Faith, hope and love are three cardinal virtues that are ideally to be viewed as one. Just as our God is Trinity — three Persons in one — so too the virtues are to be understood as one composite. Any shortfall, weakness or selectivity in one virtue, affects the strength and conviction of the other two. The Disciples lack of faith (Mt. 17:14-20) may indicate their inability to rise to the heights of love and hope they should have and display.
As Disciples, have we come to the understanding that the people in our lives are looking at us for signs of real faith, manifested by our genuine love and sure hope? We will not be true signs of the Lord’s healing presence when we allow our ego and pride to practice varying degrees of these virtues based on our emotions, rather than the commands of God. Let our faith, hope and love be the ‘cords’ that unite us with God and each other.
Lord Jesus, You call us to exercise faith, hope and love as the sign that we are Your people. Help us to show to all people that we are blessed because we follow You. Amen.
Blessings,
Fr. Howie
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