424. What other kinds of grace are there? (part 1)
(Comp 424) Besides habitual grace, there
are actual graces (gifts for specific circumstances), sacramental graces (gifts
proper to each sacrament), special graces or charisms (gifts that are intended
for the common good of the Church) among which are the graces of state that
accompany the exercise of ecclesial ministries and the responsibilities of
life.
“In brief”
(CCC 2023) Sanctifying grace is the gratuitous gift of his
life that God makes to us; it is infused by the Holy Spirit into the soul to
heal it of sin and to sanctify it.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1999) The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that
God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to
heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace
received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification (Cf.
Jn 4:14; 7:38-39): Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the
old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who
through Christ reconciled us to himself
(2 Cor 5:17-18).
Reflection
(CCC 2003) Grace is first and foremost the gift of the
Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that
the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate
in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church.
There are sacramental graces, gifts
proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms
after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor,"
"gratuitous gift," "benefit" (Cf. LG 12). Whatever their
character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of
tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for
the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds
up the Church (Cf. 1 Cor 12). [IT CONTINUES]
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