity.
Charity means participating in tangible act of loving-kindness towards all others, friends or foes, in unconditional and self-sacrificial ways. It means to be compassionate. Therefore you can not practice love without charity or charity without love. No wonder our Lord Jesus summarised the laws and Prophets as practicing of love and charity: " love the Lord your God with All your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength; the second is this: love your neighbour as yourself, there is no commandment greater than these." (Mark.12:30-31)
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself demonstrated the love he has for us all by the gift of himself in the Eucharist, the gift of the Sacramental priesthood and the command to love and to serve unconditionally on the night before he was betrayed. Above all, he loves and shows us how to love the father by his total obedience and the supreme prize he payed for our sake in accordance to the will of the Father. Christ practiced charity and love in no little way when he was on earth. The bible said ' he went about, doing good'.(Act.10:38)
Why does God abide where Charity and Love is practiced? The Bible made us to know that God Himself is Love: "Whoever does not love does not know God" (1John 4:8), " and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us, God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him". (1John 4:16).
God is Charity: "Whatsoever you did for these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matt.25:40, 10:42). Our Lord Jesus Christ in the course of his teaching, told a parable of how a man had been beaten and left half dead at the side of the road on a Sabbath. (Lk.10:25-37). Religious personalities passed along the same route and as soon as they saw the man, they threw their faces to the other side. It was only a Samaritan, whom the Jews consider as a gentile,someone who is a pagan, that showed sympathy to the unfortunate man.