CHARITY: A SELFLESS ACT OF LOVE

A Partial Fulfilment for the Course

NSG 216
PAULINIAN EDUCATION, PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS


Submitted by:
Andres, Dimitrius A.
Anibigno, Resty P.
Barbosa, Winchell I.
Hille, Rhea A.
Marquez, Lea Angelyne B.
Sarino, Burt Philip A.
Sarino, Ma. Moneth A.
Timajo, Pia Elizabeth

Submitted To:
Sr. Flordeliza C. Deza, SPC
Professor

CHARITY: A SELFLESS ACT OF LOVE
Charity is to be preferred before all gifts. It is not something you do not give away; it is
something that we acquire and make a part of ourselves. Perhaps the greatest charity comes when
we are kind to each other, we dont judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each
other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is, who has let us down; or hesitating the
impulse to become offended when someone doesnt handle something the way we might have
hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of anothers weakness and being willing to forgive
someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best for each other.
Charity in a Christian context means Christian love. The love of Christ that impels on us. The
kind of love that lasts forever. A kind of love that is selfless.
If you were to ask, who would you be? A man walks by and sees a young girl on the sidewalk
begging for alms. This man gives her one look and draws out a coin from his pocket and gave it
to her. He then went on his way. Or, mother sees this girl one day, but she did not offer alms.
Instead, she takes the girl by the hand and offers her something more valuablea cloth on her
back, food to eat, and a place to stay.
Between these two kinds of people, are you the man who passively gives alms or the mother who
goes out of her way, extends her arms, and gives her heart to those in need?
Most of us probably are like the man who merely gives money, we are guilty of such act, without
really showing concern for other people. Perhaps it is because we really dont understand what
charity is about.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, The Apostle Paul gave a glimpse of what charity should be
like: If I give away everything I own and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not
have love, I gain nothing. Therefore, love is the seed in which all our actions are rooted from.
Everything we do should be made out of love. The Apostle Paul showed us an example of this
kind of lovecharitythrough his actions, as proven by his letters to the Christian
communities. Without charity or the pure love of Christ whatever else we accomplish matters
little. With it, all else becomes vibrant and alive.
First of all, the Apostle Paul showed the ultimate charity of all when he brought God to the
Gentiles. In his letter to the Ephesians 2:11-22, the Apostle Paul said, ...At that time you were
without Christ, you did not belong to the community of Israel; the Covenants of God and his
promises were not for you; you had no hope and were without God in this world. But now in
Christ Jesus and by his blood, you who were once far off have come near. Paul did not
discriminate and treated everyone equally as worthy of Gods Words. Because of his love for
God and humankind, he converted many sinners and led them to the path of salvation through
Jesus Christ. The act of being all to all as Paul did to the Gentiles, rings true today, especially
in times of calamities when everyone is in need of help. As Christians, we must help everyone
regardless of their status in life, race, gender, or religion. Prejudices must be put aside so the
Good Samaritan in all of us arises.
1 Corinthians 4:9-15 I do not write to shame you, but to warn you as very dear children.
Because even though you may have ten thousand guardians in the Christian life, you only have
one Father and it was I who gave you life through Christ in the Gospel.
Paul exhibited charity, through humble service, when the Greek and Jew converts looked down
on him as they had made progress in the road of knowledge and their spiritual gifts. Still, the
Apostle Paul strived to preach the Word of God to them, and make them see the error of their
ways. This verse shows that we may have all the material things to boast for but without Christ,
we are nothing. We must remember that all that we have are blessings that came from God,
therefore it must be an instrument to serve those who are in need. Also, like Paul, we must strive
to do what is good amidst many trials, and act with humility as Jesus had done when he washed
the feet of his disciples in the last supper.
Nothing we do makes much of a difference if we do not have love. We can speak with tongues,
have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, and possess all knowledge; even if we have
faith to move mountains, without charity, it will not profit us at all.
In his letter to the Philippians 1:15-18, the Apostle Paul mentioned two kinds of people who
preach the Word of God: those who do it out of envy and rivalry and others who preach Christ
with a good intention. This verse is relevant nowadays especially when we see people on the
streets, on the bus, and even on TV, preaching about the Good News for profit. The Apostle Paul
showed us that to be disciples, spreading the Word of God must not come from any ulterior
motivebut out of zeal for Him. When we give our all and act selflessly in the name of the
Gospel, spreading the Word to non-believers because we love God, we are imitating the
compassionate love and humility Christ showed when he was with his disciples.
Philippians 2:6-10, Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as
something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant made in human
likeness and in his appearance found as a man. Being humbled himself, by being obedient to
death, death on the cross. That is why God exalted him and gave him a name which exalts all
name so that the name of Jesus all knees should bend, on heaven, on earth, and among the dead.
This is a very powerful verse that talks about the love of Christ for his people, his faithfulness to
his people. Humans love conditionally, but Jesus gave his life out of his love for us. He was
nailed on the cross of Calvary for our salvation. But despite the fact that we convicted Christ that
resulted to his death, Jesus still pardoned us and said: Father, forgive them, for they do not
know what they are doing. (Luke 23:24)
This verse depicts what Jesus wanted us to be as Christiansto identify with the most humble,
the most afflicted, and the most despised. We must be living images of Him. Therefore we must
be humble servants to Gods people. When we inspire others to fill their hearts with love,
obedience flows from the inside out in voluntary acts of self-sacrifice and service.
Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does
it seek its own interest. Love overcomes anger and forgets all offenses. It does not take delight in
wrong but rejoices in truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and
endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

The reason why charity never fails and the reason why charity is greater than even the most
significant acts of goodness, is not an act but a condition or state of being.

In 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, Paul mentions five more spiritual gifts when he writes, If I have the gift
of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove
mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,
and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Prophecy
refers to the ability to declare Gods truth in a powerful, life-changing way. Knowledge involves
the deep understanding of the Word of God. Faith is the unique ability to trust God for great
things. These three gifts are all from the Holy Spirit, and yet without love the person who has
them is nothing. Giving to the poor is a good thing to do. And dying for your faith in Christ is
the ultimate sacrifice. But as good as these things are, without love they do you no good. Paul
declares that the greatest expression of spirituality is love. We could summarize these three
verses like this: Without love... I say nothing, I am nothing, and I gain nothing.

Philippians 1:9. and this I pray: that your charity may be more and more abound in knowledge
and in all understanding.

Paul emphasized that love is the greatest virtue because the one paying attention would
understand that of all other virtues enabling positive action outside oneself to their neighbour,
selflessly automatically bind the other virtues.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. 1
Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)