Grace

If the Blessed Virgin – who is without reproach – could suffer in this way to receive the Grace of God, then who am I to complain when I am asked to endure the hard times to merit Grace…?

Mary at the Foot of the Cross (Icon)

The only way that I can be saved is through the Grace of God.

There is nothing that I could say or think or do that could allow me access to God’s Kingdom of Heaven.

I may offer sacrifices, I may live a holy life, I may even set an example as the best of human souls – an example unmatched and unrivalled by others – and even then, I would not be able to achieve Heaven based on my own merits.

The ONLY way to Heaven is through Christ Himself and the Grace that He offers to me to allow me to get to Heaven…

I know this because Christ tells us this…  “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6).  In this Christ did not say, Most people come to the Father through me, but some reach the Father by other means.  He did not say, Many people come to the Father through me, but there are some rare exceptions.  He explicitly said EVERYONE comes to the Father through me.  He did not leave any exceptions in this.

And I have been thinking about this today as I have been reflecting on Grace.

When I was a little girl I used to imagine that Grace was a special light and that it felt all warm and cosy.  I imagined that when I received Grace it would feel like a revelation and that everything would feel really established and profound and finally – finally – the things that were bothering me would make sense and my life would have meaning.

In reality, I have found the opposite.  When my life has been particularly difficult, that is when I believe that I have received the most Grace.  The times when I felt most alone and most misunderstood, is when God has stood closest to me.

As the old adage goes, if I pray for patience, God does not give me patience, He gives me opportunity to be patient.  He allows me to practice my “patience muscle”.  And THAT is the Grace.

And while it might sound counter intuitive at first, it is certainly very reasonable upon reflection.  You see, where is the merit of a soul who is able to willingly believe in God and His plan for us without any challenge?  Did the Blessed Virgin stand at the Foot of the Cross and watch her BELOVED Son be tortured to death and think that everything now made sense?  Did she stand there in an ecstasy of joy?  Was it a day of rejoicing that day?  Or did she stand there and suffer and mourn for her dying Son and for the cost of Sin upon His Body and Soul?

And if the Blessed Virgin – who is without reproach – could suffer in this way to receive the Grace of God, then who am I to complain when I am asked to endure the hard times to merit Grace…?

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.