Grace

"[...] Grace is favor, the free help that God gives us to respond to his call: to become children of God (cf ^[1]), adoptive sons (cf ^[2]), participants in the divine nature (cf ^[3]), of eternal life (cf ^[4]). Grace is a participation in the life of God, it introduces us into the intimacy of the trinitarian life: Through Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ, Head of His Body. As an "adopted son," he can now call God "Father," in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church."^[5]

In "The Gospel as it was revealed to me"

Year of grace

In the Temple of Jerusalem, Jesus says: "The hour of Grace has come. They waited for it, the Patriarchs, and died waiting for it. They foretold it, the Prophets, and died with this hope. The righteous dreamed of it, and died comforted by this dream. Now, it has risen." ^[6]
I tell you: the year of grace has arrived. For you, do not weep for the sorrow felt by the sinner. Do not weep, you who are exiled from the Kingdom of God.^[7]

Grace, gift from God

When Divine Goodness gives you a grace, use the benefit received to give glory to God.^[8]
Grace sometimes acts like a thunderbolt, sometimes slowly. But it always works where there is the will to be just.^[9]
The path of repentance and grace.^[10]
Grace will give life.^[11]
Grace was incarnated in a woman.^[12]
Pain obtains graces - A given grace is never taken back.^[13]
And they will seek you, "mine," to be forgiven, instructed, defended, loved. And blessed are those who do so! For it will not be possible to persevere in Christ if grace is not strengthened by your help, Mother full of Grace.^[14]
To grant grace, one must know how to consider its timeliness.^[15]
My Sacrifice will be a sun for the world. The light of Grace will descend into the hearts, peace with God will make them fruitful, the merits of my martyrdom will enable men to gain Heaven.^[16]
The Kingdom of God in you now can be obtained more easily because I have obtained it for you through my death. I have redeemed you by my pain. Remember that. And let no one trample grace because it cost the life and Blood of a God.^[17]
In the loving soul dwells God who works greatly.^[18]
You must love the Lord with all yourself, and your neighbor as yourself. And that is the most necessary thing to have God as a friend and to obtain graces and blessings from Him.^[19]
Purification and grace are never sufficient because the world consumes what Heaven pours out.^[20]

In other works of Maria Valtorta

The Notebooks of 1943

Catechesis of April 23: Everyone could achieve it if they wanted. There is no special method or study to develop this power to obtain graces. The important thing is to make your own heart a manger of Bethlehem to welcome Jesus the child, and yourself a cross to carry Jesus, the redeemer. ^[21]
Catechesis of June 6: I want to explain grace to you in its nature and effects: Grace is to possess in you the light, the strength, the wisdom of God. In other words, to have the intellectual likeness to God, which is the unique and incomparable sign of your filiation to God […] Remember just this: grace, […] is to possess Us, the One God in Three Persons, and to have around your mortal person the legions of angels who adore Us in you […] If you wanted, you could all be capable of wonders, that is, of holiness […] The vital elements are: to live according to my Law, chaste, merciful, humble, loving God and your neighbor; to live by ‘living’ prayer… ^[22]
Catechesis of June 7: “I continue to speak to you about grace, which gives the life of the spirit. When God created the first man, He breathed into him, besides the life of matter, until then inanimate, the life of the spirit. Otherwise, He could not have said that He created you in His image and likeness. None of you can imagine the perfection of this first creature. Only we can see, in the eternal present that is our eternity, the perfection of the royal work of our creative intelligence.^[23]

In fundamental Christian texts

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church

God invited man to an intimate communion with Himself by clothing them with grace and resplendent justice^[24]
Original grace^[25]
Grace is the favor, the free help that God gives us to respond to his call^[26]

Notes and references

[1] John 1:12-18

[2] 8:14-17

[3] 2 Peter 1:3-4

[4] John 17:3

[5] Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1996-1997

[6] EMV 53

[7] EMV 132

[8] EMV 24

[9] EMV 105

[10] EMV 136

[11] EMV 142

[12] EMV 157

[13] EMV 253

[14] EMV 304

[15] EMV 458

[16] EMV 503

[17] EMV 630.23

[18] EMV 514

[19] EMV 516

[20] EMV 630

[21] Catechesis of April 23, 1943

[22] Catechesis of June 6, 1943

[23] Catechesis of June 7, 1943

[24] CCC 54

[25] CCC 374 and following

[26] CCC 1996 and following

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