Faith and Hats

A reader writes:

Your latest email to Sam reminded of an event in Cambridge years ago, at the Episcopal Theological School. One of the dowager supporters of the school was parked by a potted palm, holding a china cup of tea. She had on an amazing hat. I asked her where she got it - and imperiously she answered, "We ladies in Boston do not "get" our hats. We "have" our hats."

It's kind of like that with a faith in God that transcends all we do, all that happens to us, and anywhere we are - We can't say quite where it came from - we simply "have" it. If one "gets" it from being taught it from a book, I fear it is a faith residing in the brain.  When it is "caught" almost like a virus, by seeing someone else's total trust in God enable them to surmount any ill, it resides in the innards, bones, and moves like blood through one's being.  But it can only be "caught" by the willing, with humility.

Several friends over the years have enviously asked me how I came by this total trust/faith - I have no answer for them.

Me neither.