Lemme Get This Straight

[Byzantine]

Okay, so we initially get grace, and that justifies us. Then we're empowered to do righteous stuff. Doing righteous stuff leads to more grace, which leads to doing more righteous stuff, and it just kinda cycles. Is that right?

[sixpence]

Yeh sometimes the start of the cycle confuses me... cause Baptism gives us grace, but then later I think we have to actively accept the grace in our lives in order to do righteous stuffs...but I don't really know what I'm talking about...

[MaryJJD]

I think grace is available to everyone, as God holds all things in existance. Then there is the grace of Baptism, which allows us to have a real relationship with God-to actually share in His life. The additional grace on top of that helps us to grow in that relationship, depending on if we are faithful to the graces already received, or if not, we can lose them. I would think grace does 'circle' in a way that is actually spiral-towards or away from God depending on our response. The more grace, the more of Gods life we share in, the holier we become-and yes, the more holier, the more our acts become less selfish and more loving, and so we become open and more able to receive more grace. Lovely really.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

I can't do it alone, but with GOD i can. That is a simple grace GOD is offering me, but yes i have to be willing to except it in a ordinary vine growing manner over time. Possibly some people recieve spectacular grace with things like this and get it straight up, i don't know, with GOD it is possible if it where to advance his kingdom and the reciever is willing to accept such a grace. Also the amount of graces available probably number more than the stars in the sky, whether spectacular or ordinary.

Edited July 21, 2012 by Tab'le Du'Bah-Rye

[KnightofChrist]

Its not a circle but a steady path up a mountain.

[Fr. Antony Maria OSB]

According to St. Augustine everything is grace (everything good). One of the sentences in a Eucharistic Prayer from Mass sums it up very well: "Our desire to thank You is itself Your gift." Our desire to thank God for something is a grace from Him, and without that grace we would not be able to thank HIm. As MaryJJD said, God holds everything in existence, and that, also, is grace. But to your question specifically, yes, we receive grace in order to do righteous deeds and those righteous deeds help open us up to receive more grace, but the ability to perform those righteous deeds is also grace. This is not to say that we don't actively participate in those deeds: we most definitely do! I think in some ways it could be equated to a little kid just learning to ride a bike without training wheels: the parent holds onto the seat of the bike at first while the kid peddals, and both work together for the kid to ride the bike. We're the kid and God is the parent.

[Jaime]

[quote name='Byzantine' timestamp='1342759204' post='2457211']
Okay, so we initially get grace, and that justifies us. Then we're empowered to do righteous stuff. Doing righteous stuff leads to more grace, which leads to doing more righteous stuff, and it just kinda cycles. Is that right?
[/quote]


I think it's better to think of it in terms of working out. You have muscles and when you work out they grow. If you don't they will shrink. Do nothing and your muscles will atrophy.

Now stick grace in for muscles and righteous stuff in for working out.

[Egidio]

Now, i don't think anyone has as yet spoken of the distinction between the different types of grace... Sanctifying Grace, which allows one to merit for heaven, and therefore without which we cannot enter heaven. One receives Sanctifying Grace through Baptism, and if it should be lost, it can be reacquired by the sacrament of reconciliation (also by the anoiting of the sick, should you be so unfortunate to find yourself near death and in grave sin!!).

The other type of grace is known as 'actual grace'. This grace is available to all, baptised or not, in a state of grace or not.
To steal a quote from catholic answers "[i]Actual grace, by contrast, is a supernatural push or encouragement. It’s transient. It doesn’t live in the soul, but acts on the soul from the outside, so to speak. It’s a supernatural kick in the pantaloons. It gets the will and intellect moving so we can seek out and keep sanctifying grace[/i]. "

you can go here to get a more complete answer:

www.catholic.com/tracts/grace-what-it-is-and-what-it-does

No point me writing again what has already been written so well.

AVE MARIA!

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' timestamp='1342879333' post='2457546']
Its not a circle but a steady path up a mountain.
[/quote]

I don't like mountains. Our arch bishop in this years pentecostal letter staes that we need not climb the mountain and that we can't earn his love as such and that we need to just sit at the bottom of the mountain and i assume cry out to the LORD and he comes down to the bottom of the mountain and lifts us to the top where the wedding feast is being prepared.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

But i was about to post something about whether we can be saved through works in word and deed. I'm kind of thinking we can save others with grace through these but not ourselves, we do the good works for those whom are finding life difficult and oppresive,including ourselves at times. I have been reading ecclesiasticus and it seems to hint that charity can save. I guess as an initial action of trying to tell JESUS we wan't to love him and love others, the two commandments jesus mentioned as the most important. But even than with this intitial attempt in word or deed to tell jesus that we wan't to love him and do his will,i assume he still comes down to the foot of the mountain and lifts us up/saves us.