DEUS CARITAS EST

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

DEUS CARITAS EST

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS

PRIESTS AND DEACONS

MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS

AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL

ON CHRISTIAN LOVE

INTRODUCTION

1. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16).

These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian

faith: the Christian image of God and the resulting image of mankind and its destiny. In the same

verse, Saint John also offers a kind of summary of the Christian life: “We have come to know and

to believe in the love God has for us”.

We have come to believe in God's love: in these words the Christian can express the fundamental

decision of his life. Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the

encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. Saint

John's Gospel describes that event in these words: “God so loved the world that he gave his only

Son, that whoever believes in him should ... have eternal life” (3:16). In acknowledging the

centrality of love, Christian faith has retained the core of Israel's faith, while at the same time

giving it new depth and breadth. The pious Jew prayed daily the words of the Book of

Deuteronomy which expressed the heart of his existence: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one

Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all

your might” (6:4-5). Jesus united into a single precept this commandment of love for God and the

commandment of love for neighbour found in the Book of Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbour

as yourself” (19:18; cf. Mk 12:29-31). Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 Jn 4:10), love is now no

longer a mere “command”; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us.

In a world where the name of God is sometimes associated with vengeance or even a duty of

hatred and violence, this message is both timely and significant. For this reason, I wish in my first

Encyclical to speak of the love which God lavishes upon us and which we in turn must share with

others. That, in essence, is what the two main parts of this Letter are about, and they are

profoundly interconnected. The first part is more speculative, since I wanted here—at the

beginning of my Pontificate—to clarify some essential facts concerning the love which God

mysteriously and gratuitously offers to man, together with the intrinsic link between that Love and

the reality of human love. The second part is more concrete, since it treats the ecclesial exercise

of the commandment of love of neighbour. The argument has vast implications, but a lengthy

treatment would go beyond the scope of the present Encyclical. I wish to emphasize some basic

elements, so as to call forth in the world renewed energy and commitment in the human response

to God's love.

Mary, Our Mother

The Virgin Mary, “cause of our joy” always brings us back to joy in the Lord, who comes to free us from so many interior and exterior slaveries.

What is the difference between a Christian and a disciple?

Question: "What is the difference between a Christian and a disciple?"

Answer: The terms disciple and Christian are related but not synonymous.

The Greek term for “disciple” in the New Testament ismathetes, which means more than just “student” or “learner.” A disciple is a “follower,” someone who adheres completely to the teachings of another, making them his rule of life and conduct. The Pharisees prided themselves in being disciples of Moses (John 9:28). Jesus’ followers were called “disciples” long before they were ever called “Christians.” Their discipleship began with Jesus’ call and required them to exercise their will to follow Him (Matthew 9:9).

Jesus was quite explicit about the cost of following Him. Discipleship requires a totally committed life: “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Sacrifice is expected: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matthew 16:24).

Not all of Jesus’ followers were able to make such a commitment. There were many who left Jesus after a while. “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).

Jesus used the term disciple but never Christian. The first instance of the word Christian is found in the book of Acts: “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). Most Bible scholars agree that it is unlikely that the believers themselves thought up the name “Christians.” The early church had other names for themselves, such as “disciples” (Acts 13:52; 20:1; 21:4) and “saints” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Ephesians 1:1) and “brothers” (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Peter 3:8).

The name “Christian,” meaning “belonging to Christ,” appears to have been invented by those outside of the church. It was most likely meant as a derogatory term. Only two other times does the word appear in the New Testament (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). The idea that the term Christian was originally a pejorative finds some support in 1 Peter 4:16: “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

Biblically speaking, a Christian is a disciple of Christ. A Christian is someone who has placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12). A Christian has been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). A Christian “belongs to Christ” and is daily being transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

A true Christian (and not one in name only) will have to be a disciple of Christ as well. That is, he has counted the cost and has totally committed his life to following Jesus. He accepts the call to sacrifice and follows wherever the Lord leads. The Christian disciple completely adheres to the teaching of Jesus, makes Christ his number-one priority, and lives accordingly. He is actively involved in making other Christian disciples (Matthew 28:19–20).

A true Christian disciple is a believer in Christ and possesses new life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Because he loves Christ, a Christian will also be an obedient disciple (John 14:15). Paul describes the reality of being a Christian disciple: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Recommended Resource: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

News Reading Contest on Reading Day Celebration at Don Bosco College, Mannuthy  on 21^st June 2016 

Reading Day was observed at Don Bosco College, Mannuthy on 21^stJune 2016.The function was presided over by Fr.George Nedumkallel,sdb. It was inaugurated by Rev.Dr.Fr.Devassy Panthallookkran, former principal of St. Thomas College, Thrissur.His message was powerful and inspring. He said “there was no friend better than a good book and there was nothing more important as reading.” He also said "Showing students that teachers of all subjects read books, not just the English teachers, is really important." A memento was presented by Fr. Johnson K.P. to the Chief Guest.

The highlight of the programme was the finals of News Reading Contest. There were four teams for the finals and first and second prize was awarded with cash prize of Rs.1000/- and Rs.500/- respectively. I B.Com CA bagged the first prize and II BCA came second prize.