THE QUEEN'S WOH DISCUSSION CLUB SERIES Le. '&.>fte-; hrQ.l'\ci's 1'. 1 Le:+ I:,' )oclL Q+ ___ --1 A!>T 5'lf:.Lj CENTS THE QUEEN'S WORK 3742 West Pine Boulevard St L . 8 M • OUIS , O. let~s look at ' Sanctifging Grace Francis P. leBuffe, S.J. I Imprimi Potes t: James P. Sw eeney, S. J. Provincial, New York Nihil O bsta t: Arthur J. Scanlan, S. T . D . Censor Librorum Imprima tur: Francis J. Spellman, D. D. A rchbishop, N ew York February 11, 1911 ANY FINANC [A L PROFIT 1IIade by the Cen tm l Office of the Sodality w ill be 1tsed fo r the adv ance lll ent of the S odality M ovement and the cause of Catholic A ction. Copyright 1944 THE QU EEN'S WORK, Inc. Deactdlfled FOREWORD For a number of years-twenty in all, to be exact-a "blackboard '" course on Sanctifying Grace has been given at various times and places. but especially at the Summer Schools of Catholic Action. It has been an attempt-and it is hoped a not too hazardous attempt-to visualize the very fundamental notions of the supernatural life. This course has been given to priests , Sisters, layfolk; to old and young; to the highly educated and to those still in high school. It seemed to " take" with all. Hence, during these years, requests have been made repeatedly for "notes" on this course. Such did not exist. And now, almost despairingly, an attempt is made to put these notes and draw- ings into print. All the verve and snap of vocal presentation is lacking- a nd the whole looks like a dead, inanimate thing. However, much of the secret of presentation seems to have consisted in: (I) the clear, simple, non-technical expression of fundamentals; (2) in visualization; (3) in the use of red and white chalk. (Since the cost of two color printing would be prohibitive, all drawings will be in black, but "red" is indicated whenever it should be used, i.e., always and only for representing the supernatural.) Another secret is : non multa sed multum. Give the fundamental s. repeat them, and re-repeat them. As an old teacher frequently said : "When you have said a thing fifty times in class, thank God if one pupil gets it." Finally it must be remembered that this booklet is not meant to be a scientific, technical manual. Hence absolute and final precision in each and every statement is not to be sought. So now the notes start. May the Moderators and Directors, as the prophet Ezechiel (Ch. 37), stir these dry bones into new life. N.B. No treatment is given of Actual Grace, as this is a treatise in itself. For this ; the reader is referred to Pohle-Preuss, "Grace, Actual and HabItual" and to John V. Matthews, S. J. , "With the Help of Thy Grace" (Newman Bookshop, Westminster , Md.) -3- Section A. WHAT GRACE IS GRACE AS A NEW LIFE "JET us try to get an idea of sanctifying grace from the viewpoint of L "life." Part I. Natural Life There are three kinds of " life " or " living things" found in the world round about us: vegetative life~found in plants; sensitive life (which includes vegetative life) ~found in animals; intellectual life (which includes vegetative and sensitive) ~found in human beings. In each "life" there is a "principal of life " or "soul" and as a result in each there are characteristic activities. In fact, since we cannot get a t a "soul" directly, we know of the presence of a soul only from its activi- ties. Let us look a t each kind of living thing and analyze it in terms of life. N .B. In plants and animals this "principle of life" is quite unlike the soul of ma n. In plants and animals it is totally dependent on the matter of which the plants a nd animals a re composed, and perishes utterly when they die. We shall indica te each principle of life differently and so try to visu- a lize the differences in the three kinds of living things.' 1. Vegetative Life~Found in Plants PLonTS pRINCIPLE or Llr~ ·OOIVITI[S · { NUTRITION -,... GROWTli REPRODUCTION In plants, the vegetative prinCiple of life (indicated by the 'straight'line ---} , enables a plant to do three things: (I) it can nourish itself by the intake of " food " from soil and air; (2) it can grow from a seed to a full- grown plan t (or tree); (3) it can reproduce itself, bringing other similar plants • If possible use different color chalk for each kind of line, i.e ., -4- { purple green white for 100000000 for ~ for into existence. None of these activities is found in minerals and other things that are not "alive." A rock does not take in food; it does not grow; it brings no "rock-lets" into existence; but a cabbage does nourish itself . grows, and brings other cabbages into existence. N .B. A "principle of life" gives to a living thing activities which non- living things do not have. OnimOl 2. Sensitive Life-Found in Animals PRINCIPl[ or lir[ . oCJlVlm:s . ~~ S ·FOLDSENSATION ~ NUTRITION· CROWTH REPRODUCTION In animals there is a principle of life which, while single, includes all the powers of a vegetative principle of life (indicated by the straight line '--- in white chalk) , and so has the activities of nutrition, growth and reproduction. Thus a jackass, like a cabbage, can eat, can grow from a little jackass to a big jackass and can bring "jackass-lets" into the world. But over and above all this , since it is a sensitive principle of life (indicated by the broken line --z..-..-z.-- in green chalk), it has different and higher activ- ities : the jackass can see and hear and taste and touch and smell. The cabbage can do none of these things. The animal with its one single prin- ciple of life can do all that a plant can, plus something higher. N.B. A new kind of principle of life gives a new kind of activity. 3. Intellectual Life-Found in Man PRINCIPLE or Llf[ AOIVITI[S Gf".'D -+ THOUGHT FREE W/U ~ -. S FOLD SENSATION -+ NUTRIT/ON . GROWTH REPROOUCTION In man there is a still higher kind of principle of life, which, while single, includes all the powers of the vegetative and animal principles. It is one soul with three-fold powers. Thus having vegetative powers (indicated by --- in white chalk) man nourishes ' himself, grows and reproduces himself, like any cabbage ; having animal powers (indicated by .# in green chalk) , man can see, hear, taste , smell and feel like any other (7) jackass. But over and above all this, since the single principle of life in man is rational (indicated by the looped-line ~, in purple chalk) , he has new and higher activities: man can think and he has free will. Neither cabbage nor jackass has these -5- abilities. Man with his one single higher soul can do all that the lower beings can, plus something higher. N.B. A new kind of principle of life gives a new kind of ac tivity. Part II. Super-natural Life Super-natural life~found in men who are " in the state of grace." Over a nd above the "natural" lives, vegetative, sensitive, intellectual. God has given us a "super-natural" life, one in no way due to us or re- quired by our condition as human beings; in other words, if God wanted to make me a human being, He had to give me the three-fold "natural" life indicated under No. 3. But God went further and has given me a fourth and higher kind of life which He was in no way obliged to give me. This principle of life is not "natural" to us, it is not part of our "nature," it is "super-natural. " Of course all knowledge that we have of this new super-natural life must come from God's revelation to us, beca use we would never know of its existence, unless He told us of it . Unlike our natural "lives," this "principle of life" and its activities are not known by any natural means. Let us analyze man with this super-natural principle of life which is ca lled sanctifying grace. N.B . We have laid it down as a principle that each new kind of lifE." gives a new kind of activity. mAn WITU supmnATURAl lin PRINCIPl[ O~ m[ tKJIVITI~S ~ - - - - - - -+ ACTIONS MERITORIOUS OF HEAVEN' "tI 00 d boo -+ THOUGHT ANf).FREE WILL ~ -- 5 ' fOLD SENSATION -- NUTRITION· CROWTH AND REPRODUCTION (LI"~·----SHOU'D ~E IN IUD) Man, with super-natural life (indicated by the broken line - - - - -, which should be in red), has all the powers and activities of the "natural" man. But he has a new principle of life. What does grace, this new super- natural principle of life, give him in the way of new actiVity? (Grace, being a new principle of life, must give new activities.) This super-natural prinCiple of life gives man the ability to place actions that have an intimate, internal relation and connection with the face-to-face Vision of God, the Beatific Vision, Heaven. These actions are placed through the virtues of faith, hope and charity, which we may look upon as new faculties, i.e., super-natural mind and will. (This will be clearer from later explanation.) Man without this super-natural prinCiple of life is as incapable of per- forming a super-natural action (one bearing on Heaven) as a jackass, lacking -6---':" an intellectual soul, is incapable of thinking, and a cabbage, lacking a n animal soul, is incapable of seeing. With this super-natural principle of life (or as we say " in the state of sanctifying grace") man differs mpre from a .man lacking it, than a ma n differs from a jackass. Why? Because mere man and jackass are both in the "natural" state of things; whereas man with this super-principle of life is in the super-natural order, and mere man is in the natural order. Notanda 1. Since sanctifying grace is a "life," that which kills it and drives it out of the soul is caned a mortal (Le., death-bringing) sin; just as a wound that kills a man is called a mortal wound. 2. When a man has sanctifying grace he is a "saint" (holy) with a small "s." That is why St. Paul in his Epistles calls Christians "saints" or "called to be saints." To be a "Saint" with a capital "S" implies extraor- dinary holiness. (d. "Hard-Headed Holiness," by F . P. LeBuffe, S.J., Queen's Work.) 3. It is this idea of "life" that is brought out in the beautiful simile of the vine and the branches (St. John 15:1 -7). Indeed the theme of St. John 's Gospel may be stated in Our Lord's own words (St. John 10:10): "I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly." (It would be profitable to read quietly and continuously through the Gospel of St. John and note the constant repetition of the words: "life," "eterna l life." ) 4. Grace is said to be "eternal life" in the same way that an oak-tree seed is called an oak: " I planted an oak tree today." So too " the child is father to the man." The full out-flowering and mature development of grace is "eternal life," Le. , the face-to-face vision of God, Heaven. Fa ther Faber put it beautifully: "Glory [Le ., being in Heaven] is grace a t home." B. GRACE AS A NEW NATURE lTET us try to get another view of grace, a view which is a difficult one, L but which is the ultimate analysis of grace, L e., grace as a new, super. natural nature. Here we must try first to get some idea of the natural make-up (c~nsti­ tution) of man and, from that , an idea of his na tu ral "end," Le., the pur- pose (or "why") of his existence which flows from his very nature. After ~e have gotten these ideas clearly and only after we have thus gotten them clearly, can vJe get any notion of the super-natural make-up (or constitu- tion) of man and his super-na tura l "end," Le., the purpose (or "why" ) of his super-na tural existence. N.B. One cannot understa nd what a super-dreadnought or a super- man is unless one first knows what a dreadnought or a man is. - 7- Part I. "Natural" Constitution and End By natural constitution we mean the sum total of those things that go to make up man and without which he would not be man. Let's put on our thinking-caps and look at ourselves as we can know ourselves by reason alone without looking at revelation. (Revelation is that which God has told us through the Bible and the Church. Cf. "What Is the Bible?" by F . P. LeBuffe. S. J .. pp. 19. 