The true meaning of charity lies in truth. Truth is the light that illuminates charity, giving it actual value. Truth also includes Love, Subsidiarity, and Purity, all of which positively impact the world. Those who practice charity and want to make a difference in the world should reflect on the light that shines in truth. Charity is an expression of the love of God and the world and is connected to truth. Without truth, love is meaningless and impersonal. Charity is defined by its universal values, which are shared and communicated. These values are the fulcrum of dia-logos, communication, and communion. The free charity from fideism and emotionalism reflects the private yet public dimension of our faith in God, who is Agape and Logos.
Subsidiarity is a concept that is rooted in Catholic social teaching. It advocates making decisions at the most minor, competent authority level. This principle argues that political decisions and charitable actions should take place at the local level. It also emphasizes the importance of small and intermediate levels of the community. These levels encourage individual action and participation while connecting the individual to society. Charity is a Christian virtue. It is a humanistic act of kindness characterized by acts of gratuitousness, mercy, and communion. Charity demonstrates God's love in human relationships and gives theological value to commitments for justice in the world.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns that there is no righteousness in doing the right thing for the wrong reason. While the previous chapters of Matthew focused on our thoughts and attitudes, the sixth chapter deals with our actions. If we do good works for the wrong reasons, God will not accept our good works. Those who do good things for the wrong reasons are hypocrites. They ensure everyone sees their charity and prayers, but they are primarily concerned with gaining worldly approval. True worshippers, on the other hand, give quietly and pray behind closed doors. Only God knows their identity. Authenticity in charity is rooted in genuine compassion, and it is highly relational and personalized. Authenticity is also a strong foundation for collective giving and development. An excellent example of this is the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. This organization focuses on helping those in need through grantmaking, utilizing its lived expertise to create impact.
In the Summa Theologiae, Thomas Aquinas defines charity as "a kind of friendship" and thus marks a distinctive development of the Christian monastic tradition. According to Aquinas, friendship is a two-way movement between grace and participation and carries an implicit incarnational character. In the third volume of the Summa, charity points to the divine subject. In the medieval period, theology developed a richer definition of charity, focusing on the virtue's role as "the root or foundation" of other Christian virtues. Today, the debate centers on the true meaning of charity and how it differs from other forms of love.