Grace: How God Sees Our Soul
 
Grace is a supernatural gift freely bestowed upon us by God through the merits of Jesus Christ.
 
Grace is by far the most precious thing we an have, as the price paid for it was the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and it has gained heaven for us. 
 
There are two kinds of Grace, habitual or Sanctifying Grace and actual grace. 
 
Habitual or Sanctifying Grace dwells in our souls, rendering them holy and pleasing to Almighty God. It is called Habitual because, so long as we are free from Mortal Sin, it remains within us constantly. It is also called Sanctifying Grace because it raises our soul to a supernatural condition, the State of Grace.
 
Receiving the Sacraments worthily can increase our Sanctifying Grace. It is likewise diminished by lukewarmness and Venial Sin, and through Mortal Sin it is lost altogether until a Sincere Repentance and Firm Amendment to Change. 
 
Actual Grace is special aid given to us by God when we are in need of it, to help us to do, and to avoid evil. 
 
Image Explanation
 
The Top Half shows a women clothed in the white robe of innocence and holding a lily in her hand, while her gaze is directed at Heaven with the Holy Ghost dwelling in her heart. 
 
The Top Left shows Our Lord sitting by the well with the Samaritan Woman. 
 
The Top Right shows the conversion of Saul to St. Paul. 
 
The Bottom Half shows a women who has committed Mortal Sin by choosing to have the devil in her heart, clothing herself in black, bound in chains by sin, and surrounded by darkness and wild beasts. 
 
The Bottom Left, we can see the Traitor Judas who was likewise in the State of Mortal sin for betraying our Beloved Lord and Savior. 
 
While we all will always remain children of God, there is a vast difference in the appearance of our Soul in the Eyes of God whether we have kept the faith and His grace or whether we have chosen the world, the flesh, or the devil.