Paul's opening words to the Colossians provide us with a good example of the importance which the doctrine of three principal virtues, faith, hope and love, had in his spirituality and his evangelizing work.

An examination of the Letters of Paul fairly clearly reveals that he did not create this idea of faith, hope and love as the most primary and fundamental virtues of the Christian life. It is quite likely that he was taught this doctrine when he was being prepared for baptism after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus.

We call these three virtues "theological virtues", because they relate us most directly and most closely with God the Blessed Trinity. Though Jesus himself did not specifically use these three terms, "faith", "hope" and "love", we can nevertheless be confident that the doctrine of these three virtues derives from Jesus himself, his teaching, his actions, his attitudes. Jesus often talked about believing in God and in him, he gave us a new commandment of love, and by his passion, death and resurrection he gave us a new hope.