Why would anyone choose to be a person of faith? This is a question which many people might want to ask at this point in history, when so many people have chosen not to have faith in anyone beyond human companions.
I must say, those of us who do have faith in someone beyond ourselves have numbers of different ways of describing that Being, depending where we live, or where our families originally lived. There are normally some similarities and some differences in the God we
serve and believe exists.
Describing the One who I carry with me in the way I choose to live, in brief terms is as follows: It is a “God”, that is a Being who is somewhat mysterious and who is totally beyond me in power, in knowing the truth about holy life with a wisdom beyond humanity and who still loves us and holds us in that love as we struggle to do our best.
Many of the Gods who are present in different faiths have had some experience of human life, such as Jesus Christ. This is profoundly important because it means that the God who tries to guide us in all of the ways in which we live deeply understands what we face in each moment.
Our God calls us to be faithful in the way we live, the choices which we make and in our responses to other people over minutes, days and years. Even when other people are not good or trustworthy, our God asks us to represent faithful love, justice and hope which adds to the possibility of our living together in true community.
People of faith are invited to enter times of quiet meditation which may carry us into openness to true spirituality. This can be a profound connection with life and truth which lies beyond ourselves – a special expansion of human life. It can often heal us of pain and strengthen forgiveness, both for ourselves and for others who have hurt us.
It can carry us more deeply into truth which we are able to add to our future.
Of course, those who journey in life without formal faith are to be respected. None of us really knows what reality really is and we can support and hold onto each other as we travel together.
