The Glory of the Galaxies

The glory of the galaxies                    The beauty of a baby's hand

  The thundering of the restless seas      The glory of the forest's stand

 

All things below, all things above are formed of your eternal love.

Words taken from Hymn 412 of Anglican Book of Common Praise, written by Herbert O'Driscoll.

Faith and doubt

Heroes are people who do brave things. But what exactly is courage?

Contrary to what many may think, courage is not the absence of fear. Just ask anyone who has been in combat. Everyone there is scared. But they get on with their jobs, despite the risks and despite the fear. While they may have many reasons to move past their fear, they behave courageously ... in spite of their fears!

Similarly, faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is acting in what we believe is the right way, despite any doubts we may have. In fact, I find that examining my doubts is a great way to challenge my faith: by posing tough questions, and then researching and reflecting on possible answers, I can build my faith.

But an even more effective way to build my faith is through my action. I may wonder if God is watching, but when I help a stranger, I feel like I am part of his plan. And I may doubt that God is listening, but when I pray, my doubts ease.