We speak of faith, hope and love together as a unit called the three theological virtues.

At times Paul does put them together as a unit, but at other times he speaks of the three virtues separately as he does in the today's reading from the Letter to the Colossians: "faith in Christ Jesus, and the love you bear to all the saints, - moved as you are by the hope held for you in store in heaven." At other times Paul replaces the word "hope" by "constancy" or "perseverance". This change of words puts an emphasis on an important characteristic of the virtue of hope: constant fidelity. So it is that Paul speaks of the Gospel continuing to grow in the community and calls Epaphroditus a faithful minister of Christ. The hope that we have in Jesus makes us constant and faithful and strengthens us to persevere in the faith which saves us for all eternity.

In the New Testament, nothing is ever mere information. All that is written is for our salvation and for our formation in faith and finally our transformation in Christ. As we must persevere in faith, so we must continue to grow in the Spirit,