20. America Press.) Man. to be man. must have a body. He must also have a soul equipped with a mind and a will. If he did not have body and soul. mind and will. he would not be man. Hence if God wanted to create a man. He had to make a thing with body and soul. mind and will. If He didn't it would not be man. (Just as if He wanted to create a cow, a nd made a horse instead. the horse would not be a cow.) MIND Will Ful/1 ~ N.B. 1. We do not mean by this graph to imply that the soul and body stand apart as it were. The spul is throughout the whole body. But this form of graph lends itself easiest to subsequent use. N.B . 2. Remember that all these graphs are merely attempts to visualize spiritual and super-natural things. Hence they cannot be adequate representations. Now let us look into that mind and will and see how they act. That mind is always seeking to know more .and more; and tha t will is always seeking to have more and more. (Philosophically we put it: man's mind is always seeking more and more· "truth" and his will is always seeking more and more "good.") No matter what he knows. no matter what he has : he is never satisfied . . He can never be satisfied -until he gets all truth and all good. But all truth and all good are found nowhere except in the one infinite Being. God, Anything short of infinity (un-limited-ness. all-including-ness) is finite (limited. lacking). and so man 's mind and will could still reach out beyond it for something else ; and so his search for complete satisfaction would still go on. (Alexander wanted more worlds to conquer; I'm not satis- fied with my last years suit. nor with my hat of 1937.) Therefore to have his mind and will completely satisfied. man must know and love God. In this life man is so distracted by the things of sense and he knows God so imperfectly. that. as a result. he is never satis- fied. A satisfying knowledge and love would be gained a fter death because the soul. separated from the body. would know other souls directly and thus, from other souls. i.e .. other spiri ts . he would come to a more per- -R- feet knowledge of the " Great Spirit," God. This knowledge and love of God would be indirect (as it is in this life ) i.e .. drawn from created spirits. Man. so far as his nature demands. would never have seen God face-to- face . i.e .• immediately and directly . By the "natural end" of man therefore we mean the final. complete fulfillment of his natural tendencies and the full . rounded happiness tha t comes as a result. W e have said that this can be had only in the knowl- edge and love of God in a future life. It must be had in future life since it is certainly never had in this present life. Sometime. somewhere his nature must be completed. otherwise God would have created a frustra ted thing (unless. as we shall see. God gives him something higher) . This is the completion of his human nature tha t God must give man if He creates him. HIND WILL ~ D[mAnO AS TU[IR SOU L nATURAL com PUTlon C; 0 0 -t __ ----------~~, KNOWN AND LOVED BODY INDIRECTLY Notanda \. It is this "end" of man which we investigate in that part of philoso- phy which is called "Ethics." 2. As a ma tter of fact. this natural end does not a nd never did actuall y exist for man. since from the beginning God raised Adam to a super-natural end. 3. This is the complete "natura l" ha ppiness which unbaptized infa nts have: the same happiness tha t we all would have had. if God. in His gen- erosity, had not given us a super-na tura l destiny. But the infants get this by the accidental fac t that they are unbaptized. It is not a nd was not their destiny . because God rea lly wants them to get to the super-na tural end of ma n. Part II. Super-natural Constitution and End As we said in the last paragraphs. God. in creating ma n. if he wanted to make him man. must have given him a mind and a will ; and giving him a mind and a will. God was obliged to give man as his end God Himself known a nd loved more perfectly a nd. hence . sa tisfyingly . but indirectly . But God wanted to give man a higher destiny than the one due his nature. He could give man no higher destiny than Himself; he could only give man Himself in a higher way than tha t which man's na ture required. To under- stand this higher destiny we must examine a bit about God a nd how He i~ completely ha ppy. I 1. God's Nature God has an infinite Mind which needs to know immediately and directly infinite truth; and He has an infinite Will which needs to love immediately ·and directly infinite good . God Himself would not be completely perfect and completely happy unless His Mind and Will had such an object. There - 9- is no such object outside of God, for God alone is infinite truth a nd good. And so God must have an immediate, face-to-face knowledge and love of HimseU. God's knowledge a nd love of Himself we call God's face-to-face vision of Himself, which, of course, is merely God knowing a nd loving Himself within Himself. MIND WILL IGODt.. ~ L ______ .J (T HIS W HOLE GRAPH SHOULD BE IN RED) 2. Man's Super-nature r--'G-o-6;s--l I FACE ·TO FACE ViSION I I HIM~'ELF I .. _ ............... _ ....... _ ...... _ ............ ..1 As we said above, God wanted to give ma n a higher destiny than the one due his nature. He could not give man any higher destiny than Him- self. But He could give man Himself in a higher way. God did in fact give man the highest possible destiny H e could, i.e., the face-to-face vision of God Himself, and this direct and immediate knowledge and love of God constitutes man's super-na tural "end," which we call "Heaven," " the Bea tific Vision," etc . This face-to-face vision o.f Himself is the same that completes God in His own happiness. Man, of course, will have it in a finite way, whereas God has it infinitely and from eternity. Theologians say that God "elevated," i.e., lifted up, man from the natural to the super-natural s tate . (That is why we call Ada m's sin , the Fall. He fell from his elevated position.) Let us try to put this in a picture and note tha t we should use red whenever the super-natura l is indicated. MIND WILL B-- (RED) (BROKEN LINE IN RED) But look at the picture. There is nothing " red" in man to correspond to this new destiny. He has nothing on which this " red" destiny can build. Or to change our metaphor~he cannot see "red," he has no eye- power capable of seeing God in this new red way. - 10 - Hence God puts something " red" in man. This " red" thing is that super-nature, which we call sanctifying grace. So once again for a revised picture: MIN.,D WILL SOUL ... "": SUPfR-mmiRm EnD /.'/' . -""" "._,,---""---""'"'''''"'-,,--,,-''''''''' /. BODY (RED) (BROKEN LINE IN RED) "'''''~ fACE ~ 'TO f;Ac·(·~·"~;s·j-o~~l O!: I GOD I c_-"---'-(-REDl-----",,,j Man now with sanctifying grace, this super-nature, is on the same level as God Himself and has the same destiny as God Himself, Man has indeed been "elevated," Notanda I. Since this super-nature (sanctifying grace) gives man the same fina l completion of his nature as God Himself has, it is the greatest gift that God Himself could give any creature that He might ever create. It does not lie within the omnipotence of God to give us a greater gift. (How we ought to prize sanctifying grace!) 2. A man without sanctifying grace is as incapable of seeing God face-to-face as a jackass or a cabbage is incapable of ac ts of knowledge and acts of free will (see Section 1. Part I, pp. 4-5). 3. That is why a soul which dies in mortal sin cannot see God and so cannot go to Heaven: It has put out its super-natural eyes and so can- not see, This soul appears before God's judgmen t-seat, blinded by its own act-and God receives it for judgment thus blinded. 4. God gave Adam and Eve this super-nature. It was an entirely free gift and so God could attach any condition to their holding it for them- selves and us , their children. They sinned and lost it for themselves. Adam by his sin lost it for us , T .his loss is Original Sin. So two other pictures: (a) The way God wanted us to come into the world: MIND WILL SOUL ~r ","- + (i.e. PLUS Sllnc.mVInG GRIlCO ,'- BODY (BROKEN LINE AND PLUS SIGN ARE RED) (b) The way we do come into the world: MIND WILL ~ ~ (i' .. ·minus SAnCTlmnG GRAC~) (MINUS SIGN IS RED) -11- Notanda I. This lack of sanctifying grace due to the sin of Adam, is original sin. Original sin is not a bottle of black ink poured over the soul. 2. When one is ba ptized the "minus" is changed into ·'plus. " C. SHARING IN THE DIVINE NATURE St. Peter (2 Peter 1:4) tells us: "By whom [Christ] He [the Father] hath given us most great and precious promises that by these you may be made pa rtakers of the divine nature,"' etc. The fact that we are sharers or partakers of the divine nature is an article of faith-and is a mystery. Notanda I . A mystery is not nonsense. It is a truth I do not understand, i.e .. I do not see how and why it is so, 'as I do see how and why 2 + 2 = 4. I accept a mystery because God says it. 2. In every mystery I understand the subject of the sentence and the predicate of the sentence. What I do not understand is how tha t predicate belongs to that subject. For example: "God beca me man" (the Incarnation) . I know what "God" ,is; I know what "man" is; what I do not know is how "God" can be " man. " Or another: "The Virgin is a Mother" (Virgin Birth) . I know what "Virgin" is; I know what "Mother" is ; what I do not know is how a "virgin" is a "mother." If I say: "God is oom oom" - that is not a mystery- it is nonsense because I don' t know what "oom oom" means. 3. I accept a mystery "because God says so," i.e., an act of faith is a n assent of my mind to a sta tement or fact because God is witness to the truth of that statement or fact. His "witnessing" to it, is what we call "revelation." 