Faith is a vast concept which, in our lives and in the world, expresses itself in myriad ways. No matter our faith tradition, or whether we have something we would call a faith tradition, we all live informed by some degree of faith in what we cannot see, cannot reason, and cannot know. Brother David refers to faith as “courageous trust,” and believes that gratefulness is at the heart of all religions. This definition of faith can pertain to trusting in life itself, and/or it can refer to trusting in the Source of life, or in the Spirit which holds all of life. Regardless, the definition of faith which informs our work holds an essential respect for all faiths, and is a wide, inclusive embrace for the beauty and mystery of its expression. Deepening our faith means expanding our hearts and what they can hold.

Grateful living calls us to actively engage with faith and courageous trust in life. We sit with faith when we enter stillness, when we are in awe, and when we act with love. There is something greater than our current circumstances that we can imagine, and we make ourselves willing to surrender to, rather than control, life in these times. On a committed path, we want to deepen our exploration of faith because we recognize its nourishment and many gifts. Poet Rabindranath Tagore said beautifully, “Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” And faith allows us to sing from our branch at simply the prospect of a new morn.