The first spiritual power

the first spiritual power is faith

faith in that which is beyond us

faith in that which is within us

 

call it God

call it Spirit

call it Love

 

but have faith, that there is something

someone

some power

 

that we can trust

that will make us better (not bitter)

that will guide and empower

transform and heal

 

faith is what gives us hope

hope because we are loved

because there is “ever-present help in time of need” (Psalm 46)

because we are not doing life on our own

because we are forgiven

because we are, as we are, accepted and loved

 

faith is what gives us hope so that we do not need

to seek and demand

to hug all to ourselves

to “win”

to make ourselves the center of our universe

to stumble into the swamp of individualism

into the fires of dominion

 

faith and hope are what keep us from

hate and violence

from posturing

and lies

 

faith leads to hope

and hope leads to love

 

when we have faith and hope

we are transformed

we can breathe easier

and strive less

 

we can open our hearts and our minds

we can open our hands

 

we can see others

and listen well

we can seek understanding

and understanding

act with compassion, generosity, and kindness

 

we see, all too clearly what happens when people

do not have faith, true faith, in something beyond themselves

we see it in the desperation of Putin

in the endless grasping for attention and power of Trump

in the fearful hoarding of the very rich

in the empty gestures of those who must carry a gun, everywhere

in the bombastic, hateful, and dehumanizing words of those

who have nothing else to offer

 

the first spiritual power is faith

faith creates hope

and hope creates the capacity to love

 

Faith, hope, and love

And the greatest of these is love  (I Corinthians 13)