At Home and Let It Roam

They say, “Charity begins at home.”  That’s good. Probably right.

But what is charity, or what do we mean by charity? And is home charity’s destination or beachhead?

A friend recently sent out a Latin poem the first line of which is “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.” Another friend quickly identified it as an ancient hymn and gave a translation. “Where charity and love are, there is God.” Another friend very quickly suggested it was better to say, “Where God is, there are charity and love.”

I will be charitable and not accuse my friends of showing off (supplying the translation) or being hypercritical (correcting the theology of an ancient hymn).

“Where charity and love are, there is God.” That is nice. And to the first point, charity here is certainly not monetary, at least not exclusively. This sort of charity has its roots in the concept of and is related to the Biblical word for grace. (Although the more direct derivation is from the Latin: caritas.) The essence of charity is grace, gift, giving. Charity is giving people what they do not have coming but may desperately need: money (of course), a second chance, the benefit of the doubt, a helping hand, a kind word, forgiveness.

This charity is to be a hallmark of Christian living. It is reflected in I John 4. (Check it out.) Because God has so freely given his love and all that goes with it to us, we are to do the same for others. At the center of both his and our love is this charity—a focus on giving.*

To the second point, while such charitableness ought to be lived out at home (bet you can find Bible passages about this), it is certainly to be extended to the world around us. Paul said so. (See Galatians 6:10.) And so did God. (See John 3:16.) Christians are to be known as people of great charity. It actually is our birthright. It is in our Baptismal D.N.A.

Here’s the ultimate point and what seems significant this week. Charity needs a bigger footprint in our family, our congregations, our community, our church body (whatever it may be), with other Christians and with those outside the household of faith. Can we help in time of need? Can we give second (and third) chances? Can we put the best construction on others? Can helping hands, kind words and forgiveness be central to our public action?

Criticalness, stinginess, smugness, and grudge bearing are all too worldly, easy and infectious. We need intentionally to guard against such traits that charity may abound.

Lent offers a great path to charity. We contemplate our own unworthiness and how all that we have is a gift, charity, from God. We contemplate the cross and the great lengths to which God goes to extend charity. We contemplate the upper room where Jesus serves his friends, gives himself fully, and instructs us to follow his example.

May charity in its many facets indeed begin at home, thrive and grow there. And may it roam, spill out beyond like a cup running over. Ultimately, this is the heartbeat of the Gospel, the way of the Kingdom and the fuel for all evangelism. Indeed, “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.”

*Keep in mind that gifts are always things undeserved. If we “give” what someone rightly has coming, we may be giving him his due, but we are not giving him a gift.