The first part of the encyclical deals with the original meaning of love, the distortions of it, and the fullness of human and divine love. If anything, Pope Benedict’s rich text helps us to recover the meaning of love and authentic charity.
The entire second part of the encyclical is dedicated to ecclesial charity, to charitable institutions in the church. In focusing on love for God as the motivation behind all of the church’s relief and development work, the Pope emphasizes that charity flows from one individual putting himself at the service of another out of love.
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