Spirit of Charity: The Life of the Community
The community, as a moral body, would be destroyed if the spirit of charity were lacking. (OOCC, III, p. 324)
According to St. Vincent, the perfect spirit of charity must dominate the thinking and action of every member of the community in order that there is true life in the community. Without the spirit of charity, there is no genuine community living. The community, as a moral body, consisting of many members and accomplishing specified apostolic tasks, cannot survive if the spirit of love is not guiding the life of the members within the community. If the spirit of charity is lacking, the members will not have a unity of thinking and unity of action. No member will agree on a common program of the community, either with regard to their life together in the community, or with regard to the accomplishment of the goals of the community. If there is no agreement in having a common thinking, it is not possible to have unity in the level of action within the community. Besides, there will be divergent opinions on each matter, and no one will be able to arrive at a particular and proper plan of action. The members will neither respect their superior, nor will they commit themselves to following the rules of the community. Each member will try to look for and speak about the defects of his brother in the community. Every member will be acting out of caprice towards his neighbor. The community life in such a set up will bring disharmony, tensions, and lack of coordination. The apostolic endeavors they undertake with this spirit will not bear fruit. In this manner, if the spirit of charity is lacking, the community for all practical purposes, will be a lifeless one.
How is life in the community in which I live? Does the spirit of love dominate my community living? Is there unity of thinking and unity of action in my community? Is there genuine respect for authority and the rules of the community? Is the community I live in a lifeless or a dynamic one?
Owe to no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. (Rom. 13: 8)