Mary, Model of Virtue – Charity towards God

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 28 May 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Faith, hope and charity are the three theological virtues which enable us to share in God’s nature (CCC, #1813) or activity (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). God infused them into us at our baptism, so that we can attain union with Him (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). Of these three, St. Paul says that charity is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God.” (CCC, #1822) Charity enables us to love the way God does (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). It summarises the two great commandments that contain the whole law of God, (Mark 12:29-31) i.e.

1.  You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength; and

2.  You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Today, we will ponder on charity towards God. I shall share points and reflexions mainly from the School of Faith website.

Why charity towards God? Does God need our charity or love? Certainly not. God Himself is Love; He does not need us to love Him to be fulfilled in any way. Why then, does He command us to love Him with our whole being? Because only by loving God will we be led to eternal happiness in Him, where we are made to be. As St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for Thyself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (Augustine of Hippo, p1)

How should we love God? As mentioned, with our entire being, above all things and for His own sake. Jesus commands us to love one another has He has loved us. How does God love? He loves us first, gives us life and all good things; not because He needs us, but as a totally free gift. It is selfless love. When we ungratefully turned away from Him, He sent His only Son to die for us, to save us from sin, while we were still sinners. His love is sacrificial. God continues to seek us out and bring us back to Him throughout the ages. To love God for His own sake, obviously we should love Him with the same selfless and sacrificial love.

What makes us love God and keep His commandments? Is it because we want something from Him? So that He will fulfil our desires? If that is so, it is not charity, but selfish love, for the focus is on what we gain from loving God. Charity motivates us to love for the good and happiness of God and neighbour. We should be willing to sacrifice time and energy for prayer, attending Mass, going for Confession, not to get something out of them, but as acts of love for God, to please Him and make Him happy. Likewise, when we pray, we do not merely ask for favours and help; prayer is also praise and thanksgiving. (Holy Family School of Faith Institute)

The famous Catholic theologian, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange gave three great signs of heroic love of God: perfect conformity to His holy will in trials, love of the cross, and perfect charity towards one’s neighbour. (Garrigou-Lagrange).

Should we love God first, or neighbour first? Modern liberalism advocates may say, “Feeding the poor is more important.” In his classic, Liberalism Is A Sin, Dr. Salvany wrote: “Charity is primarily the love of God, secondarily the love of our neighbor for God's sake. …” And Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange wrote, “Perfect charity toward one's neighbor springs from close union with God…”

After Christ, Mary is the epitome of this heroic love of God, for she submitted to His will entirely, and remained faithful amidst the greatest sufferings. Her total love of God made her love mankind as He loves them.

How can we acquire this virtue to love God as we should? Besides our effort, we must be open to God’s grace through daily prayer, especially meditation of the Holy Rosary, and by frequently receiving the Sacraments, i.e. Confession and the Eucharist. (Holy Family School of Faith Institute) Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Mirae Caritatis (#11), wrote that charity towards God to promote mutual charity among men can be enkindled if we ponder well the charity which Christ has shown in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Mary is our role model, for according to St. Alphonsus Liguori, her humility and self emptiness enabled Divine love to fill her so that, quoting St. Bernardine, “her love towards God surpassed that of all men and Angels”.

By this first and greatest commandment, then, we can hope to attain union with God, like Mary.

References:

Alphonsus Liguori. The Glories of Mary, from Mary's Charity Towards God. Retrieved on 19 May 2011 from http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/charity-mary1.htm.

Augustine of Hippo. Confessions of St. Augustine.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Holy Family School of Faith Institute. Retrieved on 27 May 2011 from http://www.schooloffaith.com/_assets/files/Virtue/NT0602.pdf

Holy Family School of Faith Institute. Retrieved on 25 May 2011 from http://www.schooloffaith.com/_assets/files/Virtue/NT0608.pdf

Leo XIII. (28 May 1902). Mirae Caritatis. Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on the Holy Eucharist.

Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (n.d.). The Three Ages of the Interior Life. Retrieved on 19 May 2011 from http://www.christianperfection.info/tta96.php