The Summary of the Encyclical “Deus Caritas est”

Introduction: In this assignment I am going to speak about whatever I understand from the encyclical letter Deus Caritas Est of the supreme pontiff Benedict sixteenth. In this letter he has divided two parts, in the first part he has spoken about a problem of language, “eros” and “agape” difference and unity, how love goes higher level, philosophical reflection on the essence of love, the newness of biblical faith, the incarnate love of god, and love of god love of neighbor. In the second part mainly pope spoke about community of love, charity as a responsibility of the church, justice and charity, multiple structures of charitable service in the social context of the present day, and distinctiveness of the church’s charitable activity.        

Content of the Encyclical letter:  In the introduction Pope speaks mainly three points. The first one, He says that St. John’s gospel describes that God’s Love, “God so loved the World that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should have eternal life”. The second point from the book of Deuteronomy, usually Jews used to pray this words everyday, “Here Oh Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord and you shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. The third point was from the Book of Leviticus, “You shall Love your neighbor as yourself”. Then he divided two parts. The first part speaks about essential facts concerning the love which God mysteriously and gratuitously offers to man, and reality of human love. In the second part Pope speaks about ecclesial exercise of commandment of love of neighbor.

Pope speaks about problem of language. He deals the various meaning of Love. He says that the term “Love” has become one of the most frequently used and misused of words, a word to which we attach quite different meanings. Example Love of country, Love of one’s profession, Love between friends, Love of work, Love between parents and children, Love between family members, Love of neighbor and Love of God. Finally he asks that are we merely using the same word to designate totally different realities.

Pope explains about “Eros” and “Agape”. Eros is nothing but Love between man and woman which is neither planned nor willed but somehow imposes itself upon human beings was called “Eros”. Agape is clearly point to something new and distinct about Christian understanding of Love. But early Christians accepted the “Eros”. Later people came to know that it was kind of intoxication, divine madness mainly divinization of eros actually strips it of its dignity. At the same time “Eros” needs to be disciplined and purified because he explains clearly with the example of Descartes. “Man is a being made up of body and soul. Man is truly himself when his body and soul are intimately united yet it is neither the spirit alone not the body alone that loves; it is man, the person, a unified creature composed of body and soul, who loves. Only when both dimensions are truly united, does man attain his full stature; only thus is Love, Eros able to mature. But Eros, reduced to pure “sex”, has become a commodity, a mere “thing”. Man becomes a commodity. He considers his sexuality as the purely material part of himself, to be used and exploited at will. Truly Eros tends to rise in ecstasy towards the divine to lead us beyond ourselves.

Pope explains about the biblical notion of Love. He gives example from Song of Songs. He mentions two terms from Hebrew words which was used in Song of Songs “dodim”, “ahaba”. Here Love becomes concern and care for others. No longer self-seeking, instead it seeks the good of the beloved, and even willing for sacrifice. He adds the quote from bible “whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it’ Luke 17:33. Secondly he says about Jesus’ life, who leads through the cross to resurrection, the path of the grain of wheat that falls to ground and dies and in this way bears much fruit. So he made difference between the two words “Eros” and “Agape”. Eros, as a term to indicate ‘worldly love’ and agape referring to love grounded in and shaped by faith. So these terms are often contrasted as ascending Love and descending Love. So Pope gives example of Jacob’s ladder which reaching up to Heaven on which the Angels of God were ascending and descending.

Pope speaks about the newness of biblical faith which presents us the image of God and the image of man. First thing image of God: there is only one God, the creator of heaven and earth, one true God who is the source of all that exists. Secondly this God loves man, among all the nations he choose Israel and loves her, God’s relationship of Israel is metaphor of betrothal and marriage, his love may certainly be called eros yet it is also totally agape. He gives her the Torah there by opening Israel’s eyes to man’s true nature leading to true humanism. So God’s eros for man is also totally agape. Philosophically God is absolute and ultimate source of all being; but this universal principal of creation is Logos.

According to image of man the biblical account of creation speaks of the solitude of Adam and God’s decision to give him a helper, God forms women from rib of man. Pope says that idea is certainly present that man is somehow incomplete, the idea that only communion with the opposite sex can become “complete”. So Pope says eros is somehow rooted in man’s very nature. Eros directs man toward marriage which based on definitive Love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his people.

