All of us are aware of the word "charity." We know that charity is one of three theological virtues that we petition for whenever we begin the Most Holy Rosary. When I say the word charity I am sure that many minds are simply taken to the notion of giving money to those who are in need. Whenever we give freely from ourself we are in return performing an action of charity, but charity goes much deeper then this. Caritas is the Latin word for charity and thus it is a word that is applied to a love that is so great that it is both mutually giving and completely pouring over. The only place where we can find this perfect offering of this type of love that is known as charity is through the Most Holy Trinity whose reality we get to celebrate on this great solemnity that has been bestowed today upon the Church.
The Trinity is the manifestation of One God in Three Persons that has always existed in this manner: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What kind of love would God be if He were not present in three Persons? If all that we had was the Father we would end up with the error of having a God who is self-centered. If God simply manifested Himself as the Father and the Son we would only have two who are so enamored with each other that their love has become exclusive. When we add the Holy Spirit to this mix we can see that this love that is given and which is received is something that is both mutual and self giving. The love that is found between the Father and the Son, therefore, begets another. The love that is found within the Trinity is so giving that it becomes creative. If we are ever to truly desire to grow in our ability to be charitable we too must come to emulate this love that is both giving and mutual.
We have found many ways to destroy our participation in the life of the Trinity. Our bishop constantly reminds his priests that they are not to be bachelors because they are celibate. Indeed if priests acted as bachelors they would only be serving themselves as one who is only concerned for himself instead of desiring to pour himself completely out of love in order to serve those who have been entrusted to his Fatherly care. The love that is found within the priest must therefore emulate what is discovered within the Trinity. Founded upon the love of the Trinity we will better be able to treat others with the reality that they were created in the image and likeness of God and therefore are a Temple of the Holy Spirit.
If the purpose of love at its very foundation is to emulate the love that is found within the Trinity and thus be something that is both mutual and self giving it is no wonder why the Church speaks so strongly against the serious sin that is the use of contraception. Why, but because it perverts what the marital embrace should be and in return it lowers "love" to be about the service of one or it turns "love" into a lust that fails to be giving, mutual, and creative. This is a great perversion of natural law because it takes something that was created as good and in return twists it into an evil action because it has no longer been ordered towards its proper purpose. Contraception leads to the breakdown of the family because it is a complete perversion of what love truly is. The Trinity, on the other hand, is a love so great that it is the complete opposite of what our culture would lead us to believe that love is.
Love is not about using one as if they are a means to an end because this does respect their humanity. When we place a barrier in the way we are unable to love because we don't want to do so freely. In the Trinity no barriers are found, but all three Persons of the Trinity who freely give to the other asking for nothing in return. This love that is both mutual and giving is the perfect foundation for us if we are ever to grow in the virtue of charity with all those whom we encounter. This charitable love, as is founded upon the Trinity, must flow into relations among married couples, among the ordained, among children, among coworkers, among those who we cannot stand, and thus among all those whom we might encounter within this life. The Lord has chosen us to be His own and thus we too are able to elevate ourself towards the perfect love that flows forth from the Most Holy Trinity. May we therefore, always allow the Most Holy Trinity to be our basis for entering into this most charitable type of love.
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