Friday, December 21 Advent Reflection

Charity is a nice thing to do — giving money is kind and generous — but did you know that the word “charity” has roots that run much deeper? The word comes from caritas, a Latin term for divine love. Caritas is the virtue by which we participate in God’s love. Charity, then, is an outpouring of that love — it’s an expression.

St. Francis de Sales is known as the Doctor of Charity. That title, doctor, is used by the Church to signal someone who taught the faith extraordinarily well, and Francis was among the best. He went into a region where the faith was dying and people were forbidden by law to hear him preach, yet his persistence and example and writing spoke to them. They saw in him a reflection of divine love.

Forego a convenience today (skip coffee, pack a lunch, etc.) and share the money you would have spent with an organization that supports a cause close to your heart. Offer it in a spirit that runs much deeper than kindness.