“So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
When I read this exhortation from St. Paul, I’m struck by the fact these words (‘faith,’ ‘hope,’ and ‘love’) are so familiar, yet at the same time they challenge us to imagine a world so different from the one in which we find ourselves. Too often, the values of our society seem to be characterized by doubt, fear, and selfishness. Isn’t it a bit naïve to preach faith, hope, and love in our current context?
Perhaps we can begin by reflecting on the fact that these three virtues are so much more than the cheap substitutes for which we often settle.
‘Faith’ doesn’t mean a blind leap into irrationality. It doesn’t mean believing something despite evidence to the contrary. The faith that St. Paul describes is a kind of knowledge that surpasses our natural limitations. Faith believes in the reality of God’s creation and the saving work of Jesus Christ — truths that are testified in Scripture, in the teaching of the apostles, in the witness of the martyrs, and in the lives of those who are living out the Gospel today.
‘Hope’ doesn’t mean unfounded optimism. It doesn’t ignore the ugliness and tell us to look on the bright side. Instead, hope describes an ability to face present difficulties (sometimes very severe difficulties) by God’s grace. It is marked by trust in God’s promises — the same God who delivered his people from slavery in Egypt. Its assurance is not grounded in the idea that tomorrow things will be better, but rather in the knowledge that God loves us and will not abandon us.
‘Love’ is not a feeling or an emotion. It is, first and foremost, the grace of God that has been poured into our hearts (Rom. 5:1-5), enabling us to love God and our neighbor. This love allows us to turn outward, to turn away from our selfishness, and to share the love of God with others. This is why older translations of the Bible use the word ‘charity’ for this kind of love. Charity is what helps us, by the grace of God, to live as the community that God has called us to be.
As we continue to adapt to our new reality, I have been deeply convicted by St. Paul’s words. I’m realizing the many ways in which I still need to grow in faith, hope, and love. But I have also been encouraged. I’ve been encouraged in the love that you all have shown for one another. Our church has shown remarkable creativity in its outreach, its prayer life, and, yes, even its fellowship (despite the challenges of social distancing!). We are still the family of God. We are still a community. And I trust that when we are finally able to gather again in person, the bonds of love will be even more profound and cause for celebration.
In Christ,
Fr. Stewart +