4. I make acts of human "faith" continually, i.e., I accept facts or statements on the "say-so" of other men. In divine faith I accept a fact or truth on God's "say-so." 1. Sharing A. Let us examine the idea of "sharing" : (a) If you and I have a cake and we eat it, we share the same ca ke in the same way (even though you eat more of it than I do) . To use a big word we share it "univocally,"' Le., in the sam,e identical way. (b) A jackass and I are both "animals." But every bit of the jackass is a different kind of animal from the kind of animal every bit of me is. We bctth share in "animalness" but analogously. -12- (Analogy is likeness shot through and through with unlikeness; so tha t every part of one thing is like and unlike every part of another thing, e.g., old-rose color is "analogous" to red, since it is entirely like and entirely unlike red.) B. Now let us examine this idea of "sharing God's nature": (a) Of course we do not "share in," "partake of" the divine nature, in the sense that God cuts off a piece of His nature and puts it into us, That is utterly impossible, since God's nature cannot be cut up into parts. He is a spirit. Hence we do not share His nature "univocally." (b) But we "share in," "partake of" the divine nature "analogously," because sanctifying grace. though it is a created thing (and there- fore entirely unlike God). is so entirely like God. that God . and we must have the same final completion of activities. Le. . the face- to-face vision of God Himself. (As we stated above. p. 10. God has the face-to-face vision of Himself from all eternity . completely and infinitely.) Thus our new super-nature and God's nature are so much alike that they inevitably lead to the same thing-the face- to-face vision of God. ~ _____________ -.._~ rAC['TO ::r([ VISION ~ GOD (RED) (RED) (BROKEN LINE IN RED) 2. Sharing in the Divine Nature 1. In mathema tics we say that " two things equal to the same third thing. are equal to each other" ; and likewise in philosophy we say that " two things which have the same final completion ("end" ) of their natures. are on the same level (or. in the same order or class) of beings." Hence if God and man have the same final completion of their beings (Le .• the face-to-face vision of God), God and man are in the same class of beings. i.e., man "shares" the divine nature. 2. We are "made to the image and likeness of God": , (a) in the merely natural order because. like God. we are spirit. at least in part. and have a mind and a free will; (b) but in the super-natural order this " image and likeness" is far. far more perfect and leads us to the face-to-face vision of God. (Cf. p.11 :) -13 - 3. Many early writers of the Church speak of the reception of sanc- tifying grace as "deification," i.e., "God-becoming-ness." 4. This sharing in the divine nature is frequently stressed in the liturgy, e.g., Prayer at pouring of wine and water into chalice; Preface of the Ascen- sion ; Secret of 4th Sunday after Easter; Office of Blessed Sacrament, 1st Lesson of 2nd Nocturn, etc., etc. 5. St. Paul had this newness of nature in mind wh.;n he writes of "re-birth" (Titus 3:5); "new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17). etc. St. John speaks of being "born of God" (John 1 :13; 1 John 3:9; 1:7) ; "born of the Holy Ghost" (John 3:5) , etc. 6. Along with sanctifying grace God "infuses" (i.e., . "pours" ) into the soul the three super-natural virtues of faith , hope and charity which permanently reside there. (In the graph, F = faith , H = hope, C = charity, SG = sanctifying grace.) F H c.sc BODY , (BROKEN LINES IN RED) 7. Just as the soul, which is part of our natural nature, works through , and by means of, the mind and the will, so this new super-nature, sanc- tifying grace, works through faith , hope a nd charity. Thus the soul thinks by means of the mind and chooses by means of the will. In a similar way, man with sanctifying grace believes by means of the virtue of faith, hopes by means of the virtue of hope, loves by means of the virtue of charity. 8. By any mortal sin, one loses both sanctifying grace and charity, which are inseparable. . Only by a mortal sin against faith does one lose the infused virtue of faith. Only by a mortal sin against hope does one lose the infused virtue of hope. D. AN INTERNAL GIFT. PERMANENT THOUGH LOSABLE 1. Internal First of all, sanctifying grace, being a new nature. a super-nature, is something inside us, something within our soul. (a) To be in "the state of grace" does not just mean that God loves us. That would not give us a new nature. - 14- (b) Nor does it mean tha t God has promised merely to out-balance our sins by crediting to our account a certain a mount of the inerits of Christ. T his was Luther's theory, i.e. , our sins remain, but God puts down to our credit in His "books" enough of Christ's merits to take us out of God's debt. LUTHER'S DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN STATE OF GRACE S IN SIN S IN SIN SIN SIN CHRIST'S MERITS SIN CHRIST'S MERITS SIN CHRIST'S MERITS S IN CHR IST'S M £RITS SIN CHRIST 'S MERI1S (" CHRIST 'S MER I TS " IN REO.) Luther put it another way. When we are " justified" (that is the technical word in theology for getting sanctifying grace a fter having sinned) our sins remain, but are blanke ted over, covered up, by Christ's merits, so tha t God does not see them any longer, though they are still there. LUTHER'S DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN SIN SIN SIN SIN SIN ( "TH E COVERING BY CHRIST'S MERITS" AN D BROKEN L IN E IN RE D .> (c) The true C a tholic idea of sanctifying grace is that God puts into our souls sanctifying grace (which we represent b y a red line) which destroys our sins, and so they do not exist any longer. CATHOLIC DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN (BROKEN LINE IN RED) - 15- 2, Permanent So far as God is concerned sanctifying grace is to remain forever in our souls. He will not take it away of His own accord. 3, Losable Once we get sanctifying grace, w e have it forever , unless we commit a mortal, i.e., dead~ly. sin. A mortal sin is the one and only offense tha t can bring death (mors) to this new living na ture within us. And the reason for this is that sanctifying grace is the token of God's super-na tural love for us; and God does not love us, cannot love us, when we have offended Him in a serious matter. N .B . . Luther claimed tha t once a ma n is " justified" he can neve~ lose it. Notanda Venial sin does not diminish sanctifying grace in our souls. (a ) When we sin venially, we are still God's friends-pretty mean friends , a t times , it is true, but s till friends-and so w e do not lose or diminish sanctifying grace. One venial sin does not diminish it in even the slightest way; and so even after having committed 1,000 or 1.000,000 venial sins we still have the same amount o( sanctifying grace as w hen w e started. (b) It is all right then to commit venia l sin? Not a t a ll : (i) On grounds of decency. It is a pretty mean friend who doesn 't care how much he offends a nother friend prov ided he- doesn' t lose his friendship. (ii) On theologica l grounds. W e prove ourselves unworthy of God's special graces which we all need to conquer serious. tempta tions when they come, and to practice v irtue under try ing circumstap ces. (iii) On the grounds of merit. By sinning, we fail to prac- tice virtue and so fail to grow in grace (d. Sect. III , p. 22) and so. lessen our happiness through?ut all e ternity. (iv) On psychologica l grounds; By repeated venial sin, especia lly along one definite line, we grow weaker psychologically, i.e., we yield more readily to the sinful attraction each time it comes. The result is that if a strong temptation to a mortal sill. comes along, we are most a pt to yield. Let's take an example: a tank of wa ter is supported by woodell. supports. The tank is full of wa ter. T ermites begin to ea t away the supports, No water is lost. The tank ma y remain a long time on the weak supports. But if a big wind comes! Then this. -16- "big wind, " which is a serious temptation to which the soul actually y ields , knocks over the tank, smashes it, and a ll the water (grace) is lost. None of it was lost through the termites, i.e ., venial sin. TERMITES AT WORK. Section II WHAT GRACE DOES Part I. Adoption by God ST. JOHN tells us (1 John 3: 1. 2): "Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us; that we should be called, and should be the sons of God .. . Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God." Is this merely a bea utiful thought? A metaphor? A pious flight of imagina tion? No, it is an article of fa ith defined by the Council of Trent. And so we are adopted children of God. 1. Human Adoption Let us try to understand what "adoption" means. For human adoption (i.e. , the adoption of a child by a couple) three things are required: (a) Likeness of nature. Human beings do not " adopt" dogs or cats ; only human chi ldren. (b) Freedom of acceptance. The adopters freely choose to take a child as their own. (c) Right to inheritance. The adopted child has a ll the rights of a na tural child to the love , devotion and property of its new par- ents. N .B. Lack of children is not essentia l to adoption, since ma rried people who a lrea dy have children can, and sometimes do , adopt a child. 2. Divine Adoption When , therefore, we speak of our being adopted or adoptive children of God, we should find these three conditions verified , if our words mean what they say. Let us see. When w~ have this super-nature; i.e ., are in the s ta te of sanctifying grace: (a) There is a likeness of nature between God and us. This is precisely what we showed before . W e are sha rers in, partakers of, the divine nature. - 17 - (b ) There is freedom of acceptance by God, precisely because the w hole of the super-natural order, including th is new super-nature, sanctify ing grace, is God's free gift. ("Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, " Romans 3:24.) N .B. Recall tha t it is so free on the part of God that no creature He might ever crea te could require this super-nature from Him. (c) There is the right of inheritance, beca use through sanctifying grace. we have a right to have God Himself as our own possession through all eternity. ("For the Spirit himself give th testimony to our spirit , tha t we are the sons of God. And if sons, heirs a lso; heirs indeed of God and joint-heirs with Christ," Rom. 8: 16. 17.) And in this life we are the objects of His special fa therly love and ca re, members of His household. (E ph. 2:19.) N .B. God does not need us, a nd that is w hy we called a tten- tion to the fact that need or lack o f children is no t a necessary condition for adoption. All the conditions, therefore, for real adoption are verified and so God is truly our Father and we are His children. As St. Paul says (Gal. 4:7 ) : "Therefore now he is not a servant (literally slave) , but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God." Human Adoption Likeness of na ture Freedom of acceptance Right to inheritance ( Scheme ) Divine Adoption Likeness of nature through sanc- tifying grace .... (E------~) E very thing super-natural is a most free gift of God ( ) Right to God Himself through the face-to-face v ision Notanda 1. By na ture we a re merely creatures of God, our Crea tor , to w hom we owe obedience and love. H ence if God had not eleva ted us to the "super-natural order" but created us to exist in " the na tural order" only , then He would not have been our Father, nor would we have been His children. 