Daily Meditation: Saturday, April 2, 2005

Having faith - difficulty knowing what this means

04/02/2005

Because matters of faith have been presented in such a complicated way, we cannot take people at their word when they say they are believers or non-believers. Some claim to have faith, but when we see how they conduct themselves, we are amazed: they become troubled, discouraged or irritated over the slightest thing; they are egotistical, self-seeking, mean and vindictive. Whereas others who describe themselves as non-believers express thoughts and feelings of great nobility. They conduct themselves with self- mastery, goodness, tolerance and selflessness. In the end, it is no longer clear what it means to have faith. The truth is that those in the first example adhere to religious beliefs but do not truly have faith, whereas those in the second may adhere to none of these beliefs, but they are aware that the divine law is inscribed within them, even if they do not refer to it as such. It is this law which inspires their conduct.