Thinking while walking: Able to do both at same time. Coming up with friendly advice in spiritual matters for Christians and others. Second guessing today's standard vocabulary accurate as it is . . .
Faith, Hope, and Charity are the three theological virtues. Any half-awake St. Catherine of Siena 3rd grader in 1939 knew that.
Not to be confused with the four cardinal virtues, with credits due to the ancients, Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude, known to the half-awake 5th or 6th grader.
I am suggesting that for everyday use, you might try Believe God, Trust Him, Respect Him.
It's a writer's take on the time-honored phrases. A phraseologist's version, you might say.
Why not the usual, the time-honored? Why? Because words matter.
Why “Believe”? Because what He says matters. Via the four Gospels, where His Son told us so much. Via the rest of the Bible. Via holy Mother Church and battle-worn Tradition.
Why “Trust”? Because He swears He's on our side, no matter what. He's a father, a Divine Spokesman, an Inspirer, ready to give us ideas we never dreamed of.
Why “Respect”? Good question. Because He's unique and because "love" is common, everyday. We love rock'n roll music. We love playing basketball and golfing and innumerated dozens of other things, people, ideas etc.
We ease into loving God the Creator Almighty. We respect Him. Revere Him, of course, but ease into that with something very everyday.
We want to take God seriously. That's everyday language for us everyday people. The grand statement has its place, but the day-to-day is where we are, and often not drawn in by such.
“Love,” for instance, is tossed about, until too often it loses its punch. “Respect” is a necessary predecessor to it, for one thing, a preparation. It’s also a reminder of the grandeur we are talking about here.
God is our best friend. Those three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are intimate to and with us. They know us better than any of us knows himself or herself. To dwell on this is of the essence of prayer.
Familiarity breeds contempt? He is a breath away from our attention and equally distant, never to be understood in toto. No one else can make that statement. Again, everyday talk, but delivered with respect.
Slows us down, it does. So near and yet so far. So close and yet in a world of His own, beyond anything we can imagine. Come heaven for us, still unimaginable, never to be grasped.
That goes also for us as to taking it all in, never all, of course, because never-ending.
We love this and that or other of our species?
Well think of the best time each of us have had in the vale of tears we live in, the most glorious moment, the winning, the succeeding beyond we ever thought we’d have, the most satisfying, the . . .
Stop. We’re still here. All of us, with nothing to lose but our crack at solving the unsolvable eternal mystery. Rejoicing in the effort.