I have a real theology question! The Catechism is very clear about Grace, its sources, its effects, and so on.

My question is, is there such a thing as "natural grace," as distinct from the "supernatural Grace" conferred at Baptism?

Reason being, the church I'm volunteering at has been using a CCD book for children. The book defines "mortal sin" as: "A very big sin that kills all life of grace in a soul." That definition makes me scratch my head a little. The Catechism says that mortal sin kills the grace of charity, without which one cannot be saved.

But if mortal sin killed all Grace, what about the prevenient Grace which brings a sinner to repentence?

Also, if I were to say that "existence itself is a grace," am I speaking of 'grace' equivocally, or not?

If Being itself is fundamentally Good, and (as such) comes from God gratuitously, is it licit to say that all existence is imbued with some form of Grace? (Insofar as it *is*)?

What is the best way to speak about Grace in relation to a horrifyingly unrepentant sinner, or even the Devil? Do we say, "the Devil is utterly deprived of grace" or that "the devil has grace only insofar as he exists, which is so only at the gratuitous will of God"?

-- anon (ymous@god.bless), August 12, 2004

Answers

Topping for JZ. :-)

-- - (David@excite.com), August 12, 2004.

The Catechism does not use the term "the grace of charity", whatever that is. It says that mortal sin results in the loss "of charity", AND the loss "of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace". As the Catechism further states (2011), grace is what unites us to Christ in active love (= charity), ensuring the supernatural quality of our acts and consequently their merit before God. This is what your CCD book is stating in simpler terms - that mortal sin "kills the life of grace in the soul". It destroys that which unites us to Christ in love, and therefore renders our acts meritless for as long as we remain spiritually lifeless.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 12, 2004.

anon,

There is a distinction in Catholic theology between actual grace and sanctifying grace. I don't have Ludwig Ott's book with me so I can't give proper definitions at this time. The way I understand it, sanctifying grace is the grace Paul M described. Actual grace is a gift from God that prompts us to holiness and whose ultimate goal is an increase in sanctifying grace.

For instance, actual grace might be a desire sent from God to repent from our sins. Sanctifying grace is the grace we receive when we actually repent and confess our sin in the Sacrament of Confession. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable could explain it better. I sometimes confuse these two theological ideas.

As far as how actual grace is affected by mortal sin, my guess is that God still calls us through actual grace even if we are void of sanctifying grace. It's up to us to respond to His call and receive His Divine Mercy. I'll have to check and make sure I got this right unless someone else can verify this for me.

By the way, if you're interested in detailed explanations of just about every belief in Catholic teaching along with Biblical and historical references (as well as discussion of heresies realating to those teachings), the book Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott is a great companion to the Catechism.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), August 13, 2004.

Thanks for the detailed answers. I apologize that I misremembered the Catechism words. I have been aware of the distinction between Grace as prevenient (i.e. actual grace) and Grace that saves (sanctifying). My confusion was that this (children's) CCD book didn't make a distinction; this led someone to ask how a person who committed mortal sin could possibly repent, if he were deprived of grace. Question answered!

Another question (from one CCD student to their teacher, to whom I was chatting) was: in what sense is Jesus 'in' someone, even though they might be an unrepentant mortal sinner?

That is why I asked before about the relationship between depravity and grace; what can we legitimately say about someone who is depraved (such that God himself knows it)? Certainly that they lack sanctifying Grace, and they willfully resist actual Grace (or that for His purposes, God does not grant them much actual grace).

Yet we are nevertheless called to love them; or rather, love all that is good in them, i.e., their being, natural humanity (or what's left of it).

Am I on the mark with this?

-- anon (ymous@god.bless), August 13, 2004.

Personally, I'd say you are on the mark, anon. I think that is exactly what Jesus tells us to do. In Scripture, Jesus loved all sinners. He said (Luk 5:32) "I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance. "

I'd say that's all the more reason to love unrepentant sinners and bring Jesus to them. Blessed Mother Teresa is a great example. We must love the sinner (no matter how despicable they are) without accepting their sin. That's extremely difficult to do when there is no indication that Christ lives within them.

Another great example might be that nun who worked with death row inmates. There was a movie about her with Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. I forget the name of the movie (Dead Man Walking?), but I think you get the idea.

-- Andy S ("ask3332004@yahoo.com"), August 14, 2004.