2. Being children, we should have special food , different from tha t of servants. H ence Christ has given us Himself in the Blessed Sacrament, which is the food which "corresponds to our dignity as children a nd sus- tains us in that sublime relation." (Pohle-Preuss , "Grace," p. 360.) - 18 - Part II. Indwelling of the Holy Ghost T HE second and most marvelous effect of sanctifying grace. this super-nature. is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Here we are fronted with onc of the greatest mysteries of our Faith. 1. The FACT of Indwelling new con- This indwelling is' stated in various parts of the New Testament: St. Johfl 14:16, 17 -"And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Parac1ete, that he may abide with you for ever ... but you shall know him; because he shall abide with you, and shall be in you." I Corinthians 3:16-"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (Cf. a lso Rom. 5:5; 8:11-1 Cor. 6:19, etc., etc.) Let us try to get some idea of this mystery. I. First we know that God is everywhere and that He is therefore in everything and around everything, filling all space. This is a merely natural indwelling of God. Let's put that into a picture, showing God being in a man, a horse, a tree , a stone. The straight line is God's natural indwelling and so is indicated by black. t---;-r--+----i~-+-~~4---,"'r;,L.__ GOD 'S N A TUR AL INDWELLING Hence God is even in a sinner, even in Hell itself. He cannot help being there. 2. By our Catholic Faith we are taught that there is a special, new indwelling of God in the person in the state of sanctifying grace. Just as our natural condition implies the natural, omnipresent indwelling of God, so our new super-natural condition entails a new kind of indwelling, a super-natural indwelling of God. (Cf. I Cor. 3: 16, 17; 6:19, etc.) So-another picture. God's super-natural indwelling is indicated by the jagged line which should be in red. - 19 - Notanda 1. This indwelling is called the "Uncreated Grace," since God is un- crea ted. Sanctifying grace is called "crea ted grace ," because God produces it and puts it into our souls. 2. For the few precious moments after Holy Communion when Our Lord, true God and true man, is really present within us, there is a third mystery-full presence of God within us. This further super-natural indwell- ing is indicated by the looped line and should be in red. GOD 'S INDWELLING AFTER H. C GOD 'S SUPER-NATURAL INDWELLING GOD 'S NHURAL INDWELLING (THE LIN E - - - - INDICATES SANCTIFY,ING GRACE AND SHOULD BE IN RED , AS SHOULD THE LlNES~ ~) 2. The HOW of Indwelling Of the fact of this indwelling we are certain from faith. When we try to explain it, we find many difficulties. (a) We may try to explain the precise new-ness of this indwelling by saying that God is present within US as a Friend. He wants us: (i) by acts of faith to know Him and to adore Him as the Friend-present-within-us; (ii) by acts of hope to long to see face-to-face the Friend-present- within-us; (iii) by acts of love to show our love for the Friend-present- within-us. (b) We can pray to God a nd honor Him as outside of us (we call this in theology His transcendence) ; or we can look on Him as super- naturally present inside us (His super-natural immanence) . Let us try two more pictures: GOD-OUTSIDE-OF-US B JREDJ sou_~/ /. /. "-/. ~,. BODY (THE LINE ____ AND THE ARROWS. INDICATING FAITH. HOPE AND CHARITY SHOULD BE IN RED.) GOD-INSIDE-OF-US ;;if;;/ <:;F'''-''-'''''- ·-t..---' GOD 'S SUPER -NATURAL INDWELLING (THE LINES ___ AND~ AND THE ARROWS INDICATING FAITH. HOPE AND CHARITY SHOULD BE IN RED) -20- 3. WHO Indwells A further question arises. Just who indwells in the soul of the person in the sta te of sanctify ing grace? There are two opinions on this ma tter. N .B. It is not surprising that theologians hold different opinions as to the deeper explanation of mysteries. God has revealed much to us definitely and clearly , e.g., tha t there are three Persons in One God, tha t God beca me Man, tha t Ma ry was a Virgin-Mother , etc. About these definite, clear revelations, theologia ns think and reason and try to ' delve deeper into the mysteries, asking "how" and "why," etc. Here they are using their own minds. Hence it is that we have "probable" opinions: some theologia ns holding one view, others another view, according as they think they detect the inner depths and reasons of God's mysteries. Hence back to our ques tion: Who indwells? There are two opinions: 1. The indwelling is peculiar and proper to the Holy Ghost. (Just as in the Blessed Sacrament the Real Presence is peculiar and proper to the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, since onl y the Second Person became incarnate.) 2. The indwelling is equally the indwelling of the three Divine Per- sons. though we "appropria te" it (i.e., ta lk of it as though it 'belonged) to the Holy Ghost in a peculiar way . N .B. W e "appropriate" a thing to one Divine Person w hen we talk of it as though it belonged to tha t Divine Person in a particular way , though actua lly it belongs to all Three, e.g., omnipotence and works of power to God the Father (though all Three Persons are omnipotent a nd a ll equally create) ; wisdom a nd its work (the order of the universe ) to God the Son; love and the work of sanctifica tion to God the Holy Ghost. (See article in Cath. Encycl., VoL I. p. 658. "Appropria tion" ; "The Holy T rinity. " l. P. Arendzen, Ch . IX. pp. 19-26: "The Gift of Pentecost," M. Meschler , S.l. , Ch , IV.) 2. Of course , wherever Qne Person of the Blessed T rinity is, there the other Two must be. But the question here is does the presence of sanc- tifying grace give us a new " link" directly with a ll Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity . or directly only w ith the Holy Ghost and only indirec tly w ith the Father a nd the Son. Can we try to picture these two opinions about one of the grea test and deepest mysteries of our faith? Let's see. W e represent God's super- natura l indwelling by the jagged line, and F , S, HG stand for Father. Son , Holy Ghost. In the first graph, an arrow from F. S, HG pointing towards the jagged line indicates that the indwelling is tha t of a ll Three Persons and tha t the " link" is directly w ith a ll three. -21 - EQUAL INDWELLING OF THE THREE PERSONS r--- GOD'S SUPER-NATURAL INDWELLING BODY (THE OVAL. THE ARROWS AND THE LlNE--vtA-SHOULD BE IN RED.) In the second graph, an arrow from HG alone pointing towards the jagged line indicates that the indwelling is proper to the Holy Ghost alone, though the Father and Son are present too, but the "link" is not with them. (That is why the arrows of F and S point away from the jagged line.) INDWELLING PECULIAR TO THE HOLY GHOST (THE OVAL. THE ARROWS AND THE LlNE/V!ASHOULD BE IN RED.) Notanda 1. Mos't theologians hold that the " link" is directly with all Three Divine Persons and that we merely "appropriate" it to the Holy Ghost, though some eminent theologians defend the doctrine of the special indwelI- ing of the Holy Ghost. 2. If the doctrine of the special indwelling of the Holy Ghost is the true doctrine, then: (a) In the Incarnation there is the substantial union of the Second Per- son with human nature; (b) In the indwelling there is the accidental union of the Third Per~ son with human nature. Section III GRACE GROWS 1. Sanctifying grace is not something inert: (a) it is dynamic; (b) it 'grows and increases. I. It is dynamic. This follows immediately from the fact that sanc- tifying grace is a new kind of life (see Sect. I , Pt. II, p . 6). BeiI?g life (vita), it vitalizes and energizes our actions : (a) Sanctifying grace vitalizes our actions. Our actions now have a new power in them, because they have a connection with Heaven, they have a relation to the face-to-face Vision of God. -22- (b) Sanctifying grace energizes our actions because through the infused virtues of faith, hope and charity, and through the Holy Ghost really indwelling within us , we are stirred up and urged on to holier acting and to holier liv ing. 2. It grows and increases. A final amount of sanctifying grace is not put once and for all into the soul by God. At the moment of Baptism (either of water, or of desire ) God does put a certain a mount into the soul. But this increases (a) with every good act we perform; (b) with every temptation w e conquer. Let's try to visualize the growth of grace through the years subsequent to Baptism. W e suppose we have not lost grace. N .B. W e are here try ing to visualize the amount of grace in our souls, not the size of our souls. [ J BAPTISM IOYRS. OLD 20YRS. OLD 50 YRS OLD (FILL IN EACH CONTAINER WITH RED CHALK) Notanda 1. We say "with every good act we perform." Note that these good acts may be: (a) difficult things, e.g., studying, praying, going to Mass, etc. (b) pleasant things, e.g., eating, drinking, playing, dancing, etc. If I study, when I get through, I have more learning in my head and more sanctifying grace in my soul. If I eat a chocolate nut sundae, when I get through I have a chocolate nut sundae inside of me and more sanctifying grace, too. (Cf. "Hard-Headed Holiness" by F . P. LeBuffe, S.J., The Queen's Work,) N.B. To make more certain of this increase a nd to make the increase greater, we should often make an intention (as in the Morning Offering) in order to let God see tha t we want our ac ts to be supernatural , and to increase our own fervor , 2. We ~lso say "with every temptation we conquer. " That is the great consolation when we are tempted, and yet conquer, For then we have more sanctifying grace than before, (It is therefore a sad mistake to be discouraged if temptati~ns come. They are real helps to Heave~ , if we fight and win.) -23- II . "The sky is the limit" for growth in holiness. 1. To each of us Christ said: "Be ye perfect as also your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48)-and God is infinitely holy , holy without any limits. Therefore I can never say that I am as holy as God wants me to be; and then stop trying to be holler. 