Grace Please

A Reflection on the Second Reading for December 22nd, 2019:
​Fourth Sunday of Advent

Romans 1.1-7

From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which God promised beforehand through his Prophets in the holy Scriptures: the Gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through Christ we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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What is grace?


The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

“Grace is favour, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons and daughters, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.”


And Paul says we are called to be saints—a call which requires our response. Because, like Paul, we are all set apart for the Gospel of God. We can come to intimately know we are set apart as we each receive our individual calls through God’s lavish grace. The grace He bestows on us in the sacraments, the grace He bestows on us daily to heal, sanctify, and orient us to Himself, and the grace He bestows on us by way of our own unique gifts.


I have been acutely aware this past week of the presence of God’s grace in my life. I have also been made acutely aware of how undeserving I am of this free gift. In the past week, His grace led me to repentance when I had convinced myself I had no pressing sins to confess. His grace showed me time and again how my behaviour was destructive to my relationship with my children. I even received His transcendent grace through contemplative prayer while listening to sacred music.


All of these graces are promises fulfilled. One, a promise fulfilled of His unrelenting mercy which goes before us always. Another a promise fulfilled of His desire for our relationships to be restored; a path to sanctification and holiness. The third, a promise fulfilled of the beauty God has bequeathed us by the unmerited giving of His gifts, pointing me to His promise yet to be fulfilled of the overwhelming beauty of eternity when abiding in His presence.


As I listened to the choir singing last week, the sensation of the organ’s bass chord lingered in my ears. It didn’t stop there but travelled within me, awakening all my senses and yet drenching me in peace. I had the perception of His presence in this moment, because He was already there. Even before He became one of us, He was. This grace-filled experience was but a glimpse of His glory. God’s grace is endless. By our faith, we can grow nearer and nearer to God’s likeness as we recognize, receive, and respond to His grace each time He throws another gift our way. The nearer to Him we grow, the more grace we will receive. The Blessed Mother is a prime example of this. Mary was full of grace—because Mary was full of God.


In these remaining few days of waiting, perhaps you will reflect on the ways in which you have received God’s grace. You could even ask Mary to help you to receive His grace more freely in your life. And I will join our Blessed Mother and Saint Paul in bidding you Grace—and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis. ​



​
​Lori MacDonald

Photo by Greg Weaver on Unsplash

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