Seeing Christ in others — The enduring tradition of caritas
Encounter at Catholic Charities
As the year draws to a close and our churches fill with lights, hymns, and the anticipation of Christ’s birth, we are reminded of something profound.
The Catholic Church evangelizes through the Word and the Sacraments, but it is through caritas that we live out our faith in its most tangible form.
A Latin word, caritas means charity rooted in self-giving love.
It reflects the love Christ Himself shows us, a love that moves outward toward those in need.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, explains, “Love of God and love of neighbor are thus inseparable, they form a single commandment. But both live from the love of God who has loved us first ... a love which by its very nature must be shared with others.”
For centuries, Caritas has embodied the Church’s mission of mercy: tending to the hungry, the sick, the stranger and the poor.
And this legacy still lives in our Diocese of Jefferson City, carried forward by every person who answers Christ’s call to love.
At Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, we see this love every day.
It shows up in quiet ways, often unnoticed by the world.
A volunteer loading a food box into a neighbor’s car.
A parish organizing a coat drive because they heard a family is struggling.
A donor giving sacrificially, wanting nothing in return except to lighten someone’s burden.
This is faith in action.
This is caritas made visible through simple, human encounters.
Jesus tells us, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
These words are more than an invitation.
They are the very heartbeat of our mission.
They remind us that charity, caritas, is not an event.
It is love.
Deus Caritas Est.
God is love.
And just as God has loved us, so must we love our neighbors.
Indeed, love is more than feeling.
Love is a way of life, a daily practice of seeing Christ in everyone and willing the good of the other.
Our diocese has always responded generously to this call.
Whether welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry or comforting the brokenhearted, the people of Central and Northern Missouri truly weave compassion into the fabric of our local Church.
It is one of the many reasons I am proud to serve here.
When needs grow, our communities do not look away.
They step forward, opening their doors, their hands and their hearts.
During the holidays, the joy of giving carries a special meaning.
We decorate our homes, gather with loved ones and remember the blessings that have shaped our lives.
Yet our faith gently pushes us outward, encouraging us to notice who might be struggling.
Someone grieving.
Someone hungry.
Someone afraid of what tomorrow will bring.
And when we respond with love, we become part of something larger than ourselves.
We reflect the light of Christ in a season that celebrates His coming.
At Catholic Charities, we witness these miracles in motion.
A single mother picking up groceries for the first time, relieved to be met with dignity instead of judgment.
A senior finding companionship in our pantry line after months of loneliness.
A newcomer feeling welcomed and seen in an unfamiliar land.
These small and sacred moments remind us why the Church’s work of charity is essential.
It advances the mission of Christ not through grand gestures, but through everyday encounters rooted in love.
As we celebrate the closing of another year, I invite you to hold onto the truth that our faith is meant to be lived.
Not just in prayer, but in presence.
Not only in church, but in the lives of those who need us most.
When you support Catholic Charities, volunteer your time or lift someone up through kindness, you participate in one of the oldest traditions of the Church — the tradition of caritas.
Thank you for being part of this mission.
Thank you for believing in the dignity of every person.
And thank you for helping build a community where hope is shared, where faith is visible and where Christ’s love continues to shine brightly.
May the joy of this holy season fill your hearts, and may the year ahead be full of grace.
