The 3 Theological Virtues: Faith, Charity and Hope (What they mean to me.)

  

1 Corinthians 13:1-3,13

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I find it shameful that, until March, 2012, I realized I did not know what faith was. Certainly, I knew the word and what it meant, but I didn't know the feeling... the warmth. Hope was just as nebulous. What was hope? The word had no spiritual meaning. "I hope I get paid" or "I hope my wife isn't mad at me"... or more so, "I hope I can afford a new car soon." Those are earthly hopes, not hopes that would bring me closer to God.

While I agree with St. Paul regarding Love being the greatest, I find that Faith and Hope are right there along side, neck and neck. Let me explain.

In March 2012 I had an epiphany. My financials were in disarray, due to unemployment, and I had just received my last unemployment check. My thoughts were, we were three months away from losing the house. However, within two days of receiving my last unemployment check, I received a letter from an organization within the state of North Carolina of a special program for those coming off unemployment, yet jobless. This program offered to pay the premium and interest on the house for 16 months. The stipulation was, I had to stay in the house for 10 years or face stiff penalties.

Thankfully, after reading the letter, I realized how much God loved me and my family. I concluded He had always 'been there' for us and had always given us what we needed, not necessarily what we wanted. I began loving God back just as Jesus commanded us in Luke 10:27, 

"The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

What a wonderful feeling it was. I remember asking myself why I hadn't loved God this way in the past. But no matter, I moved on with the Love of God I had been waiting for. Loving my enemies also made perfect sense.

In 1 John 4:16, 19-20 he writes:

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.,God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? (my emphasis)

But then, almost instantly, I felt Faith and Hope. They were more than words, but actual spiritual manifestations. Because of my new found knowledge, that being God's Love, I had 100%, no denying, no doubt, trust in God. My faith was true. I wrote in a book where faith is like a light switch... on or off. There is no such thing as partial faith, mainly because one can't quantify it. 

And then came Hope. Goodness, it all made so much sense. Because I loved God the way Jesus commands to love Him and my faith and trust in God is 100% strong, I have no doubt that what I hope for, eternity in heaven, will be granted me... as long as I do my part by confessing my sins and receiving Holy Communion.

The first time I read the New Testament and discerned Hebrews 11:1, I wasn't sure what it meant.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

But, after my epiphany, again it was all logical. I stopped praying for earthly things. I yearning for  materials that only earth provides.

If one truly believes in the Holy Trinity then one realizes that you must believe and love all 3 persons. It is impossible to love God but not love Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We know that excluding one Person of the Trinity will not earn salvation in heaven. We must pray, worship and show reverence to all 3 since they are one God.

It's the same with the 3 theological virtues. All three are interwoven into our relationship with, not only the Trinity, but with one another. Sure, there are times we, individually, can do so much... regarding direct contact with those needing a conversion. But we must never stop praying for one another. We must accept them as God's creation and have faith they will convert and hope they will see the light of God.

This world is a mucky mess. The evil has created a stench that is destroying our society, even parts of Mother Church. It's depressing and can be contagious. But God is in control. God will make everything right. God's timing is perfect so justice will come when He decides it's time. What we must do, as I do daily, pray the rosary and continually ask Jesus for His mercy. Of course all other prayers we offer are acceptable to God, but in the name of the 3 theological virtues.

God Bless you all very much!