Why ‘Grace and Justification’ are keys to salvation

Article 144 - Catechism of the Catholic Church Series

Paragraphs 1987-2016

 

As a child, when I insisted on doing something or questioning something that was not in line with our Catholic faith, my mom would often say: “God’s ways are not our ways and our ways are not always God’s.” Little did my mom know that she was quoting from Isaiah 55:8 in the Old Testament when she spoke these words. Perhaps we’ve all heard a variation of them. In any case, they all derive from this passage in the Book of the Isaiah.

When I revisited this section of the Catechism on “Grace and Justification,” I was reminded of this passage from the Book of Isaiah because it captures the truth that “to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us the righteousness of God,” (ccc 1987) we must first rely on the grace of the Holy Spirit or, in other words, on God taking the initiative in our lives.

“The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion,” says the Catechism. “Moved by grace, we turn toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high” (ccc 1989). Thus, we are offered “justification” — a technical word used in theology to suggest that having been baptized and lived in God’s grace, we fulfill a life of faith, and then someday present ourselves to God.

What else does the Catechism say about justification? First, justification is held up as “the most excellent work of God’s love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit” (ccc 1994). In short, our justification comes from God’s loving grace, which is “the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God...partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life” (ccc 1996).

When Jesus offered his life “on the cross as a living victim,” his blood became “the instrument of atonement for our sins” (ccc 1992). This is the moment when “justification” was “merited [or gained] for us” (ccc 1992).

This same “justification” conferred on us in Baptism, the sacrament of faith, “conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy” (ccc 1992). What is the purpose of this? The purpose “is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life” (ccc 1992).

Justification happens through the sacrament of Baptism as one of the many blessings of God. Among other things, says the Catechism, it “offers us a guarantee that grace is at work in us and spurs us on to an ever greater faith and an attitude of trustful poverty” (ccc 2005). The grace spoken about here is “justifying grace” or “sanctifying grace,” which restores our union with God, lost through original sin. This gift of God’s grace is a supernatural gift because it is “a participation in the [very] life of God” (ccc 1997), which includes an introduction into the life of the Most Holy Trinity. All this occurs thanks to the first sacrament we receive, Baptism, which is a participation “in the grace of Christ” (ccc 1997).

Although “grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit” (ccc 2003), there are also specific graces that are proper to each of the sacraments and graces of state “that accompany the exercise of the responsibilities of the Christian life and of the ministries within the Church” (ccc 2004). Saint Paul elaborates when writing to the Romans: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom 12:6-8).

Next, the term “merit” is discussed further in the Catechism. Jesus’ death on the cross becomes the moment of “merit” when Jesus gained or merited our redemption. Merit is lifted up and given a new, supernatural quality when spoken of in relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ. Given the fact that Jesus merited or earned our redemption makes him our Redeemer. (ccc 2006)

The final part of this section of the Catechism reminds us that as Christians “in any state or walk of life” (whether we are young or old; teachers or students; parents or children; politicians or members of society; clergy or laity; intellectuals, professionals or laborers), “we are all called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity” (ccc 2013). As Sacred Scripture says, “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). In the end, it is “charity” that really matters: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). It is no wonder that the next paragraph states that “spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ” (ccc 2014). Why? Because in our acts of charity, are we not imitating our Redeemer, Jesus Christ?

The words of Saint Joan of Arc are most appropriate as we conclude our reflection on this section of the Catechism: Asked if she knew that she was in God’s grace, she replied: “If I am not, may it please God to put me in it; if I am, may it please God to keep me there” (ccc 2005). Her response sounds similar to the one my mom gave me all those years ago: “God’s ways are not our ways and our ways are not always God’s.” May we discover assurance in these sentiments as we seek to live according to God’s holy will.

Father Hillier is Director of diocesan Office of the Pontifical Missions, the Office for Persons with Disabilities and Censor Luborum