The Meaning of Charity, What it is and Concept

Charity is a virtue that is born from the heart and love of God for people. In the following article we will know everything about what charity is, where it comes from and what it consists of.

What is Charity?

Many will truly wonder what is Charity? You get to know the attitude of those who usually act selflessly, in favor of others, without having or expecting anything in return. As such, it can be understood as synonymous with altruism, philanthropy, generosity or even solidarity. The word comes from the Latin language carĭtas, caritātis.

In this same sense, charity becomes applicable to the various kinds of solidarity actions through which support is provided to those who need it. Offering food and also shelter to the homeless, even providing clothing to some victims of a natural disaster, and donating a certain amount of money to charitable foundations, all these actions become charity.

Charity is closely related to the values ​​advocated by the Christian religion, mainly that of love of neighbor. However, charity is expressed basically in the willingness to help and also to support the other, the most needy, without expecting any kind of reward.

In the English language, charity can be translated as charity. For example:

• “The charity provides practical help for homeless people.”

What does charity mean in its translation:

• “The Charity Offers practical help for the homeless.”

In the Bible

In the Bible, charity is described as the following:

“Charity is long-suffering, it is benign; charity does not envy, charity is not boastful, it is not puffed up; he does not do anything improper, he does not seek his own, he does not get irritated, he does not think evil; it does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth; He suffers everything, believes everything, expects everything, supports everything”.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

In this same sense, charity is found at the core of Christian morality and is based on what is love of God and also of neighbor. It is already present in the commandments of the law of God where it says:

“Love God above all things.”

And in the preaching of Jesus Christ when he tells his disciples:

“Love each other”.

John: 13 and 34

Charity comes to be born from God’s love for people, and from man’s response to that same love. To tell the truth, it is the one that constitutes the main commandment of Jesus to the apostles and to his disciples when he says: “Love one another”. In the Bible we can read the following:

Queen valera

1 Follow charity; and seek spiritual gifts, more above all that you prophesy.

Textus Receptus

1.

Latin Vulgate

sectamini caritatem, aemulamini spiritalia magis autem ut prophetetis

1 Corinthians 14:1

The virtue of charity comes to take into account the commandments of God’s law, which often express the core of Christian morality. However, God himself comes to be placed as the only and perfect example of love, who can save those who still do not believe in him, dying for those who are still considered his enemies. The apostle Paul, when he speaks of God’s love, goes so far as to describe what charity is like:

Queen valera

4 Charity is long-suffering, it is benign;

charity does not envy, charity does not act unreasonably, it does not enlarge;

5 It is not insulting, it does not seek its own, it is not irritated, it does not think evil;

6 Do not strike at injustice, but strike at the truth;

7 He suffers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, supports everything.

8 Charity never fails: but the prophecies must come to an end,

and tongues shall cease, and science shall be removed;

Textus Receptus

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Charity is considered the most important theological virtue, and it is superior to any other of the virtues.

in Christianity

In evangelical Christian beliefs, charity comes to be considered the most important of the 3 theological virtues, which are faith, hope and charity . As such, the object of charity becomes love of God above all things, which in the same way is translated as love of neighbor. Charity comes to require the practice of good; it is disinterested and at the same time generous, and comes to provide the spirit with feelings of joy, peace and also mercy. This is a Charity Work .

Charity is a fundamental and essential virtue for the life of the Christian since, as it is preached in the catechism of the Catholic Church, in it is found the essence of Christianity and of all the teachings of Jesus Christ. In this same sense, it is not possible to live a Christian life by setting aside the importance of this virtue called charity.

Catholicism

For Saint Basil, the condition of the children of the Father was achieved when it is understood as the search for the good, for which he said the following:

“Either we turn away from evil for fear of punishment and we are at the disposition of the slave, or we look for the incentive of the reward and we resemble mercenaries, or finally we obey for the very good of the love of the one who commands… and then we are at the disposition of children”.

Basil, Reg. fus. prol.

In the field of moral theology, charity towards others is considered a Christian virtue opposed to a series of sins:

• Hate, as a desire for the evil of others.

• Envy, as a kind of sadness before the good of others that is considered bad for one.

• Discord, as a kind of dissension of the wills of others.

• Contention, as a type of altercation or violent discussion.

• War, as a kind of struggle of one crowd against another, initiated with the intervention of public authority.

• The Scandal, like everything said or done that comes to provide the other occasion to commit evil, among others.

The Dictionary of the Spanish language of the Royal Spanish Academy also defines it in its third meaning, as “alms given or help given to those in need”.

The Catholic Church comes to consider the alms given to the poor as 1 of the main testimonies of fraternal charity, however, in the same way a kind of justice practice called the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Charity has joy, peace and mercy as its fruits. One of the charitable works of the church is to deliver food to the most needy on the street.

in Masonry

In the beliefs of Freemasonry, the definition of charity comes to speak of about 3 virtues, described in the apprentice march: “I have faith in my ideals, hope to realize them, for love of humanity.” This is how they consider Charity. Also the missionary brothers of charity.