Breathe in Grace

You’re standing outside and it’s a beautiful day. You can feel the sun warming your skin and a gentle breeze strokes your face like a caress. You take a deep breath and peace fills your soul. Can you close your eyes and picture this moment personally? How does this feel? What are you thinking as you look around and enjoy this time?

What does it look like to be immersed in Grace? 

I think it looks and feels like that moment in time I just described. There is peace. There is contentment. All is right with the world.

Wait. Most of my day in and day out experiences are not even close to that picture perfect snapshot. They are hectic, loud, and busy. They are full of interruptions, stormy conversations, and my own chilly attitude towards my long to-do list. Can we rewind and be real here? Does this mean that my life is lacking grace if I’m not peaceful and calm? Blessed Solanus Casey said, “We are CONTINUALLY immersed in God’s merciful grace like the air that permeates us.”
Really? Continually? Then why do I feel like I’m chasing that grace for most of my day?

Because I am not understanding Grace.

I’ve always been taught that there are two types of grace. Sanctifying and Actual. Sanctifying grace lives in our soul, gives the supernatural life, and makes us holy. Actual grace is a push or encouragement. It does not stay with us all the time, but comes into our lives and reminds us to move towards God, like a kick in the pants for our will and our intellect. Both are important in our spiritual life.

So, if I take Mr. Casey at his word, I should know that I am immersed in grace, continually. He uses it to draw me to a deeper commitment to sanctification. If I’m understanding this correctly, God’s grace is not just like that beautiful day where I feel his touch in the gentle breeze, but it is more like that breeze as it enters my body and permeates my very being. The air comes into me with each breath I take and fills every cell. And those life sustaining breaths occur continually, without my conscious thought… like the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. So it is with Grace. As that oxygen gives life, Grace gives life eternal. 

What’s the fruit of that in my daily life? 

Grace moves me to repentance.
Grace allows me to act above my human nature and strengthens my faith with a power far above my human wisdom.
Grace transforms my soul.
Grace helps me grow in virtue.
Grace justifies and equips me for heaven.
Grace helps me face temptations.
Grace gives new power to my will to be stronger in hope and charity.

(Romans 5:20, Titus 2:11-13, 1 Cor. 6:11, 2 Cor. 5:17)

Yes. I want all of that! I crave it deep in my soul. I can know that what God declares, he does. And he declares that I will be made a new creation through his Grace. But, I have to cooperate with it. That begins with recognizing the Grace of God living and breathing within me. Not as a flash in rare moments, but continually growing and challenging me to be more. Sometimes in a whisper and gentle nudge and sometimes, when needed, like swift kick.

Help me, Lord, to be aware of your grace in my life and to never take it for granted.