Grace, What the Heck is it?

I’ve heard that it is amazing, but how do we get it? What do we do with it once we have it?

Here are a few notes the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about Grace:

GRACE

1997 Grace is a participation in the life of God. It introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life: by Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ, the Head of his Body. As an "adopted son" he can henceforth call God "Father," in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church.

1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:⁴⁸

So, if Grace is the Holy Spirit alive within our souls, how do we get it?

It is a pretty easy answer, through the Sacraments. The Sacraments empower us with the Grace necessary to live a life dedicated willingly to God’s embrace and will. The Church is pretty good about laying down the guidelines on how to unite ourselves with God, and therefor receive his Graces through the Sacraments. She has established guidelines and mandates to assist us in meeting certain obligations that we, because of our fallen human nature and tendency toward sin, would tend to neglect and ignore if not stressed and enforced. She is much like a parent who sets rules for her children to guide them toward what is best and good for them.

It is too bad that so many of us disregard these teachings and doctrines, and go on a hunt for a type of false, self-defined “grace” that destroys our spiritual life, instead of empowering it. Many of us break the Church’s rules often. When we neglect the Sacraments that God has given us as gifts, that can lift us toward a divine nature with him, we are rejecting the very essence of what it means to live in his light and love, and subject ourselves to his will instead of our own. When we do this we endanger our souls and the salvation that Grace inclines us toward.

“Grace is never wanting. God always gives sufficient Grace to whoever is willing to receive it.” St. Francis de Sales

This is why the Church considers it a mortal sin to neglect our weekly Sunday obligation of Mass. When we decide that Mass is not necessary, we are rejecting the very gift that Christ give us in the Eucharist. We dismiss the ability and desire to consume and be filled physically with the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus himself, and the Grace that comes with that. When you think about it in this way, is it surprising why this is considered to be a mortal sin? Rejecting God, which we have every right to do, since he has bestowed on us the great gift of free will, is indeed rejecting the opportunity of salvation he died to provide us access to.

As Catholics, we have the greatest and fullest opportunity to live in God’s Grace and divine life. We have the fullness of Faith. This fullness of Faith provides us with the best opportunity for salvation. It also subjects us to best opportunity for damnation. If our pride and arrogance lead us toward our own definitions and self-defined doctrines of “Faith”, we will be held accountable accordingly. Grace is a gift many of us refuse, because we give in to our own selfish worldly desires, passions and dreams.

Yes, Grace is amazing. It is also a gift that comes with responsibility and mission. Take advantage of every opportunity afforded to you as a Catholic to live in God’s divine Grace. If you have fallen out of Grace with God, because of mortal sin, it is very easy to get back. Go to Confession. Restoring ourselves to a life of Grace is as easy as that. Repentance and forgiveness is the cornerstone of our Faith, and Christ’s message. We are all inclined to sin, and will fall often, so we have the great gift and Sacrament of Reconciliation so we can be reunited with our Creator in his Grace and Light. God desperately desires for us to be united with him and his divine life, he gives us so many opportunities to arrive there.

There really is no better way to exist on this Earth, and then into the beyond of God’s eternal Grace and Glory. Amazing Grace, how sweet is it!