Two beautiful ladies in their ‘Thriving Thirties’ were sitting next to me at lunch last Saturday. They stimulated my brain with an exciting religious thought. I remember the ladies’ names, of course, but in this era of Anxious Anonymity it may be best to call them Faith and Charity. As usual, that left me in the middle as Hope. On this occasion, a blessing since most of their rejuvenating stimulus was that religions today are preoccupied with the next world and do not pay enough attention to the mess this one is currently in. Difficult to fault that.
Hope is a rather subordinated virtue in my opinion.
Faith is Firm. So firm that it smacks of dogma. If the development of AI, climate revolt, drones as a weapon of robot war, impending physical immortality and Mr Trump don’t shake the many current dogmatic beliefs nothing will. In the interim are we losing the delicate touch of Delight? Can we keep our unique ability to Feel for others than ourselves? Has Faith acquired a form of severity that was never intended? Does love still mean more than bosoms and bottoms?
Charity, on the other hand, is fast turning into a scam worthy of the Sinful Spiders of CyberBust. Several people have discovered that as much as 80% of their donations to charities are disbursed as ‘Admin’. Admin charges are, of course, necessary. They seem to be absorbing more frivolous expenses today. Looking after people doesn’t mean spoiling them. Moderation is not a popular concept any more – except to those whose hard-earned money is given to ease the worst burdens of others’ lives. Should ‘Admin’ perhaps be re-spelt ‘Add-min’?
Meanwhile Hope is left dangling, pleading for attention, ignored as non-functional and raising her sad eyes to the skies to see what climospheric shock is next in store. Wallflowers at a dance know how she feels. So do the people who benefit from Mother Teresa’s legacy of helping the poorest of the poor. Hope is often seen as the last port of call before night descends which is an abominable way to regard her. She should be the dynamo of creativity, the driving force of joy, the safety belt of accident, the heart-stir of love. Hope should challenge.
‘Cope with Hope’ could become the battle cry of the weary.
Any religion that doesn’t start with Hope is a sales pitch or a condemnation. The most beautiful thing I have seen about a religion happened recently. Pope Francis’s body had been through the rigorous rituals of Vatican closure. The Pope’s coffin was loaded onto the back of a small pick-up truck which proceeded to bump, bump, bump its way across the potholed Roman roads to the church where Pope Francis had asked to be laid to rest.
The humbleness and simplicity of this great figure being jostled to his grave in a little van that wasn’t quite big enough to accommodate the box he was in made for a feeling of hope that even beyond death there is a chance to speak, albeit silently and peacefully.
On that occasion, Pope Francis became for me Pope Hope.
Perhaps all our religions could adopt Hope as the rallying call.
And do it together for a change?
Good morning
John Bittleston
Just a thought. If you have any please send them to [email protected].
We live in hope…
23 Jul 2025
