god’s grace and its effect in our christian journey
TRANSCRIPT
GOD’S GRACE AND ITS EFFECT IN OUR CHRISTIAN JOURNEY
PRESENTED BY: SILAS KIRIINYACOUNSELING PSYCHOLOGIST
GRACE
Simple elegance or refinement of movement." she moved through the water with effortless grace“
(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
CCC Grace is a participation in the life of
God. It introduces us into the intimacy of the 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 forms the Church. (CCC n. 1997)
ST. THOMAS ON GRACE
Grace for Thomas is an external entity that God implants in the disordered person; in order that man might be enabled to perform at his fully integrated (i.e. before the Fall) level. Thomas states that man is in a disordered state since the fall occurred, and needs to be enabled by grace to live as unto God.
EFFECTS OF GRACE
Gratia gratum faciens (making a person pleasing to God) is also divided into prevenient grace and subsequent grace relative to the five effects of grace:
(1) the healing of the soul (2) the soul's willing the good (3) the soul's efficaciously (easily achieves) doing
the good that it wills (4) the soul's persevering in the good (5) the soul's attaining glory (supernatural
beatitude)
WORK OF GRACE
Since God communicates his nature to man, this must involve a change which is not just a psychological change but an ontological change
God creates a new quality in the soul. This is a supernatural quality of life The body can exist without health,
but not in natural wholeness.
WORK OF GRACE In the same way, the soul can exist
without grace, but not with natural wholeness. This is because without grace, man cannot arrive at heaven, his natural destiny.
Grace elevates man to partake of divine nature
As the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul.
Summary on Grace Final Cause: The Vision of God and love for
this vision on earth
Efficient Cause: God Himself acting in a prepared soul
Formal Cause: An accidental quality by which the soul can know as God knows and love as God loves
Material Cause: The Essence of the Soul
How to sustain God’s grace
Having regular confessions Constant desire to change and to
avoid sin Receiving the Eucharist worthily Living life worthy of our calling
