Sunday 5th July – 14th Sunday of the year

THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S GRACE

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

The recognition of the grace of God in the life of Apostle Paul made him to boast gladly of his weakness, for God had said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, that “Grace is a participation in the life of God” (CCC no.1997); and the word Grace should be used in our daily lives because we live in grace. It is grace below us, above us, before us, behind us and beside us. It is grace in which we stand. This marvelous word refers to divine favor, to divine blessing, to divine benefit. It refers to that which God has given to us in Christ not because we earned it or deserved it, but because He willed to give it. And all of God’s gifts to His children are given by grace, as grace itself is a gift of God. Everything we have in our salvation from beginning to the end is by grace.

Many of us Christians do not recognize that what we are today is not by our power, it is by the grace of God. That is why St Paul would say, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain” (1Corinthians.15:10). Like St Paul, we also must acknowledge that; it is grace that saves us, sanctifies us, gives us understanding of the Word of God, gives us wisdom to apply it, gives us the power to overcome temptation and allows us to obey the Lord. It is grace that enables us to serve and to minister, that carries us through suffering with endurance, lifts us above disappointment and pain. That is why this grace is called the surpassing grace of God in you… 2 Corinthians 9:14.

Dear friends, what a profound promise of God that his grace is available to us. Pray for this grace of God today and open your heart to God and allow him to bestow his abundant grace on you, so that you may experience the joy of his grace in all that you do.

PRAYER– Almighty Father, grant us always the help of your grace, so that with your grace in our lives may we never be in lack of your goodness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 2000– what is sanctifying grace?

Sanctifying grace is an habitual, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love.

HIDE A TREASURE: “But by God’s grace I am what I am; and the grace that he gave me was not without effect…” 1 Cor 15:10 GNB

Today’s Reading’s: Ez 2:2-5; Ps123: 1-2.3-4; 2Cor 12: 7-10; Mk 6:1-6