Grace
What did Jesus actually win for us by His death and Resurrection? The short answer is
grace. This lesson explains what grace is, the different kinds of grace, and why we cannot be
saved without it.
What Jesus Won for Us
102. Q. Which are the chief effects of the Redemption?
A. The chief effects of the Redemption are two: The satisfaction of God’s justice by
Christ’s sufferings and death, and the gaining of grace for men.
Jesus did two things for us. First, He paid the debt our sins owed to God’s justice, something
we could never have paid ourselves. Second, He won grace for us, the gift that makes it
possible for us to live as God’s children and reach heaven.
Remember: Jesus paid for our sins and won grace for us.
What Grace Is
103. Q. What do you mean by grace?
A. By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us, through the merits of
Jesus Christ, for our salvation.
104. Q. How many kinds of grace are there?
A. There are two kinds of grace, sanctifying grace and actual grace.
Grace is a free gift from God. We cannot earn it or buy it. It is supernatural, meaning it lifts
us above what our human nature could ever do on its own.
Remember: Grace is God’s free gift that makes salvation possible.
Read more: Ephesians 2:8; Catechism of the Catholic Church §§1996–1999.
Sanctifying Grace
105. Q. What is sanctifying grace?
A. Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy and pleasing to God.
Sanctifying grace is God’s own life living in our soul. It is a lasting state, not a passing
feeling. We first receive it at Baptism. A person who has it is said to be “in the state of
grace.” Mortal sin destroys it; Confession restores it.
Think of it as the soul’s life. A body without its soul is dead. A soul without sanctifying grace
is spiritually dead. That is why it matters so much to stay in the state of grace.
Remember: Sanctifying grace is God’s life in my soul. I keep it by avoiding mortal sin.
Faith, Hope, and Charity
106. Q. What do you call those graces or gifts of God by which we believe in Him, hope
in Him, and love Him?
A. Those graces or gifts of God by which we believe in Him, and hope in Him, and love
Him, are called the Divine virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.
107. Q. What is Faith?
A. Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which God has
revealed.
108. Q. What is Hope?
A. Hope is a Divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give us eternal life and
the means to obtain it.
109. Q. What is Charity?
A. Charity is a Divine virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake,
and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.
These three come with sanctifying grace. A virtue is a good habit, a strength for doing good.
These three are called divine (or theological) because they come from God and lead straight
back to Him.
Notice that charity is not just giving to the poor, though that is part of it. Charity means
loving God above everything, and loving others because God loves them. St. Paul says it is
the greatest of the three (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Remember: Faith believes God, hope trusts God, charity loves God and neighbor.
Actual Grace
110. Q. What is actual grace?
A. Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens our mind and moves our will to
shun evil and do good.
Actual grace is God’s help in a particular moment. It is that sudden thought to pray, the
nudge to apologize, the strength to walk away from a temptation, the light to see what you
should do. God gives these helps constantly, to sinners and saints alike.
Remember: Actual grace is God’s help in the moment to avoid evil and do good.
We Need Grace
111. Q. Is grace necessary to salvation?
A. Grace is necessary to salvation, because without grace we can do nothing to merit
heaven.
112. Q. Can we resist the grace of God?
A. We can and unfortunately often do resist the grace of God.
113. Q. What is the grace of perseverance?
A. The grace of perseverance is a particular gift of God which enables us to continue in
the state of grace till death.
We cannot get to heaven by our own effort alone. Jesus said, “Without me you can do
nothing” (John 15:5). But grace does not force us. Because we are free, we can ignore God’s
help or refuse it, and too often we do.
What matters most is dying in the state of grace. That is why we pray for the grace of
perseverance, staying faithful to the end. Every Hail Mary asks for this: “pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.”
Remember: I need God’s grace for everything, and I must not refuse it.
Putting It Into Practice
• Pay attention to small inner nudges to do good, and act on them right away.
• Pray each day for the grace to die in God’s friendship. Questions to Think About
1. Can you recall a moment when God seemed to nudge you toward something good?
2. Why would God make grace a gift rather than something we earn?
A Prayer
Lord, may everything we do begin with your inspiration, continue with your help,
and reach perfection under your guidance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.