He explains that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Love of God. Pope speaks Love of Jesus, Jesus cares lost sheep, lost coin, we can see in prodigal son, mainly he gives himself in order to raise man up and save him. So his love is radical form. The second point of Pope is Logos now truly becomes food for us as Love. He quotes the 1Cor 10:17 because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. So we become “One Body” completely joined in a single existence. Love of God and Love of neighbor are now truly united. So that Agape also becomes a term for the Eucharist. Then he explains who is neighbor? Jesus identifies himself with those in need, with hunger, the thirsty. “As you did it to one of the least of my brethren you did it to me” Mk 25:40. So Love of God and Love of neighbor have become one. So he says from scripture I Love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. Love of neighbor is a path that leads to the encounter with God. Especially he loves us, he makes us see and experience his love especially in the Eucharist, and God has sent his only song into the world so that we might live through him. He explains that the love story between God and man consists in the very fact that this communion of will thus our will and God’s will increasingly coincide. He gives example we Love the person whom we do not like. This can only take place through intimate encounter with God which becomes communion of will mainly Pope says that if we serve our neighbor our eyes can be opened to what God does for me and how much he loves me. Love is divine because it comes from God and unites us to God.

In the second part of Encyclical mainly Pope spoke about the service of charity which is the responsibility of the church. He gives example of Luke’s writings. Luke provides a kind of definition of the church. “Communion” the breaking of bread and prayer which consists in the fact that believes holds all things in common. No longer distinction between rich and poor. “Diaconia” the ministry of charity exercised in a communitarian and fundamental structure of the church. The same way Pope mentioned from Justin Martyr Tertullian, Ignatius of Antioch, Deacon Lawrence, and Saint Ambrose who distributed to the poor whatever funds were available and then presented to the authorities the poor themselves as the real treasure of the Church. He spoke about Julian the Apostate who was emperor. He confirmed that charity was a decisive feature of the Christian community, the Church and also he speaks about three fold responsibility. 

1. Proclaiming the word of God 
2. Celebrating the sacraments 
3. Exercising ministry of charity. 

The same way he speaks that the church is God’s family in the world so within the ecclesial family no member should suffer through being in need.

So when Pope speaks about justice and charity he tells about the history of the church during the 19th century, society had a lot of problem. Example poverty, disease, need for better education. During that time social doctrine of the church published which becomes set of fundamental guidelines. Some way state has to accept two elements one thing religious freedom, harmony between different religions. In the society the church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. The formation of Just structure is not directly the duty of the church, the church has an indirect duty here.

Then he mentions the second nation council which tells that through better means of communication distance between people has been almost eliminated charitable activity can and should embrace all people and all needs. Concern of neighbor has increasingly broadened its horizon to the whole world. The same way he expresses the idea of John Paul II which is “respect for the rights and needs of everyone, especially the poor, lowly and defenseless. Pope explains about Christian charity which is simple response to immediate needs feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick. They need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to other mainly his concern about those who practice charity in the church’s name will never seek to impose the church’s faith upon others. They realize that pure and generous love is the best witness to God their activity they may be credible witness to Christ. 

The part of the church which has great responsibility the directory for the pastoral ministry of Bishops tells about duty of Charity upon the whole church and upon each Bishop in the diocese, like the ministry of word and sacraments. He uses the Paul’s quotation “If I give away all I have and if I deliver my body to be burned but do not have love, I gain nothing”. So he says way of serving others also leads to humility. Example, Christ took lowest place in the world, the cross which is radical humility. 

Then mainly Pope says about “Prayer” is the most important thing to help our neighbor. He gives example of Blessed Mother Theresa who wrote to her lay co-worker we need deep connection with God in our daily life. How can we obtain it? By “Prayer”. For that we need to have faith, hope and charity. Mainly faith helps us to understand Love is Light to experience Love in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world. Then he speaks about the saints who exercised charity in an example way. So he says saints are the true bearers of light within history, they are men and women of faith, hope and love. Same way he speaks about Mother Mary who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbor. She is woman who loves. Finally he says God’s love to become in a fountain from which flow rivers of Living Water Jn 7:38.

Conclusion:  By reading this encyclical letter I really came to know that mainly it is very useful for seminarians. This encyclical letter made me to understand what is the different between God’s love and human love, how can we feel love of God, why we have to practice love of neighbor and charity, what is Christian charity?, finally how saints exercised charity in an exemplary way ,and Mother Mary who abandoned herself completely.      

- Bro. David Rajesh, I Year Theology, Bangalore