Post #2: What is Grace?

March 28, 2021

Dear Reader,

For a while, I have sought to understand the meaning of God’s grace. After all, given that our faith is an unmerited gift of grace, finding its purpose seemed a must.  I have encountered grace’s mystery; it drew me to use my quest to know and left me searching for more.

When used in its everyday worldly manner, grace signifies a person as poised, elegant, and flowing. But what about God’s grace?  For some, it is a sentimental platitude found in a Hallmark Card given to celebrate a birth or death; the sender reminding the recipient that they are in God’s grace.  In this way, grace seems syrupy without concrete and fleshy significance. I suggest we grasp for more, that we contemplate a definition that satisfies our desire to know. 

I believe grace can be defined, but we cannot picture an image of grace as an other-worldly reality. 

A good starting point is to acknowledge that grace is complicated, a topic that called many of God’s learned to write volumes on its behalf.  Even with that said, we are capable of fathoming grace — here are some thoughts to consider and pursue; they are not exhaustive by any means. 

Grace is a multifaceted gift.   First, grace sanctifies us and makes us holy. Being both unmerited and free, it is that which justifies us before God. God sends His grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We receive grace through the Sacraments.  Baptismal grace is habitual because it leaves a permanent mark on our souls, enabling us to live with God as His adopted sons and daughters. Second, God sends us another grace called actual grace.  God becomes an ‘interventionist’ providing aid to those who go off course, led to sin. In the moment of actual grace, we elevate beyond our natural inclinations.  For example, we gain the strength to endure when it would be within our norm to give up.

Like God, grace is unseen reality.  Our imagination, the creative pictures in our mind, cannot bring a visible representation of grace, though we can picture its means and its effects.  It may be easiest to understand this by thinking about the familiar unseen reality we call love.  When a loved one sends us flowers, they bring something invisible, love. Beyond the reception of a lovely bouquet, we accept the love the flowers signify. 

Similarly, flowers cause effects of love, a stirring in our heart or a smile on our face, yet love exists beyond the flowers, the heart, and the smile.  Our mind can attempt to know grace, but our imagination accepts that grace’s reality remains hidden, and therefore, a mind’s picture of pure grace is unformed.

Some final thoughts:  Given the significance of grace, the wise will pray for its reception. 

“Father, we pray for the lost, that the mercy of God’s grace precedes, calling a response of the soul.  For the tempted, send your healing and help. After this, your grace so received, lead all toward good works and well wishes.  Please help us to seek the will of the Father with perseverance and trust. And finally, lead us to glory, to remain forever with you.”