2. However there is a different way of attaining holiness in each state of life. Since supernatural holiness is sanctifying grace, it is funda- mentally the same in all. But there are different types of holiness according as different virtues are dominant. Let 's try to visualize four major types of holiness, each tending without limit to God (whole graph in ~ed) : C3 ,.. r PRIEST RELIGIOUS MAR RI ED SINGLE N .B. Of course, all other things being equal, a priest and religious have more ,plentiful means of grace a lways at hand and so hdliness should be easier. They are in " the way of perfection." They are, by their state of life, headed straight for God. But married and single folk can reach similar heights. III . Sanctifying grace is the measure of eternal happiness. The a mount of our knowledge and love of God (and consequently our· happiness) throughout all eternity will correspond directly to the amount of sanctifying grace we have in our souls when we die. "Grace measures. glory." ("Glory"' means the face-to-face vision of God.) If A dies with a wine glass full of grace (2 oz.), then A will have a. wine glass full of happiness for all eternity. If B dies with a hogshead full of grace (8,064 oz. ). then B will have a. hogshead full of happiness for all eternity. ~ 0 (2 OZ.) (B,064 OZ) (FILL IN EACH CONTAINER WITH RED CHALK) Notanda , I, Both A and B will be completely happy because each will have alt the happiness that he can hold. Each is full. Yet B will have 4,032 times. -24- the happiness of A! (A hogshead full of water is not more full of water than a wineglass full of water; but it does hold more.) 2. A will not be jealous of B because A will clearly recognize: (i) that B deserves that much happiness: (ii) that A himself has all he can hold. 3. But why won't A be dissatisfied with himself since he knows he too could have had 8,064 oz. of grace and so of eternal happiness? (This will be answered in Heaven. Another reason for getting there!) 1. The practical application to oneself is: get busy, i.e., try to be as holy as you can. And recall: "The sky is the limit" in every walk of life. Section IV MEANS OF GROWTH I N the last section we saw that grace grows and increases. We now con-sider the means of growth in grace, presupposing of course that we already have sanctifying grace in our souls. 'We divide these means into three major divisions, for which we give the strict theological designations and then a popular translation of the same. (See Sect. IX.) Notanda l. It will be best to read through the entire explanation and then come back to study each illustration more closely. The reason for this is that one explanation sheds light on the other. 2. In order that the examples may be valid, we suppose that the per- son has the same amount of good dispositions when he uses each different means of grace. This is essential. So let us suppose that he has good dispositions of 10° sanctifying grace and 10° actual fervor a t the time he uses each means of grace. A. Ex O pere O perantis-"Going It Alone" Here the merit and worth of our action depends immediately on our good dispositions and our cooperation with the grace of God. e.g., we say a kind word, do a kind deed, perform an act of mortification. Then we do get an increas of sanctifying grace, but it is entirely due to our coopera- tion. Hence the theological phrase : ex opere operantis, i.e., "from the work of the one working." We style this in an everyday way-"going it alone." We may visualize this means as an old farm-pump, getting grace from a well or reservoir of sanctifying grace. -25- SANCTIFYING GRACE (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE - - - - IN RED.) Notanda I. Of course there is no reservoir of grace. Each bit of sanctifying grace is produced by God and put immediately into the soul by God. 2. Note we do get an increase of grace but not so much. An old farm-pump is hard to work. This is visualized by the single stream from the pump. B. Ex Opere Operantis Ecciesiae-"Going It With the Church" Here we are dealing with the sacramentals. Being blessed by the Church, when we use them, it is as though we and the Church perform the action. If I bless myself without holy water, the action is meritorious ex opere operantis, i.e., I am "going it alone." But if I bless myself with holy water, I and the Church bless myself, and so the work is ex opere operantis Ecciesiae, i.e., "from the work of the Church working." I am "going it with the Church." Though my dispositions are the same in both cases, I get a greater increase of sanctify ing grace when I use holy water, since the action is more meritorious, because of the co-working Church. Let us visualize this by a faucet which draws from the reservoir of sanc- tifying grace : SANCTIFYING GRACE (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE _ • _ _ IN REO.) With the same good dispositions we get more sanctifying grace, as is v isualized by the larger stream coming out of the faucet , and we get it more easily because a faucet is easier to work than an old farm-pump_ C. Ex Opere Operato-"Going It With Christ" Here we are dealing with the sacraments. The sacraments are the great channels of grace instituted by Christ and they bring about th ir -26- effect "ex opere operato" literally "from the work that is performed." We may translate "ex opere operato" freely and with proper understanding~ "automatically," i.e., if the dispositions are present, the sacraments of themselves increase sanctifying grace in the soul. In order to carryon the popular phraseology~and we say it with all reverence~we are "going it with Christ. " He and we are active in the reception of the Sacraments. Let us try to visualize this by an automatic showerbath which operates by stepping on a level-with-the-floor treadle or platform, thus precluding all but a little effort on our part: (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE •• •• IN RED.) With the same good dispositions we get abundantly more sanctifying grace as is visualized by the plenteous stream coming from the showerbath , and get it more easily through the reception of a sacrament than through the old farm-pump ("going it alone") , or the faucet ("going it with the Church") . Resume In order to completely visualize this fundamental fact of the three major means of growing in grace, let us unite the pictures in one: SANCTIFYING GRACE (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE .. • . IN RED.) , Hence with good dispositions of 10° sanctifying grace and 10° actual fervor at the time of acting: \ \ (a) some increase of grace will be received from saying my beads on my fingers; -27- (b) a larger increase of grace will be received from saying my beads on a pair of blessed beads; (c) a far, far larger increase of grace will be received from receiving Holy Communion or going to Confession, being ordained or get- ting married', etc., etc. Section V GRACE BEFORE CHRIST BEFORE considering the sacraments as the greatest means of growing in grace, we shall consider God's gift of grace in the various theo- logical periods of history. I, Theological Periods of History 1. The Period of Original Justice~the period before the Fall when Adam and Eve still possessed the sanctifying grace God had originally given them. N.B. "Justice" here is roughly the same as grace. 2. The Period of Fallen Nature~the period from the moment of Adam's si~ (not Eve's) until God promised them the Redeemer. N .B. Eve's sin was personal ; Adam's sin was racial. Hence Eve sinned for herself alone; Adam for all of us. 3. The Period of Fallen but Repaired Nature~the period from the time God promised the Redeemer until the end of the world. (We live in this period.) N.B. Human nature is said to have been "repaired" (a) because God did restore to man the . super-natural. destiny that Adam had thrown away; (b) because God gave, gives, and will give, to each man the chance to get sanctifying grace , i.e. , that super-nature which renders us fit to actually attain our super-natural destiny; (c) but God did not restore to mankind all the gifts He had originally given to Adam, e.g., perfect control of the passions, immortality of the body, etc.; (d) hence the state of fallen but repaired nature is not as high as the state of original justice. We may visualize these periods and the fall and restoration thus : -28 - I OR/G-. JUST. FALLEN BUT REPAIRED NATURE FALLEN NAT. (BROKEN LINES IN RED.) Notanda I. We have no least idea of the length of the periods of Origina l Justice and of ,Fallen Nature, because we do not know: (a) how long Adam had lived before he sinned; (b) how long it w as after Ada m's sin before God promised the Redeemer. Presumably however they were both short, especially Period Two. 2. Nor have we a definite idea of the length, up to the present, of the third period, i.e. , of Fallen but Repaired Nature, since we do not know how many thousands of years man has been on this ear.th. And we have no least idea how far away or near the end of the world , may be. II. Grace During These Periods I. In the period of Original Justice, Adam and Eve had sanctifying grace. 2. In the period of the Fall, Adam and Eve had no sanctifying grace, for they had thrown God's gift away by sin. 3. In the period of Fallen but Repaired Na ture, men obtained sanc- tifying a nd actual grace because of Christ's Redemption, i.e., His death on the Cross. But we must note a further division in this period of Fallen but Re- paired Na ture: (a) the period from the time of the promise of the Redeemer up to Christ's death ; (b) the period from Christ's death to the end of the world. We have said tha t all men obtained grace during this period, and that they obtained it because of Christ's meri ts. But they obtained it in a differ- ent way: -29- (a) before Christ's death , men received grace because of the foreseen death a nd merits of Christ; (b) after Christ's death , men receive gra ce because of the actual his- torical death and merits of Christ. The Crucifix ion therefore is literally the dividing point of history. E FROM FORESEEN DEATH ~ I GRACE FROM ACTUAL 0" ~ I Time of the Promise End of the World of the Redeemer (ENTIRE GRAPH IN RED) God in His mercy was willing to let man "draw on," "borrow against" the future merits of Christ; just as a man "draws on," "borrows against" his life insurance or on an inheritance which is due him by a will but which has not been actually paid to him. Notanda 1. It has been stressed that all men received and receive grace from the time God promised the Redeemer. Thus Jews and pagans in the Old Law, Catholics, Protesta nts, Jews and pagans in the New Lawall received , and do receive, and will receive grace, until the end of the world; and every single grace is from Christ. Every holy person through the ages , after the Fall , has been holy through graces given him because of Christ. 