Part 2: Actual Grace of God

Actual Grace, or the Grace of Assistance, is that grace whereby God illumines the understanding and influences the will carefully to avoid evil, and to will and to accomplish good.

When we consider Actual Grace as operating on the understanding, it is called Illuminating Grace.

When we consider its action on the will, it is called Impelling Grace.

Necessity of Actual Grace

Actual Grace is indispensably necessary, since without it, we cannot begin, continue, or complete the smallest action towards our salvation. Eternal happiness, the securing of which is our chief purpose in life, is evidently a good of the supernatural strength and aid, that is to say -- by grace; and without such grace we are unable to work for our salvation.

God Gives His Grace to All Men

God gives sufficent grace to all men, to enable them to keep the commandments of obligation upon them, and to reach everlasting happiness. For God, "will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth," as St. Paul writes to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:4). Now if God wills all men to be saved, He certainly gives to all the grace to become so.

How We Must Co-operate with Grace

In order that the grace of God may be effective unto our salvation, we must co-operate with it faithfully, and by no means resist it.

We must co-operate faithfully with the grace of God; for, as St. Augustine says, God, Who created us without any consent of ours, does not wish to save us against our will, or even without it. He does not effect our salvation within us, as if we were sticks or stones, or some other objects to which by nature no reason or free-will had been given. Hence the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians: "We helping do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1).

We dare not withstand the grace of God. Divine grace does not contrain the human will, but leaves to it perfect freedom of action. Hence, though we have it in our power to oppose grace, woe to us if we do! We shall not again receive graces greater than those that God wishes to grant us now. He may deprive us of all grace. "for," says St. Augustine, "it is a most suitable penalty when God withdraws His grace from him who will not make use of it." Let us not, then, say to ourselves, "it is time enough." Now is the time to co-operate with grace, when Our Lord says: "Behold I stand at the gate, and knock: if any man shall hear My voice, and open to Me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Apocalypse 3:20). But if you leave your Savior standing unadmitted, He will go away, and you shall find Him no more. Let us heed the warning of the Psalmist: "today if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (Psalm 94:8).

Co-operation with Grace

Passages from Scripture

"Because I called and you refused: I stretched out My hand, and there was none that regarded. You have dispised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions. I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared" (Proverbs 1:24).

"Wicked and slothful servant, thou oughtest to have committed my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with usury" (Matthew 25:27).

"Looking diligently lest any man be wanting to the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:15).

"You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness" (2 Peter 3:17).

Selections from the Fathers

"God enlightens, indeed, as far as in Him lies, all men that come into the world. But when a person, of his own choice, refuses to open his eyes to the light, the fault of his remaining in darkness is not on the part of the light, but of his own perverseness renders him unworthy of such blessing" (St. Chrysostom).

"We have need of a threefold blessing: the first must prevent us, the second must help us, and the third should bring the work of salvation to a perfect state" (St. Bernard).

Comparisons

Actual Grace operates in the soul of man as the sun operates on the universe. The latter not only illumines the earth and other planets, but exercises a certain attractive power, so that they constantly move about the sun as their center. Similar results are effected in the human soul by grace, which illumines the understanding and draws and regulates the will towards goodness.

As the eye, in order to see, needs light, so does God give His Actual Grace to the soul of man, in order that man may effect some good.

As the body is active by the power of the soul, so does man act for good through the power of Actual Grace.

Examples from Scripture

A striking example of grace is to be found in the Jewish people, who may truly be called the nation of grace. God in His mercy cast His eye upon them, and chose them from among all other nations. In all their dangers, He stood by them, and while they remained in the way of His Commandments, they were fortunate and conquered all their enemies.

But as soon as they fell away from God and rejected grace, they became an easy prey to their adversaries and were led into captivity. But when, in their captivity, they returned to God, He led them back to their homes, permitted them to rebuild their city and temple, and sent to them the most precious of all their graces, by giving them His only-begotten Son.

When they rejected Christ, the measure of divine justice was filled, and hence they were cast off by God, Whose malediction still follows them.

Thus, the Jewish Synagogue is that vineyard of which the weeping Isaias complains:

"I will sing to my beloved the canticle of my cousin concerning his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a hill in a fruitful place. And he fenced it in, and picked the stones out of it, and planted it with choicest vines, and built a tower in the midst thereof, and set up a wine-press therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brough forth wild grapes.

And now, O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and ye men of Juda, judge between me and my vineyard. What is there that I ought to do more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Was it that I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it hath brought forth wild grapes?

And now I will show you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof: and it shall be wasted: I will break down the wall thereof: and it shall be trodden down.

And I will make it desolate: it shall not be pruned, and it shall not be digged: but briars and thorns shall come up: and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it" (Isaias 5:1-5).

So shall the soul of that man who does not correspond with the grace of God be deprived of such grace, be laid waste, and made desolate, and be plundered and trodden down by the enemy of its salvation.

Withstanding Grace

Father Matthew Baschi, an eloquent preacher and zealous Servant of God, was once approached by a vile, unbelieving man, who, pretending to be deeply affected at the Father's sermon, besought him to pray for him, that he might learn to lead a devout life.

Some days afterwards, the pretended penitent again visited Father Matthew, and said to him: "I don't understand what is the reason; but ever since I asked for your prayers every spark of faith and piety in my heart has been totally extinguished."

"Perhaps I could explain the reason, but first I want you to help me in a little job," said the priest. So, leading the man down to the bank of the river, Father Matthew said to him: "Help me to carry this heavy package to that boat yonder."

The man seemed willing and took up one end of the package, while the priest lifted the other. Hardly had they gone a step when the priest let his end drop. This was repeated several times, till at last the irritated man said fiercely: "You old gray-head, you must hold up your end of the burden; or, if you let it alone, I can almost carry it myself."

Then the priest said: "Let the sack lie there and list to me. You asked me to help you by my prayers. I did my part. Did you keep your promise? Join your prayers in all sincerity to mine, and you will soon experience God's mercy."

God's Grace Withdrawn

Cardinal Bellarmine relates: "I once went to visit an acquaintance of mine, a man of position and wealth, who in consequence of his sinful actions was then confined to a bed of sickness. I suggested to him that, there being no hope of recovery, the best thing for him to do was to awaken feelings of sorrow for his sins, for God never despises a contrite heart.

"I know nothing of such things," replied the dying man, coldly. Then I said, "Well, out of your old friendship for me, do something for your soul. It would grieve me deeply to see you go before God without some preparation. Say to your Creator that you are sorry for the past, and willing if life were spared to make reparation."

Again, the sick man replied coldly: "I don't understand; such things never concerned me." In such sentiments, he died."

Proceed to Part 3: Sanctifying Grace or the Grace of Justification

Source of Meditation

The Means of Grace

Original 1894 Publication

Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Richard Brennan, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen

Grace: How God Sees Our Soul

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