“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Faith, hope, and love are called the theological virtues in the tradition — theological because they connect us with God. Faith connects us with God’s mighty deeds throughout history culminating in the coming of Jesus. Hope connects with the promised future that we have from God of eternal life. Love has as its emphasis our present tense, how we are living the faith in the here and now. One exercise I find helpful in assessing my present tense faith is to put my name in the letter. “I am patient. I am kind, etc.” By doing so I soon feel the sting of realization that my love needs to deepen.