2. As to the distribution of grace: (a) grace comes more plentifully in the New Law than in the Old Law; (b) in the Old Law grace came more plentifully to the Jews than to the pagans; (c) in the N ew Law grace comes more plentifully to Catholics than to o thers. III. Means of G race Before Christ 1. All the means which we have a t our disposal ex opere operantis (d. Sect. IV) , were at the disposal of men in pre-Christian times: prayer, a lms-giving, good works, etc. 2. There were sacraments too before Christ and such a sacrament is defined as "an outward sign instituted by God to give grace. " -30- 3. The difference between the sacra ments of the N ew Law and the pre-Christian sacraments, i.e., those of the times before Christ a re many, but two a re important: (a) Christ, the Man-God, instituted our seven sacraments; God, as God, instituted the others; (b) Our sacraments actually cause grace; the others were merely con- ditions of grace (Just as an act of perfect contrition or of perfect love is now a "condition" for receiving God's grace, If we are in the state of mortal sin and cannot get to confession.) W e may visualize these differences thus: GOD ~ PRE' CHRISTIAN SACRAMENTS GRACE CHRIST ~ SEVEN SACRAMENTS GR.ACE (ENTIRE GRAPH IN RED) , N .B. An example will make clear the difference between a "cause" and a "condition": the glass in my window is the "condition" whereby sun- light comes into my room , but the sun is the "cause" of the light. IV, Kinds of Sacraments Before Christ Here we must again mark off different theological periods within the general period which we have called the period of Fallen but Repaired Nature and indicate the sacraments peculiar to each period. 1. During the period from the Fall until Abraham, which period is called "The Sta te of the Law of Na ture ." At tha t time there was a "Sacra- ment of Nature," which w as some act of reverence to God on the part or the parent whereby a child was freed from original sin. 2. During the period from Abraham to Moses there was the Sacra- ment of Circumcision for Jewish male infants, the "Sacrament of Nature" continuing for Jewish female infants and for a ll pagan children. 3. During the period from Moses to Christ, which period is called "The Old Testament" or "The Old Law" or "The Mosaic Law," there were many sacraments: (a) circumcision-prefiguring Baptism; -31- (b) ceremonies of ordination of Levites and priests~prefiguring O r- ders; (c) ceremonies and sacrifices of expia tion and penance~prefiguring Penance; (d) ceremonies such as the eating of the Paschal La mb and the loaves of propitiation~prefiguring the Eucharist. N .B. One of the best treatises in English on sacraments before the New Law is in Pohle-Preuss. "The Sacra ments. r ' Pt.!. Ch . I. Sec. 2. See also "Cath. Encyclopedia,' Vol. XIII . pp. 295-296. "Sacraments. " Recall again that these sacraments differed essentially from our sacra- ments in that they were not instituted by Christ and were only "conditions" not causes of the sanctify ing grace received. Section VI THE GREAT MEANS OF GROWTH I N Section IV we noted tha t by far the most efficacious way to increase sanctifying grace in our souls is through the sacraments w hich Christ has given to His Church. A. Sacrament A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. The giving of grace is the whole reason for thei r existence. Some (Baptism a nd Penance) have as their explicit purpose to give sanctifying grace to a soul in mortal sin . though they will increase sanctifying grace in a soul a lready possessing it . (These two sacraments are called sacraments of the dead. i.e .. of those dead in the super-natural order by reason of the dead-ly [mortal) sin.) All the others have as their explicit purpose to increase sanctifying gra ce in a soul and hence they presuppose its presence in the soul of the recipient. (Hence all these sacraments are called sacraments of the living . i.e .. of those alive super-na tura lly through sanctify ing grace.) B. Effect of a Sacrament However the effect of a sacrament is not one simple thing . W e should speak rather of the effects of a sacrament. What are these effects? 1. The prima ry and immediate effect of a sacrament is twofold: (a) sanctifying grace . i.e .. tha t new super-nature which God has deigned to give us; (b) a right or claim to have God give us actual graces " to a ttain the end for which He instituted each sacrament." 2. The secondary a nd media te effect of a sacrament is a series of actua l graces. - 32 - These are given us as the need arises in our lives " to attain the end for which He instituted each sacrament. " These are the "sacramental" graces of which the Catechism speaks. We may visualize these effects thus: SACRAMENT IMMEDIATE' EFFECT (ENTIRE GRAPH IN REO) Notanda SANCTIFYING GRAC'E RIGHT TO ACTUAL GRACES I ACTUAL GRACES I 1. In the folloWing sections we shall explain " the end for which H e instituted each sacrament" and shall indicate the different kinds of actual gr~ces given for the attainment of the different end or purpose of each sacrament. . 2. The right to actual graces is a real claim on God, granted us through His mercy, to have Him grant us these actual graces. If we have received the sacrament we have a right to the graces. If we have not o:eceived the sacrament, we have no claim on God, though He may give them in His mercy. Fo~ example, if I have been anointed I have a right to the actual graces to bear the cross of my sickness well and hoUly. 3. This right to actual graces and the length of time during which we rece ive such graces varies according as a sacrament is repeatable, i.e., may be received only o~ce or more than once. (a) In Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders the right and the reception of actual graces lasts as long as life lasts. (b) In Marriage they last until one party dies and until all duties are fulfilled as to upbringing of children. (c) In Extreme Unction they last until death or until one has definitely recovered. (d) In P nance and Holy Eucharist it is difficult to say how long they last, though it is certain that they last for a time only. Hence it is advisable to receive these last two sacraments frequently so that the right may be renewed and thus we shall not " run out" of these actual graces. -33- Section VII THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL I N THE preceding section we spoke of the immediate and mediate effects of the sacraments and indicated that there was a difference in their effects according to the different purpose of each sacrament. A . Immediate Effect The immediate and permanent effect of a ny sacrament is sanctifying grace. This sanctifying grace does not differ in itself from the sanctifying grace tha t is received ex opere operantis or ex opere operantis Ecc1esiae (Cf. Section IV). There is only one kind of sanctifying grace , whether it comes to us sacramentally or non-sacramentally. But the sanctifying grace received through a sacrament implies, con- notes (has "tied in with it") something that sanctifying grace, otherwise received, does not imply (has not "tied in with it"). Sacramentally-received sanctifying grace has "tied in with it" a "right" to actual graces. (See preceding Section.) NON· SACRAMENTAL SANCTIFYIN(j GRACE SACRAMENTAL RIGHT TO , - SANCTIFYING GRACE ACTUAL GRACES (WHOLE C. ... APH IN IUD) And it is precisely this right that differs in each sacrament. Each sacra- ment according to its different purposes gives a right to a different kind of actua l grace. B. Mediate Effect Hence, to realize and to visualize these differences, we must try to ~ealize and visualize the different purposes and the different actual graces to wihch each sacrament gives a right. -34 - N.B. This graph must be read in conjunction with the explanation of each individua l sacrament in Section VIII . Otherwise its brevity will be confusing and misleading. DI FFERENCES IN THE SACRAMENTS SACRA~ ENT PURPOSE SAHCTlfY I N~ GRAll Ric,HT ACTUAL GRACES BAPTI S M SUPERNATURAL 0 00000 0 ETC. L,F E CON F I R~"T I OH DEFENSE OF FAIT H W J, J, J, J, J, J, If( HOLY EUCHARIST NOUR IS HMENT D t; t; t; t; c. c. ETC PENANCE ORDII"VM &OLS IN REO.) Of course. the whole v isualiza tion is a simplifica tion (but. it is hoped. not an over-simplifica tion) of a grea t deal of doctrine and should be read and studied only in conjunction with the subsequent sections where each sacrament will receive individual trea tment. Here the major aspects only o f the graph are noted: I . E ach sacrament has a different purpose. 2. All sacraments give the same kind of sanctifying grace (there being one only kind) . 3. The " right" differs according to the purpose of the sacrament. 4. The a tual graces that come because of that " right" · differ in like manner. C. Fitness of SEVEN Sacraments Christ. of course. could have instituted as many sacraments as He pleased. but there seems to be a special fitness in "seven," corresponding super-naturally to the needs of our individual a nd social natural lives: - 35- NATURAL SUPER-NATURAL Individual Birth « » Baptism Life Growth « » Confirmation Nourishment « » Holy Eucharist Ordinary Remedies « » Penance Extraordinary Remedies «---» Extreme Unction Social Government « » Holy Orders Life Marriage « » Sacramental Marriage (Pohle-Preuss, "Sacraments, I." pp. 44-51 , is excellent on this subject of the fi tness of "seven." ) Section VIII THE SACRAMENTS INDIVIDUALLY I N Section VII we considered the sacraments in general, indicating tha t each one (a) has a precise, different purpose, and gives (b) sanc- tifying grace; (c) a right to actual graces in keeping with the purpose of the individual sacrament; (d) these actual graces as they are needed. We shall now consider each sacrament individually so as to get a deeper knowledge of the wonderful means of grace God has given us. Our trea t- ment will be under the four headings just indicated. N .B. Since we are considering how to teach sanctifying grace, and that only, we shall omit all consideration of the "character" imprinted on ou,r souls by the three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. I. Baptism Let us first recall the graph : BAPTISM SUPERNATURAL LIFE 1. The Purpose of Baptism o OOOOOom. In the graph this is indicated to be the gift of Supernatural Life. But this simple expression of its purpose may and should be further evolved. Being the sacrament of spiritual birth, the foundation sacrament~for without it none other is valid~it does three things: (a) it gives the superna tural life , which is sanctify ing. grace, thus remitting original sin; (b) it gives fa ith, i.e., it brings to the soul of the recipient the "infused" v irtue of faith. God, Himself, through the sacrament, gives to the soul an abiding principle (habit) of faith , whereby (1) we habitually believe the truths of the Catholic faith ; -36- (2) we have the constant ability to make acts of faith . N.B. In the case of non-baptized adults, the abiding virtue of faith may be granted by God before Baptism. (c) it admits the baptized person to membership in the visible Church , i.e. , into the Mystical Body. N.B. We do not know whether Our Blessed Mother was baptized or not. She could have been baptized for the third reason; she could not be for the first or second since she had grace and faith from the moment of her Immaculate Conception. 