The Effects of Grace: Part III
The effects of grace in Mary and in Christians
In the previous article, we examined the instances where the word grace was used, both in the Old as well as the New Testament. Now, let us consider the effects of grace. When describing the effects of divine favor, Scripture first speaks of the outward and general effects, but as time progresses, it describes the penetrating and expansive nature of grace, with its particular effects on the soul. The Old Testament initially presents the favor of being God’s chosen people, living in the covenant of *hesed* with YHWH, from the beginning: “Then Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you, concerning all these words'” (Ex 24:8). We recall that sprinkling blood signifies the sprinkling of life, for life is in the blood: “For the life of a creature is in its blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar, to make expiation for your lives, for it is the blood that makes atonement for life” (Lev 17:11). Indeed, God binds Himself to His people as relatives are bound to each other through blood, and also as a *go’el* (redemer) who is committed to the covenant to save the people from their weaknesses. In this context, we see the Old Testament witnessing to the effects of divine favor. The most general term is *berakâ* (blessing), by which man receives joy, strength, fullness of life, and a special relationship with God. Occasionally, we can find the sense of wisdom that makes one spiritually perfect.In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), *káris* appears only in Luke, eight times, but with a meaning similar to that of the Old Testament. The image of grace then appears in the Synoptics as follows:God who invites man to belong to His Kingdom: “Jesus spoke again in parables to the priests and elders of the people, saying: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to call the guests to the feast, but they refused to come. He then sent out other servants with this command: ‘Tell the guests: I have prepared the feast, the oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the feast!’ But the guests paid no attention; some went to their fields, others to their business, and some seized the servants, beat them, and killed them. The king became angry and sent his troops to kill those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants: ‘The feast is ready, but the guests were not worthy of it. So go to the crossroads and invite everyone you find to the feast.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both good and bad. And the feast hall was filled with guests. When the king entered to see the guests, he noticed a man not dressed in wedding attire, and asked him: ‘My good man, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was silent. Then the king said to those serving: ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the darkness! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mt 22:1-14)The invitation to the New Covenant: “For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:28)Belonging to God as children: “Therefore, pray thus: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'” (Mt 6:9-10)The need to imitate God: “Therefore, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48)And the promise of bearing much fruit: “Thus every good tree bears good fruit, and every bad tree bears bad fruit” (Mt 7:17). “The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along the path and was trampled underfoot. And the birds of the air ate it. Some fell on rocky places, and it sprang up, but because it had no moisture, it withered away. Some fell among thorns, and as it grew, the thorns choked it. But some fell on good soil. It sprang up and bore fruit, even a hundredfold” (Lk 8:4-15). After this, he exclaimed, “Whoever has ears, let them hear!” His disciples asked for an explanation of the parable. Jesus said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. But to others, it is given through parables, so that, looking, they may not perceive, and hearing, they may not understand. The parable means this: the seed is the Word of God. Those who fall along the path are those who hear, but the Devil comes immediately and snatches away the Word from their hearts, so that they do not believe and are not saved. Those who fall on the rocks are those who hear and receive the Word with joy, but they have no root, and when temptation comes, they fall away. Those who fall among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go along, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not mature. But those who fall on good soil are those who, with a good and generous heart, hear and hold fast to the Word and bear fruit through perseverance.”When we look at the non-Pauline letters, therefore James, Jude, and Peter, we see the predominance of the Old Testament vision that describes the interior grace’s effects, taking as law and as wisdom. Some concepts are present in Peter’s letters, which speak of grace’s effects as:Reincarnation: “Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Participation in the divine nature already in this life: “Through them, we have obtained access to the grace in which we stand, and we glory in hope of the glory of God. Above all, we have obtained access to this grace through faith, as it has been given to us by the Spirit of God, which is poured out on us in abundance” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
In the previous article, we examined the instances where the word grace was used, both in the Old as well as the New Testament. Now, let us consider the effects of grace. When describing the effects of divine favor, Scripture first speaks of the outward and general effects, but as time progresses, it describes the penetrating and expansive nature of grace, with its particular effects on the soul. The Old Testament initially presents the favor of being God’s chosen people, living in the covenant of *hesed* with YHWH, from the beginning: “Then Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you, concerning all these words'” (Ex 24:8). We recall that sprinkling blood signifies the sprinkling of life, for life is in the blood: “For the life of a creature is in its blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar, to make expiation for your lives, for it is the blood that makes atonement for life” (Lev 17:11). Indeed, God binds Himself to His people as relatives are bound to each other through blood, and also as a *go’el* (redemer) who is committed to the covenant to save the people from their weaknesses. In this context, we see the Old Testament witnessing to the effects of divine favor. The most general term is *berakâ* (blessing), by which man receives joy, strength, fullness of life, and a special relationship with God. Occasionally, we can find the sense of wisdom that makes one spiritually perfect.In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), *káris* appears only in Luke, eight times, but with a meaning similar to that of the Old Testament. The image of grace then appears in the Synoptics as follows:God who invites man to belong to His Kingdom: “Jesus spoke again in parables to the priests and elders of the people, saying: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to call the guests to the feast, but they refused to come. He then sent out other servants with this command: ‘Tell the guests: I have prepared the feast, the oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the feast!’ But the guests paid no attention; some went to their fields, others to their business, and some seized the servants, beat them, and killed them. The king became angry and sent his troops to kill those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants: ‘The feast is ready, but the guests were not worthy of it. So go to the crossroads and invite everyone you find to the feast.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both good and bad. And the feast hall was filled with guests. When the king entered to see the guests, he noticed a man not dressed in wedding attire, and asked him: ‘My good man, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was silent. Then the king said to those serving: ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the darkness! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mt 22:1-14)The invitation to the New Covenant: “For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:28)Belonging to God as children: “Therefore, pray thus: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'” (Mt 6:9-10)The need to imitate God: “Therefore, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48)And the promise of bearing much fruit: “Thus every good tree bears good fruit, and every bad tree bears bad fruit” (Mt 7:17). “The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along the path and was trampled underfoot. And the birds of the air ate it. Some fell on rocky places, and it sprang up, but because it had no moisture, it withered away. Some fell among thorns, and as it grew, the thorns choked it. But some fell on good soil. It sprang up and bore fruit, even a hundredfold” (Lk 8:4-15). After this, he exclaimed, “Whoever has ears, let them hear!” His disciples asked for an explanation of the parable. Jesus said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. But to others, it is given through parables, so that, looking, they may not perceive, and hearing, they may not understand. The parable means this: the seed is the Word of God. Those who fall along the path are those who hear, but the Devil comes immediately and snatches away the Word from their hearts, so that they do not believe and are not saved. Those who fall on the rocks are those who hear and receive the Word with joy, but they have no root, and when temptation comes, they fall away. Those who fall among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go along, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not mature. But those who fall on good soil are those who, with a good and generous heart, hear and hold fast to the Word and bear fruit through perseverance.”When we look at the non-Pauline letters, therefore James, Jude, and Peter, we see the predominance of the Old Testament vision that describes the interior grace’s effects, taking as law and as wisdom. Some concepts are present in Peter’s letters, which speak of grace’s effects as:- Salvation: “This salvation has been the subject of inquiry and meditation by the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was intended for you” (1 Pet 1:10).
- Light: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet 2:9).
- Santification: “He has chosen you not because you did good, but because he loved you and chose you, to be his holy people, without stain or flaw” (1 Pet 1:16).
The Johannine writings speak of the effects of grace as light and truth, but also as:
- Passage from death to life: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14).
- Abundant sharing in Christ’s life: “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
- Spiritual rebirth: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. But whoever enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:1-2).
- One who lives the divine life cannot sin: “Everyone who abides in me and my words, if they obey them, will not walk in sin. For my Father’s will is that you should abide in me, as I also abide in you. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you” (John 15:9-14).
- The Father and the Son make their dwelling in him: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14:23).
- The Holy Spirit also makes its dwelling: “We know that we are in him, and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit” (1 John 4:13).
The true scribe of the effects of grace is Saint Paul in his Epistles. The Apostle to the Gentiles speaks of these effects as:
- A progressive transformation: “We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may discern what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect” (Romans 12:2). The man dedicated to the mystery of Christ becomes a new creation: «Being or not being circumcised does not matter. What matters is being a new creation» (Gal 6,15). «Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come» (2 Cor 5,17).The Christian becomes a temple of God: «Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple. You are the temple of Christ, and Christ is of God» (1 Cor 3,16-17).Living as a member of Christ: «Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Could I, for example, make the members of Christ members of a prostitute? Never! Your bodies are members of Christ, and Christ is of God» (1 Cor 6,15).The faithful is a son of the Father: «All who are guided by the Spirit of God are children of God. Indeed, you have not received a spirit of slavery, leading to fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption, by which we cry out, «Abba, Father»! The very Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together» (Rom 8,14-17). «For all who believe in Christ Jesus are children of God» (Gal 3,26).The Christian is not constrained by the external Law of Moses, but is moved interiorly by the Spirit of God: «For we have died to the Law through the body of Christ, so as to belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order to bear fruit for God. For since we have been set free from the Law through Christ’s death, we should no longer be slaves to it, but should serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the letter» (Rom 7,4-6). «All who are guided by the Spirit of God are children of God. […] The Spirit comes to our aid in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And the Father, who examines the hearts, knows what is the will of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to God’s will» (Rom 8,14.26-27).Grace allows the faithful not only to perform good works exteriorly, but also to make them a deep act of interior will when God acts in them: «God is the one who produces in you both the desire and the doing, according to his good will» (Phil 2,13).
- In Christ, Christians find their foundation for every good thought: “For we are not able of ourselves to give anything as coming from us. Our ability comes from God” (2 Cor 3:5)
- There is a distinction between the effects of grace that are accessible to all and those that are superior: “Aspire to the higher gifts. And I will show you yet a more excellent way” (1 Cor 12:31)
As we have seen throughout our journey on the effects of grace, many descriptions practically point to the good evangelical life. For the abundant life that God provides to the faithful is confirmed by Scripture. However, the question remains about those who receive grace and the conditions for receiving it. We will address this question in the next article.
Mary is the perfect model of the effects of grace in the earthly life. Delve into the encyclical Redemptoris Mater by Saint John Paul II on how Mary fully embraced God’s grace.
Deepen your studies: explore Mariology, Marian theology, Marian apparitions, and Post-Graduate Studies in Mariology.
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