Faith, hope and charity

To the editor: I have noticed, as usual, there have been several best-selling books in regard to the subject of atheism. Of course, one may find many such books on the market at any time, but they seem to proliferate around the Christmas season.

If God would give me wisdom, a trait we all pray for at times in our lives, I would wonder why these people who do not believe in God must insist on pushing their beliefs on anyone at all who does believe in God, but the greatest problem lies in the fact they are simply without hope.

Not reading St. Paul’s epistle on charity, it is no wonder.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Corinthians I, Chapter 13, he extols

the values of faith, hope and charity. He finishes the verse with the words, “But the greatest of these is charity.”

Never, ever would I contest or argue about Paul’s opinion the greatest is charity, but I would humbly observe none could exist without the others.

I have heard, read and observed each of these gifts from God all of my life. It has been said these three are the only gifts we receive directly from God. I do believe that is correct.

I received my gift of faith directly from my mother and father. To have faith means the other two gifts logically follow; however, to take away the gift of hope would leave even unbelievers empty.

Imagine living some of the lives others must live without hope. It would be unbearable. From prisoners to soldiers facing the enemy, how could anyone live without hope?

Hope is a gift from God. But what of the atheist? What do they feel when they find they or one of their family has an incurable disease? Or when a member of their family goes into the military? Or when they may lose a job, or wife or husband to another person?

In this Christmas season, we find the birth of the Savior of the world the greatest hope we can have. And through faith, we give our charity or love to all around us and then there are those who have no faith; therefore, how can there be the other two?

And now with all due respect, we have a new president. We pray with hope and love with the help of our faith that this young man can do the job he has been elected to do.

Altogether, this certainly makes life a little more bearable.

And so I submit to Paul, the great saint, that faith, hope and charity are equal in value and we should constantly

thank the living God for all three.