2. Sanctifying Grace from Baptism Being a "'sacrament of the dead"' _ its direct purpose is to remove original sin (which, it is recalled, is a deprivation [lack] of sanctifying grace due to Adam's sin, d . Section I, Pt. II , at the end) by the infusion of sanctifying grace. If sanctifying grace is already in the soul because of Baptism of Desire , i.e., an act of perfect love or of perfect contrition, then it increases sanctifying grace. 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose of Baptism is to give us supernatural life and make us members of the Mystical Body, the ac tual graces, to which we receive a right, are actual graces to keep that life and retain membership in the visible <;::hurch. This right lasts throughout life. 4. Actual Graces From Baptism Hence throughout life precisely because we have been baptized, we receive actual graces (a) to make acts of faith; (b) to repel temptations against faith; (c) to act becomingly as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. II. Confirmation First let us recall the graph: CON FIRMATIO DEFENSE OF FAITH 1. Purpose of Confirmation This is well expressed in the words of the catechism: "' Confirmation is a sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. " -37- It is the sacrament of super-natural growth: (a) we become strong and perfect Christians, developing and perfect- ing our own individual faith ; (b) we become "defenders of the faith ," i.e., soldiers fighting in upbuild- ing and defending the Mystical Body. N .B. It is for this latter reason that Confirmation is rightly called " the Sacrament of Catholic Action." (Cf. Fr. Lord's pamphlet under that title. ) 2. Sanctifying Grace From Confirmation Being a "sacrament of the living, " Confirmation pre-supposes the presence of grace in the soul of the recipient. N .B. Remember that this sanctifying grace is the same kind as received from Baptism but the "right" tied in w ith it is different. 3. Ri'ght to Actual Graces The purpose of Confirmation being an increased strength and vigor in our spiritual life and an increased and increasing alacrity in the further- ance a nd defense of the Church, we. receive a right to have God give us those graces when and as we need them. This right lasts through life. 4. Actual Graces from Confirmation Hence throughout life, precisely because we have been confirmed, we receive actual graces: (a) to "grow up" as Catholics, and not remain infantile, sub-normal members of the Church. (b) to be militant Catholics (I) defending the Church "against all comers"; (2) trying, according to our ability and opportunity, to make known the truths of faith; (3) trying, according to our ability and opportunity, to gain new members, i.e ., make converts. N .B. 1. This increased vigor and increased alacrity suppose a cor- responding growth in the knowledge and understanding of our faith, An ignorant, untrained soldier is at best a liability, at worst L' menace. 2. If one, not confirmed, would seek to be a Ca tholic Actionist, his first duty would be to receive Confirmation. -38- • III. Holy Eucharist ~T us first recall the graph: HOLY EUCHARIST NOURISHMENT A A A A AA ETC. 1. The Purpose of the Holy Eucharist This is beautifully expressed by the Council of Trent (Session XII, Ch. II): "And He would also that this sacrament should be received as the spiritual food of souls, whereby may be fed and strengthened those who live with His life Who said: -'He that eateth me, the same a lso shall live by me'; and as an antidote, whereby we may be freed from daily faults and be preserved from mortal sins." We have expressed this purpose briefly as "Nourishment." 2. Sanctifying Grace From the Holy Eucharist Being a sacrament of the living , and so presupposing the presence of sanctifying grace in the reCipient the precise purpose of the Holy Eucharist is to increase sanctifying grace. N.B. Since the Holy Eucharist not only gives grace but is really and truly and substantially Christ Himself , the G iver of all graces, it is the greatest of all the sacraments: (a) because it is Christ; (b) because, given the same dispositions, more graces will be received from the Holy Eucharist than from any other sacrament, precisely because it is Christ; (c) because a ll the other sacraments are to the Holy Eucharist what rivulets are to the fountain from which they flow. (See G. Ellard, S.J., "Christian Life and Worship," Revised Edi- tion, Ch. XIX, p. 280.) 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose of the Holy Eucharist is to nourish our souls, to give us life and to g!ve it more abundantly, the right we receive from it is the right to actual graces which will further that nourishment. N .B. Since Holy Communion may be received frequently, even daily , this right is not a permanent right (as in Baptism and Confirmation) but lasts for a time only. How long? No one knows. (This is an addec;l reason for frequent Communion.) - 39- 4. Actual Graces From the Holy Eucharist Hence subsequent to the actual reception of the Holy Eucharist. we receive actual graces: (a) to unite us more closely to Christ by love; (b) to increase all virtues in our soul; (c) to relish the things of God. just as earthly food has a relish (this relish is in the will, not the emotions); (d) to blot out venial sins. and preserve from mortal sin; (e) to actually effect our salvation since it is "a means of securing immortality and an antidote against death, " (Pohle-Preuss. "The Sacra ments 11." P t. II , Ch . II . pp . 218-234. is splendid.) IV. Penance Let us first recall the graph: OrU)lNAII.Y CUR.E r r r r r r ET(', 1. The Purpose of Penance The Council of Trent (Sess, XIV. Canon I) states the purpose suc- ctntly. saying that Penance " is a sacrament. instituted by Christ our Lord for reconciling the faithful into God. as often as they fall into sin a fter Baptism ." We have indicated this purpose as the "ordinary spiritual cure" since we may have recourse to it as often as we like; whereas Extreme Unction is the "extra-ordinary ,spiritual cure" reserved for serious illness and approaching death, 2. Sanctifying Grace From Penance Penance is a "sacrament of the dead" for its prima ry purpose is to cinctly. saying that Penance " is a sacrament. insti tuted by Christ our Lord the presence of sanctifying grace in the soul of thc penitent, However. if one has sanctifying grace. Penance will increase it. since Penance a lways gives grace. N .B. Since the forgiveness of venial sins can be had without Pen- ance. the precise reasons for frequent confession by those leading good lives are: (a) an increase of sanctifying grace ; (b) strength against temptation; -40- (c) remission of temporal punishment; (d) proper guidance (hence the advisability of a fixed confessor) . 3. Right to Actual Graces The precise purpose of Penance is curative. medicinal. But unlike the medicines that we have for o ur bodies. it can cure the soul from dea th itself. i.e .. from mortal sin. (Every time a man in mortal sin goes to Con- fession there is a resurrection from the dead far more marvelous than any bodily resurrection.) Of course it cures. too. from the lesser ills of the soul. i.e .. venial sins and imperfections. 4. Actual Graces from Penance. Subsequent to the ac tua l reception of the sacrament of Penance we receive a ctual graces: (a) to heal the damage inflic ted on our souls by our sins ; (b) to conquer the temptations to which we have yielded before. Hence one of the surest ways to overcome an inveterate and ingrained "habit of sin" is to go to confession frequently , because thereby we get more and more actual graces to win the victory. The sicker a man is the more medicine he needs. N.B. A s in the case of the Holy Eucharist, so too in Penance. this right to actual graces lasts only for a time. Again, we do not know how long this righ t lasts. Hence more frequent confession is advisable the more we find ourselves subject to sinful tendencies. V. Extreme Unction Let us first reca ll the graph : EnREM£ UmloN EXTII.A-ORD. CURE x )( X X X X X ETC. 1. The Purpose of Extreme Unction The purpose of Extreme Unction is manifold: (a) The healing and strengthening of the soul during a serious illness and at the hour of death. This is the primary effect of the sacra- ment. (b) The r mission of sins. (c) The remission of the temporal punishment. (d) The cleansing of " the remains of sin." (e) Restoration of bodily health. -41- (See Pohle-Preuss, "Sacraments IV," Pt. I, Ch. 1, pp. 24-31 ; Kilker, "Extreme Unction," Ch. I, pp. 28-42. N.B. Kilker's book [Herder] is the most complete treatise in English.) All these purposes can be summed up in the beautiful words of Father Kilker (pp. 22-23): "The end of Extreme Unction then can be said to be the complete sanitation of the soul together with its immediate entrance into glory, unless the restitution of bodily health is more expedient . .. It must remove all our disabilities and restore to our anemic souls the ruddy glow of grace that shone in them immediately after Baptism." (Cf. "Purgatory," by Bartmann [Burns, Oates], Pt. II , Ch. 8, pp. 216-221. An excellent and consoling book.) .We have briefly indicated this manifold purpose as the "extra-ordinary spiritual cure" of the soul because it is reserved "to the sick, but to those especially who .. . seem about to depart from this life ." 2. Sanctifying Grace From Extreme Unction - Extreme Unction is a sacrament of the living, and so. presupposing the presence of sanctifying grace, the precise purpose of the sacrament is to increase sanctifying grace. N,B, Though primarily a sacrament of the living, Extreme Unction will remit mortal sins if such actually happen to be present when it is received: "If a dying man were unable to confess his sins and had at least imperfect contrition." (Pohle-Preuss. "The Sacraments IV," p. 32.) 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose is manifold, the right we receive in Extreme Unction is a right to the manifold actual graces to bring about these effects. 4. Actual Graces From Extreme Unction Subsequent to the reception of Extreme Unction. we receive manifold actual graces (for the above purposes) just so long as the serious illness lasts or until death comes. Notanda Extreme Unction is unfortunately "the Cinderella of the sacraments" and too many devout Catholics have almost a dread of receiving it (though any priest will affirm that when the time of reception actually comes every Catholic receives the sacrament with great peace of soul) . Therefore we note a few important doctrines. 