Faith, Hope, and Charity
St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh

My dear friends,

Today, I would like to share with you my comments on some verses from the letter of the Apostle Paul to the early Christian churches in Rome, namely, Romans 5:1-5.

Faith is a universal concept, a deep trust or confidence in the nature of reality and our place within it. Regardless of whether one is a follower of Jesus, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, or an adherent of any other religious or spiritual path, faith is a central tenet. It is faith that gives us the courage to continue our journey and maintain our spiritual practice, even in the face of doubt or adversity.

Peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of a profound sense of harmony and interconnectedness with all beings. This peace, according to the verse, comes through Jesus Christ, who in his earthly life was an embodiment of divine love and compassion, and in whose death and resurrection we perceive a justification for that kind of life. Regardless of the path we follow, we must strive for this peace, a state of tranquility and understanding that transcends our individual selves and unites us with the larger reality.

Grace can be seen as a form of divine compassion, an unconditional love that embraces all beings without distinction. Hope is an optimistic state of mind based on the expectation of positive outcomes. To hope for sharing in the glory of the divine is a way of aspiring to a state of spiritual enlightenment and liberation from suffering.

Life inherently involves suffering, but through this suffering, we can develop understanding and compassion. It is through enduring hardship that we develop resilience and strength of character. And it is this character, forged in the crucible of experience, that enables us to maintain hope in the face of adversity.

This is a beautiful representation of the ultimate reality of interconnection and interdependence. We are all part of the same reality, and the love that we experience is not separate from us but is a fundamental part of our being. This love, this deep compassion, gives us a hope that is unshakable, a hope that endures in the face of all challenges.

The underlying messages of faith, peace, grace, endurance, character, hope, and love are universal. They transcend any individual religion or spiritual path and speak to the common spiritual journey that all of us are on. It is my hope that we can all learn from and appreciate these teachings, and that they can inspire us to live with greater compassion, understanding, and harmony with all beings.