(Download) "Proclaim the Truth Through Love: A Comment on Deus Caritas est." by Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture ~ Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Proclaim the Truth Through Love: A Comment on Deus Caritas est.
- Author : Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture
- Release Date : January 22, 2007
- Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines,Books,Professional & Technical,Education,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 203 KB
Description
ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO I was about to leave Rome where I had been working in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in order to take up an assignment as bishop of a diocese in New Zealand. An Anglican cleric, a longtime acquaintance, who was then secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, had called at our office. He asked what episcopal motto I had chosen. In fact I had decided on the motto of Cardinal Bea, first president of the Pontifical Council--speaking the truth in love. My Anglican friend's reaction was immediately negative, even angry. He saw "truth" as canceling "love." For him truth was harsh and demanding, love accepting and compassionate. By this account, it would be impossible to speak of truth and love together. Fortunately the Holy Father himself has come to the rescue. In the General Audience held on April 5, 2006, he said: "The Church of love is also the Church of truth." (1) It is a theme the Holy Father has developed over the years, and in what follows I draw on some of his writings. For instance in his book Truth and Tolerance he says, "Truth and love are identical." He explains that what is true and what is good cannot be separated from one another. It is only by knowing the truth about God that the truth about what is good, the truth about love, becomes accessible. The only weapon truth has is itself and the love which it begets. The truth of God does not divide; rather it binds together. It is the force that makes universal peace and communication possible. (2) A Carmelite writer has spoken of "being released by truth for love." (3) It was important, and probably courageous, that Pope Benedict should write an encyclical on love. Within the Church herself the word "love" has been much abused. In the years after the Second Vatican Council many homilies were little more than a repetition of the Beatles' song "All You Need is Love." At almost every Mass we had to sing "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love"; serious Catholics just wanted to give up on any mention of love--which was not a good thing. Love is misunderstood and prostituted in today's world, yet love is at the heart of the message of the Gospel.