GRACE

a) Human fragility
b) Grace and Sin
c) Sanctifying grace
d) Sacramental grace
e) Special graces
f) Virtues
g) Sacrifice
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a) Human fragility

        God created man free from suffering and with no limitations than what his own nature limits. However, the consequences of the original sin reached directly to the very nucleus of this human nature. Man lost his friendship with God, and human nature remained mortally wounded (not corrupted).

        Man is fragile:

-in his nature, which is irregular and has unforeseen obstacles which he isn’t counting on,
-in his intelligence, which only thinks of himself and which sometimes is wrong,
-in his heart, which wishes for and doesn’t always get, which gets used up and becomes impatient, and which with time carries its thorns and failures.

b) Grace and Sin

        After the original sin, we all feel an inclination towards being beaten by evil. This is what we call concupiscence. That law of sin which we all carry within ourselves. Man can only live in one of these two states:

-state of sin. This is the life which has been overcome by sin, under the devil’s rule, that hates us and makes us slaves to his empire without our realizing it. It drowns us in sorrow and we can’t get out of this state without huge effort;

-state of grace. This is the life which overcomes sin, with the love of God, who loves us and who gives us His riches without our realizing it. This brings joy, cures any earthly wound, and perfects and betters the person.

c) Sanctifying grace

        This grace is a supernatural gift in which God makes us capable of all the supernatural. This is the help God offers us in 3 ways:

-the sacraments (sacramental grace),
-through doing good deeds (sanctifying grace),
-in special cases (current or special graces).

        Grace is unique (God’s help), but it is given to us through these 3 ways.

        We only receive sanctifying grace if we have committed no mortal sin, and if we trust our life to God.

        We are more or less graced according to how willing we are (ex opere operantis), and we are little by little sanctified without realizing it.

d) Sacramental grace

        Whenever we receive a sacrament, God is going to give us his grace (ex opere operato). This sacramental grace can:

-help us fulfill (our marital or priestly obligations),
-cure and improve our health (anointing of the sick),
-convert our heart (penitence),
-increase our intelligence and strength (baptism and confirmation),
-give us grace itself (Eucharist).

        Sacramental grace can be given to us:

-always, through penitence and Eucharist;
-forever, through baptism, confirmation and ordination;
-until we lose it, through marriage y anointing of the sick.

e) Special graces

        These are concrete and exceptional cases which God can concede top certain people in certain cases. If a person becomes paraplegic after an accident, he will surely receive God’s special grace (which the rest of us don’t receive) in order to be happy.

        These special graces are different ways which God can convert people, resolve sins and evil deeds and give someone, who is in a painful state, a happy life.

f) Virtues

        These are good habits which we acquire through our own effort, and which complete the help which God gives us. They are called virtues because they are operative in our lives, no just inert or passive. They can be acquired:

-through repeated, constant acts,
-through isolated, but intense acts.

        They can be theological (or from God):

-faith, trusting in God and his will;
-hope, being able to wait for things to arrive on their time;
-charity, loving my neighbour, because I want to, and all that is his.

        They can be moral (or achieved by men):

-justice, giving everyone what they deserve, especially the most needy people;
-strength, being firm in difficult moments, before sins’ temptations and to finish what we begin;
-prudence, rightfully knowing when to talk and when to be quiet and differentiating between good, better and what is the most convenient;
-moderation, being balanced in our judgment, in our habits, our projects and our wishes.

g) Sacrifice

        Life is not a fairy tale, and definitely not a bed of roses, which protects our steps and our hopes. It offers us beautiful things, but evil will always be there to try to confuse us and make the path more difficult.

        Therefore, we must make sacrifices in this life, in order to benefit from it and have a future, and to recycle ourselves and our present. This sacrifice, which is so necessary in our Christian lives, means:

-dominating ourselves, finding strength to be whole people, no slaves to our bad habits and comfort or curiosity, being in charge of our own lives, not the other way around;

-fighting against evil, that is against sin, not getting caught up in bad habits, and turning completely away from everything that leads to unhealthy living;

-fighting for good, growing in virtue, promoting peace and leaving this earth a better place than when we’ve found it.

 

Mercaba Eds 
Diocese of Cartagena-Murcia 
General Diagram of Mercaba's Youth Catechism