Part II. On the Cultivation of Charity Toward God

I. The precept of charity. 1. The act of charity, actual charity, toward God, or the act by which we love God on account of Himself above all things, is necessary by necessity of precept. This is clear: 1. from Sacred Scripture: "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and in your whole soul, and in your whole mind. This is the greatest and first commandment";¹ 2. by reason. For it is manifest that infinite goodness or perfection is to be loved, and this on account of itself and above all things. Now: 1. the precept of charity is a special precept, in other words, the formal act of charity is prescribed, so that, for example, mere observance of the precepts does not suffice; 2. it is not a precept of loving God intensively above all things, but it suffices that He be loved objectively or appreciatively above all things (St. Alphonsus, II, 22); 3. an act of charity can be elicited in various ways, for example by rejoicing over the divine goods considered in themselves, by wishing and promoting the external glory of God as a good for Him.

2. An act of charity toward God obliges:

1. By reason of the precept of charity itself:

a) "When man has attained sufficient knowledge of God as infinitely good" (St. Alphonsus, II, 23, 1; St. Thomas, I-II, q. 89, a. 6).

b) Several times in life; this is clear: 1. from propositions condemned by Innocent XI, namely 5: "Whether he sins mortally who would elicit an act of love of God only once in life? We do not dare to condemn";² 6: "It is probable that the precept of charity toward God does not oblige of itself even in each rigorously taken period of five years";³ 7: "It obliges only when we are bound to be justified and we have no other way by which we can be justified."⁴ 2. To this is added that the homage to be rendered to God seems to require that several times in life we elicit acts of virtues which immediately regard God. Here, however, an act of charity that is not wholly explicit seems to suffice, for example, perfect contrition, a good work performed for pleasing God, the petitions contained in the Lord's Prayer: "Hallowed be Thy name," etc. It is more difficult to determine how often the act of charity must be elicited. St. Alphonsus judges that one satisfies the grave obligation who elicits it each month (Homo Apostolicus, tr. 4, n. 14).

c) In the article of death, as was said of faith (n. 489) and hope (n. 513); if the precept did not then urge, it would never urge.

d) When someone has held God in hatred (n. 489).

e) When a temptation against charity presses, which someone judges he cannot overcome except by an elicited act of charity (St. Alphonsus, II, 23, 2).

2. By reason of the precept of another virtue, as was said of faith (n. 489) and hope (n. 513).

Note 1. Charity toward God, unlike charity toward neighbor, rarely brings with it the obligation of an external act, since the internal act is known to God and of itself involves homage. For the rest, compare and apply the notes regarding faith (n. 489).

Note 2. Benedict XIV exhorts bishops that in every parish church on Sundays and feast days the acts of faith, hope, and charity be read aloud to the people.⁵

¹ Matthew 22:37-38.

² Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1155.

³ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1156.

⁴ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1157.

⁵ Constitution Etsi minime, February 7, 1742.

II. Sins against charity toward God - besides omission of the act prescribed by reason of the precept of charity - are: hatred of God and sloth.

1. Hatred of God. Hatred taken generally is an act by which someone is badly affected toward someone.

Hatred is distinguished as twofold: hatred of abomination and hatred of enmity or malevolence, according as someone turns away from someone as an evil to himself, or wills evil to someone. Hatred of abomination is opposed to love of concupiscence; hatred of enmity to love of benevolence. Sadness over another's good belongs to hatred of enmity; likewise joy over his evil.

Hatred of abomination, to which every evil deliberate movement against someone is referred, is again twofold, namely of the person himself and of a quality, according as someone turns away from the person himself according to himself, or from an adhering quality of the person. These things noted, I say:

a) Hatred of abomination toward God is grave from its whole genus; for it is clear that he sins gravely who in whatever way whatsoever turns away from God.

b) Hatred of enmity toward God is grave from its whole genus, indeed even the gravest of all sins, because he who wishes evil to God most greatly injures the charity due to God.

2. Sloth; concerning this, see n. 327.