1. Extreme Unction should be received when one is " in danger of .death from sickness or old age." (a) It should be received as soon as there is "danger of death"; and there is danger of death when one is suffering from a disease which of its nature brings a prudently probable danger of death. - 42- (b) It should be received when one is old and there is "a prudently probable danger of death arising from the weaknesses which now afflict him." (Kilker, p. 185.) The reasons for receiving this sacrament "as soon as" the danger is present, are: (a) We receive the actua l graces proper to the sacrament from the moment of reception. For example : If I can be anointed on Febru- ary 1, why wait until March 1, and thus deprive myself of all the rich graces I could have received during that period? (b) Some theologians hold that cure of the body is effected by "a psychic redundance:' if we may so put it, i.e., "Extreme Unction, by relieving anxiety. banishing fear, giving comfort. and inspir- ing confidence in God's mercy and humble resignation to His will. reacts favorably on the physica l condition of the patient. " (Pohle- Preuss, p . 33.) If the sacrament is conferred on a near-corpse, the supernaturally-strengthened mind and will can effect little. N.B. It is an admitted fact in medicine tha t a strong-willed man will survive an illness where a weak-willed man succumbs. 2. Because of the time-difference between "apparent" death and "real" death, even though a person be dead, send for a priest and let him decide whether the sacrament can be given or not. (See Kilker, pp. 210-223.) (a ) "Apparent" death is the cessation of all detectible signs of life: detectible breathing. detectible heartbeat, etc. This is actually a state of deep unconsciousness from which "real" death normally results. (b) "Real " death is the separation of soul from body. (Advanced decomposition of the body is the only known certain sign of death.) (c) Between "apparent" dea th and "real" death there is a time-differ- ence: (1) rather brief in the case of lingering, wasting diseases; (2) long (even amounting to hours) in the case of sudden death coming to one in otherwise normal health . . (d) Since the man is still alive until "real" death sets in, he is a fit subject for anointing. (Because of a large margin of doubt as to th time-difference in each individual case, the sacrament is conferred conditionally, i.e., " if you are alive.") 3. There is no finer way to get the right Catholic attitude to death (and hence to the immediate preparation for death through Extreme Unc- tion) than by a thorough acquaintance with the Church's official . exquisite -43- "Pray,ers for the Dying." Most of us never hear them except in our own serious illness or in that of loved ones; and at such times we may follow them with difficulty. While sound in mind and body, we ought to read and reflect on them. (See LeBuffe's "Prayers for the Dying" which is Number Five, in the " Let Us Pray" Series, The Queen's Work.) VI. Holy Orders Let us first recall the graph: HOLY OP.Df~5 GOVERNMENT D 1. The Purpose of Holy Orders o OD OD C nco The purpose of Holy Orders is as we have said the "government" of the Church. This "government" must not be considered in its narrow meaning of administrative and executive functions only, but in the large sense of managing and administering the whole spiritual life of the Church. As St: Thomas says (Summa 3, quo 65, art. I , corp'., Vol. 17, pp. 82, 83, English translation), when carrying out the parallel between the natural and the super-natural life (see above Sect. VII, at end): "In regard to the whole community, man is perfected in two ways. First by receiving power to rule the community and to exercise public acts: and corresponding to this -in the spiritual life there is the sacrament of Order, according to the saying of Heb . VII, 27, that priests offer sacrifice not for themselves only, but also for the people. Secondly in regard to natural propagation this is accomplished by matrimony both in the corporal and in the spiritual life: since it is not only a sacrament but also a func- tion of nature." Hence the purpose of Orders is the conferring of powers for the im- planting, unfolding, growth, nourishment a nd repair of the spiritual life of the members of the Church through the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, preaching, e tc ., etc. Moreover, since the sacrament is not repeatable this right lasts thf0ughout life. 2. Sanctifying Grace From Holy Orders Holy Orders is· a sacrament of the living, and thus it gives an increase of sanctifying grace to the soul which already possesses it. 3. Right to Actual Graces At the moment of Ordination the young priest receives a right to have God give him throughout life the actual graces he needs to be a holy . zealous priest. -44- 4. Actual Graces Hence subsequent to the actual reception of Orders the priest receives actual graces to perform each and every function of his priestly life well . And the graces come to him throughout life ' whenever he is called upon to act precisely as a priest. VII. Matrimony Let us first recall the graph: T T T l' T l' HC. 1. The Purpose of Matrimony The natural purpose of matrimony is the establishment of an enduring community of life between one man and one woman for the fitting pro- creation and education of children and for mutual love and aid. The super-natural purpose of the sacrament of matrimony is that grace "might perfect that natural love a nd confirm that indissoluble union . and sanctify the married." Council of Trent. Sess. XXIV.) This super-naturally sanctified love of husband and wife has been taken by Christ as a symbol of His love for His spouse. the Church. (Eph. 5:25-33.) Notanda 1. The bride and groom are the ministers of the sacrament. 2. Since the groom confers the sacrament on the bride. the {irst gift he gives her as his wife is an increase of sanctifying grace which is one of the greatest gifts even God Himself can give. And so the bride to the groom. What a thrilling thought for a young couple! 3. In the case of a marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person (and frequently Protestant baptisms are invalidly administered) there probably :s no sacrament ( though there is a valid marriage). H ence in such a marriage the Catholic party probably deprives himself (or herself) of all the graces that would Row from this particular Sacrament. 4. Matrimony is a sacrament which a priest. according to the present law of priestly celibacy. cannot administer. At the marriage ceremony. he is merely the authorizing witness. -45- 2. Sanctifying Grace From. Matrimony Matrimony is a sacrament of the living. and so bride and groom are supposed to be in the state of grace when they marry. H ence matrimony increases sanctifying grace in their souls. 3. Right to Actual Graces From Matrimony Since this sacrament cannot be repeated while either partner is a live . the right to actual graces lasts throughout life until the marriage is dis- solved by death. Even after the death of one partner . the right to actual gra ces for the proper upbringing of the children lasts on. Since the purpose of marriage (see quotation from St. Thomas under Orders) is the propagation a nd educa tion of children and the mutual help and comfort o( man and woman in their closely a ssociated life. the right to actual graces conferred by the sacra ment of ma trimony is a right to actual graces : (1) to fulfill God's law with rega rd to the conception and birth of children; (2) to enjoy and sanctify their pleasures (even their carnal pleas- ures) . and to carry the burdens of married life in a holy way ; (3) to cherish each other and to grow in the love of each other. putting up with the inevitable defects that exist in every human being ; (4) to bring up the children in a way worthy of their human nature and worthy too of their super-na tura l destiny. N .B. A quotation from the letter of a young wife on the fourth anni- versary of her wedding seems fit ting : "It seems to me tha t our life toge ther gets happier every year~not tha t it was unhappy to sta rt with! But we are really so different from one a nother tha t I think it takes a while to thoroughly know one anothe r~and indeed onese lf ." Certainly grace was working there ! 4. Actual Graces From the Sacrament of Matrimony H ence throughout their lives husband and wife. who la ter become father and mother. are continua lly helped by God with actual graces which come to them as their due because of the sacrament with which they sea led the very beginning of their united lives. In a very literal sense the sacra- ment makes them each to each. and they and the children each to each. "keepsakes for H eaven." N.B. All this is bea utifully expressed in the " Instruction before Mar- ria ge" which is contained in the small Ritual and begins : "My dear friend s. you are about to enter into a union which is most sacred and serious." etc. -46 - Section IX SANCTIFYING GRACE FROM THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS When we discussed the "M eans of Growth" (Sect. IV) we made no mention of the Sacrifice of the Mass because it does not fit exactly into , lll y one of the three headings there mentioned: (a) It does not give sanctifying grace as do the sacraments ex opere opera to; nor does it give sanctifying grace immediately. (b ) Yet in the Mass Christ offers Himself and so we in the Mass and th rough the Mass "go it with Christ." (c) What is immediately effected by the Mass ex opere operato is impetration of actual graces from God and propitiation for our sins. precisely by the offering of Christ Himself as Victim. (d ) This immediate effect or ra ther immediate effects· are called the "fruits" of the Mass . . These fruits are: (1) general, i.e.. those graces which are given to all mankind. since it is a renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross when Christ died for all. These "general" fruits are gained in a special way by C atholics (see "e" below) and in a very special way by those who actually attend the Mass. (2) special, i.e .. those graces which a re given to the precise person or persons for whom the Mass is offered; (3) personal (or very special). i.e .. those graces which come to the priest himself who offers the M ass. These come to him entirely apart from a ny special worthiness or holiness of his own. (c ) Besides these ex-opere-operato (automatically-given) graces. all may receive special actual graces from God because of the special fervor w ith w hich they assist a t Mass or unite themselves with Masses which a re being offered but at which they cannot be pres- ent. These graces are ex opere operantis Ecc/esiae because "we and the Church," as the M ystical Body of Christ. offer the Mass. whether we are present or not. Of course the graces are abundant and superabundant precisely because the Mass is the renewal and continuation of the Sacrifice of the Cross; but it depends on us whether these graces are actuall y effective or not. Plainly. we may use or reject the graces. Notanda I . We are speaking here of the fruits of the Mass precisely as the Mass. If one receives Holy Communion a t Mass-as one should if possible - then besides a ll these graces which come from the Holy Eucha rist as a sacrifice, one receives all the other graces which come from it as a sacra- ment. -47 - 2. W e do not here