Today many have a limited understanding
of the Christian faith,
because they identify it
with a mere system of beliefs and values
and not so much with the truth of God
revealed in history,
eager to communicate with man
face to face,
in a relationship of love with Him.
In fact,
the foundation of every doctrine or value
is the event of the encounter
between man and God in Christ Jesus.
Christianity, before being a moral or ethical value,
is the experience of love,
of welcoming the person of Jesus.
Benedict XVI, November 14, 2012