When he was at table with them, he took the bread. He blessed the bread, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him!(Luke 24:13-35)

Friday, May 18, 2012

Will you accept His Grace?

Chapter 18 of the Acts of the Apostles speaks about how it is by grace that some people in Achaia came to believe in the Gospel.

That grace is involved in having faith isn't too hard to imagine, but why some people seem to have it and believe and others seemingly don't leaves me to question, "Why?"

Does God choose with whom He will share Himself, (which is a definition of grace), including some and excluding others? If so, how then would someone to whom God doesn't appear to give grace to ever hope to be saved?

The answer is simple and easy to remember, it is not just by grace that we are saved, but by our acceptance of God's grace.

Free will leaves us the terrible option to reject God's saving help that is always there, always eager to be poured out for us.  The fault then is never God's, but our own.

As Jesus says in John’s Gospel, Chapter 16: 

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked anything in my name.   Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

A simple prayer that Mary gave to us at Fatima to say at the end of each decade of the rosary embodies Jesus’ teaching here:

"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. And lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."

 Who, O Lord, needs Thy mercy most? Those who would refuse Your help.

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