St. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote, “Jesus has so incomprehensible a love for us that He wills that we have a share with Him in the salvation of souls.” Likewise, St. Augustine said, “God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us” [CCC 1847]. Our Lord invites us to share in His work of saving souls.
To share in this work of salvation, God gives us the gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. “I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you” [Isaiah 41:10]. How incredible is His love for us!
God’s grace transforms us, enabling us to love, forgive, and live more like Christ. We become channels of Heaven’s saving grace on earth. By accepting God’s gift, we gain the faith, with hope and love, to say: You are my Lord; do with me as You will.
God’s Loving Initiative
Grace begins with God’s loving initiative, not with anything we accomplish on our own. Because God loves the world, He became man in Jesus Christ—the Word incarnate—to show us how to live and love and to save us from sin. He shared our humanity so that, for our salvation, we might share in His divinity.
In Baptism, God gives us sanctifying grace, adopts us as His children, and welcomes us into the Body of Christ. The Eucharist and Reconciliation deepen our union with Christ. Through Jesus, we enter into communion with God the Father and receive the life of the Holy Spirit.
With prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit, we make room for God to shape our thoughts, desires, and choices. His grace helps us grow in faith, hope, love, and goodness. As we respond with repentance, forgiveness, and service, our Lord leads us away from sin and deepens our love for Him and for one another.
Living Out God’s Grace
We cooperate with our Lord’s saving grace by forgiving others, serving those in need, practicing patience, and choosing what is good. Experience the joy! The spiritual value of our good works comes from His love working within us as we grow in Christlike charity. “The merits of our good works are gifts of the divine goodness” [CCC 2009].
When someone needs help, we can listen attentively, offer practical support, or spend time with someone who is lonely. Through such everyday kindness, God’s love becomes visible. When someone hurts us, we can ask God to help us release the desire for revenge and move toward forgiveness. When we make a mistake, we can admit it, apologize, make amends, and seek God’s forgiveness. Through forgiveness, our lives are renewed.
We can also offer our work, chores, and responsibilities to God. Doing small things with care and love becomes a way to serve our Lord. Moved by the Holy Spirit and charity, we can merit graces for ourselves and others that foster holiness and lead toward eternal life. This merit also is God’s gift, not a power we possess apart from Him [CCC 2010–2011].
Our Lord saves us. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God” [Ephesians 2:8]. We participate by receiving His love, allowing it to transform us, and sharing it with others. Therefore, let us pray for one another and help each other draw closer to our Lord and Savior, one loving choice at a time. Amen.
