Charity - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_(virtue):  In Christian theology charity is the greatest of the three theological virtues. Thomas Aquinas does not simply equate charity to "love", which he holds as a passion, not a virtue; rather, translators use the word "friendship", as stated above. This is in contrast with the following:

Deus caritas est—"God is love."  

—1 John 4:8

Charity is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word "love". The love that is caritas is distinguished by its origin, being divinely infused into the soul, and by its residing in the will rather than emotions, regardless of what emotions it stirs up. According to Aquinas, charity is an absolute requirement for happiness, which he holds as man's last goal.

 

Charity has two parts: love of God and love of man, which includes both love of one's neighbor and one's self.



Paul describes it in the First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13 (KJV):

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Note that the King James Version uses both the words charity and love to translate the idea of caritas / ἀγάπη: sometimes it uses one, then sometimes the other, for the same concept. Most other English translations, both before and since, do not; instead throughout they use the same more direct English word love, so that the unity of the teaching should not be in doubt. Love can have other meanings in English, but as used in the New Testament it almost always refers to the virtue of caritas.



Many times when charity is mentioned in English-language bibles, it refers to "love of God".  One example is "charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8), which forms the basis of perfect contrition.

Perfect contrition

 (from Latin contero "grind, crush, pound to pieces")

 

in Catholic theology is a repentance for sin that is motivated by faith and the love of God. It contrasts with imperfect contrition, which arises from a less pure motive, such as common decency, or fear of Hell. The two types of contrition are distinguished by a person's motive for repentance, rather than the intensity of ones feelings or emotions. It is possible for perfect and imperfect contrition to be experienced simultaneously.



According to Catholic theologians, "all that is required [for perfect contrition] is the standard of all human action, moral certainty."  A theologically sound "Act of Contrition" that is said with honesty and that reflects one's true intentions can provide the requisite amount of moral certainty.  A common and theologically sound "Act of Contrition" can be found in the following prayer:

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins, because of Your just punishments, but most of all, because they offend You, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace to confess my sins and to amend my life. Amen.

Perfect contrition removes the guilt and eternal punishment due to mortal sin, even before the sinner has received absolution in the sacrament of penance, if the person has a firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.  An example of this theological precept is demonstrated in the Code of Canon Law in canon 916, which states: "A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible."



In cases of imminent death, in which sacramental confession may not be possible, the firm resolution to go to sacramental confession, as soon as possible, if a person survives, also removes the guilt and eternal punishment due to mortal sin.