"Given the mission that Caritas is called to carry out in the Church, it is important to always return to reflect together on the meaning of the word charity itself," he said. "Charity is not a sterile performance or a simple offering to donate to silence our conscience."
"This is why we must avoid assimilating the work of charity with philanthropic efficacy or with planning efficiency..." he stated, reiterating "that charity is not an idea or a pious feeling, but is an experiential encounter with Christ; it is the desire to live with the heart of God who does not ask us to have a generic love, affection, solidarity, etc. for the poor, but to meet Himself in them."
Francis referenced John 4:8 to explain that the origin of charity is found in God himself, for "whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love."
"Charity is the embrace of God our Father to every man, especially to the least and the suffering, who occupy a preferential place in his heart," he said.
The pope stated that to live charity requires interpersonal relationships with the poor: "living with the poor and for the poor. Because by living with the poor we learn to practice charity with the spirit of poverty, we learn that charity is sharing."
"In reality, not only the charity that does not reach the pocket is a false charity, but the charity that does not involve the heart, the soul and all our being is an idea of charity that is not yet realized," he said.