Faith and hope, the difference?

[Hikari]

I don’t clearly understand the difference between faith and hope. My current understanding is that faith is the assurance of a hope but I don’t think that is correct because that would mean faith is like the upgraded version of hope. And if that is the case then why would hope be mentioned as one of the 3 main virtues (faith, hope and love). There must be more that I’m missing.

Also when would it be appropriate to use each term? For example, would I say that I have hope in Mary’s intercession or faith?

Thanks!

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Hope is what we desire to happen. Faith is what we trust will happen.

If I buy I lottery ticket I hope I will win but I still plan on going to work in the morning. If I buy the ticket and then immediately quite my job then I have faith that I will win.

I do not recommend anyone actually do that, I am simply using a descriptive illustration.

Hope is mentioned as a virtue because we should always desire for justice, peace, everlasting life, etc… You can’t have faith until you first have hope.

Another area they differ is that hope tends to more generic, e.g. I hope there’s life after death. Faith fills in the specifics: there’s hosts of angels and saints in heaven giving glory to God. Its in this sense that the Epistle to the Hebrews is addressing.