{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 1","description":" \u201cThis is love in its most radical form. By contemplating the pierced side of Christ, we can understand the starting-point of this Encyclical Letter: \u201cGod is love\u201d. It is there that this truth can be contemplated. It is from there that our definition of love must begin. In this contemplation the Christian discovers the path along which his life and love must move.\u201d        Deus Caritas Est, or \u201cGod is Love,\u201d was the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, released on December 25, 2005. This letter focuses on the nature of Christian love, particularly examining the relationship between God\u2019s love for humanity and the love Christians are called to show others. Benedict grounds his reflections in Scripture and tradition, aiming to clarify misunderstandings about Christian love in a contemporary world marked by both cynicism and sentimentality. In this first part, titled \u201cThe Unity of Love in Creation and in Salvation History,\u201d Benedict explores two distinct yet intertwined dimensions of love, eros and agape, arriving at the newness which biblical faith brings to man's understanding of love\u2014a new understanding that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the incarnate love of God.       Links: Full text:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/benedict-xvi\/en\/encyclicals\/documents\/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/catholic-culture-audiobooks\/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter&amp;nbsp;http:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/newsletter DONATE at&amp;nbsp;http:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/donate\/audio&amp;nbsp; Theme music: &quot;2 Part Invention&quot;, composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. \u00a9\ufe0f2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co.\/BMI. All rights reserved. ","author_name":"Catholic Culture Audiobooks","author_url":"https:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/audiobooks","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/33906402\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/87A93A\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/33906402"}