BENEVOLENCE, LOVE OF. – The supreme species of love, whose motive is not the advantage of the lover (love of concupiscence), but the good of the beloved (Summa Theol., 1a-2ae, q. 17, a. 6; De malo, q. 1, a. 5). This love entails, on the supernatural plane, a true bond of friendship between God and man (Summ. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 23, a. 1) through the bestowal by God of sanctifying grace, to which corresponds, on the part of man, the act of charity toward God (Prov. 8, 17; 1 Jn. 4, 7 and 16). As in every friendship, in the love of benevolence there is a mutual communion of goods (Jn. 15, 14), an intimacy of presence (Jn. 14, 23), and a life unified in participation in the divine nature (2 Pt. 1, 4).
The essential laws of friendship are realized in the love of benevolence: 1) mutual disinterestedness: on God’s part, who loves to increase perfection in the just soul (Summ. Theol., 1a, q. 20, a. 2 and 4); on man’s part, who loves divine perfection for its own sake, while still enjoying legitimate contentment (Vernus amor seipso contentus est. Habet praemutum, sed id quod amatur [St. Bernard, De diligendo Deo, 7, 17]); 2) equality, at least relative, which is based on the analogy of the communion of life between God and man; 3) stability, owing to the indestructible nature of this spiritual good, apart from, of course, man’s weakness and consequent sinfulness (Summ. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 24, a. 12); 4) sufficient manifestation, through unmistakable signs, of this divine friendship, in which the soul can confide (Summ. Theol., 1a-2ae, q. 112, a. 5). The love of benevolence has various degrees.