In Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI presents philosophical reflections on the essence of love that bring us to the threshold of biblical faith. He writes, “We began by asking whether the different, or even opposed, meanings of the word ‘love’ point to some profound underlying unity, or whether on the contrary they must remain unconnected, one alongside the other. More significantly, though, we questioned whether the message of love proclaimed to us by the Bible and the Church’s Tradition has some points of contact with the common human experience of love, or whether it is opposed to that experience. This in turn led us to consider two fundamental words: erosi>, as a term to indicate ‘worldly’ love and agape, referring to love grounded in and shaped by faith. The two notions are often contrasted as ‘ascending’ love and ‘descending’ love. There are other, similar classifications, such as the distinction between possessive love and oblative love (amor concupiscentiae – amor benevolentiae), to which is sometimes also added love that seeks its own advantage” (§ 7). Although the core message of Deus Caritas Est continues to resonate, it seems that attention towards it has diminished over time. This shift may be attributed to the nature of papal encyclicals, which often gain prominence in relation to the current papacy. Consequently, loyalty can transition quite rapidly to a new pope and his respective encyclical.
In his letter to the Galatians that we hear in the first reading, St. Paul also talks about the relationship between love and faith. The term “faith working through love” can have many different meanings. It could mean faith expressing itself through love. Or faith is energized by love. But throughout his journey, Paul emphasizes that love is how Christians show they are truly free in Christ. What really matters is putting faith in action. By faith, Paul says, “we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” On the one hand, Paul emphasizes that faith is not merely empty words, but rather it manifests in action. On the other hand, he does not merely talk about an ethical way of living, doing good work, helping others or people in need. While those things are important and must be done as expressions of faith and love, Paul presents an eschatological vision, anticipating the end of time and the full coming of the Kingdom of God, when true righteousness will reign—the hope for final righteousness that comes from God alone.