Easy as Grace
Sometimes God's grace just blows you away. Think about this: in order to get to heaven, you need to be holy; in order to be holy, you need grace, and lots of it. Grace transforms you, little by little, until you are finally conformed to the crucified image of Christ.
So how do you get grace?
Just ask.
Pretty easy, huh?
It gets even easier still.
The smallest thing you do, if united to Christ's sacrifice, can merit infinite graces. Anything. People tend to associate suffering and penance with drawing down God's grace upon our heads, and that is certainly true ... but anything can do this.
It's a hot day, you've been working in the yard and sweating, your mouth is dry as cotton ... you take a long, delicious gulp of ice-cold water. Doesn't that feel great?! That pleasure, right there, can be offered to God, for the love of God, and merit much grace.
You're at work, stocking shelves with product. It's tedious and boring ... stop for a moment, say, "Lord, I offer you this task out of love for you, and I unite it to your perfect sacrifice," and lo and behold! Your menial task has just become a continual prayer and won a wealth of grace.
Anything you can think of is a potential prayer and meritorious act. Not that the act of itself is worth anything, but grace is free, so all you have to do is associate that act with your offering to God, and snap! He's ready to dole out graces left and right, far more than what the actual act is worth.
Think of the possibilities!
A really good puff on a premium cigar? That's a prayer.
Taking a shower in the morning? Offer it to God.
Your ride in the car on the way home from work? Also a meritorious act.
How about a 30-minute brisk walk for your health? Offer the physical pain as a gift.
Dieting? A worthy penance indeed.
The first cup of coffee in the morning? Worth its weight in grace.
In this way, the holiest of saints learned - with a little conscious effort and practice - to make every act of every day a prayer, and thus they prayed continually, even if not with their mouths.
Here's an ingenious one: every heartbeat and every breath you take while you sleep. I have a prayer in an old prayer-book which goes something like, "Jesus, I offer you every beat of my heart and every breath I take while I sleep through the night, for the sake of the conversion of sinners throughout the world."
And just like that, you've entered into an 8-hour prayer session - how effective would that be if you remembered to do it every night?
How much easier can God make it? Not only do these graces help you to become holier, but you can (as indicated) offer these little acts on behalf of others as well.
Offer that beautiful sunrise for the conversion of your best friend.
Offer that lovely breeze for the restoration of Christendom in America.
Offer your tooth-brushing for the safety and sanctity of your children.
Offer that piece of French Silk pie in reparation for your own past sins.
Offer your 20-minute nap for an end to abortion.
Mow your lawn and offer it for some unknown priest who needs a bit of help.
Do the dishes and offer it for the guy who cut you off on the road today and then flipped you off.
Be creative! Tell God that you're going to observe total silence for the next 10 minutes and offer it up for the worst sinner in the world today.
Do 50 pushups and offer it for some poor soul in Purgatory.
The great thing is, every time you make an offering on behalf of someone else, your generosity is rewarded with extra graces for you.
Does it make a little more sense now why it has been said that the only tragedy in the world today is that anyone fails to achieve saint-hood?
It's so easy. God's ready to just give this grace away, more than you can handle. You just have to ask. And keep asking.
Why limit yourself? His gift is never proportionate to the request. I have a popcorn kernel stuck in my gums, and it's really irritating me - so I'm going to offer it, not just for one person, or ten people, but this time I'm offering it for the entire world. And when I feel the relief of finally getting it dislodged, I'm going to offer that relief for all of the souls in Purgatory.
Too much? Not unless you think you can overwhelm God with your request, or that your generosity can outshine His benevolence.
Hey - what are you waiting for? Make the rest of this day a prayer and do your part as a member of the "priesthood of all believers" - start interceding for all men, most of all for yourself.
So how do you get grace?
Just ask.
Pretty easy, huh?
It gets even easier still.
The smallest thing you do, if united to Christ's sacrifice, can merit infinite graces. Anything. People tend to associate suffering and penance with drawing down God's grace upon our heads, and that is certainly true ... but anything can do this.
It's a hot day, you've been working in the yard and sweating, your mouth is dry as cotton ... you take a long, delicious gulp of ice-cold water. Doesn't that feel great?! That pleasure, right there, can be offered to God, for the love of God, and merit much grace.
You're at work, stocking shelves with product. It's tedious and boring ... stop for a moment, say, "Lord, I offer you this task out of love for you, and I unite it to your perfect sacrifice," and lo and behold! Your menial task has just become a continual prayer and won a wealth of grace.
Anything you can think of is a potential prayer and meritorious act. Not that the act of itself is worth anything, but grace is free, so all you have to do is associate that act with your offering to God, and snap! He's ready to dole out graces left and right, far more than what the actual act is worth.
Think of the possibilities!
A really good puff on a premium cigar? That's a prayer.
Taking a shower in the morning? Offer it to God.
Your ride in the car on the way home from work? Also a meritorious act.
How about a 30-minute brisk walk for your health? Offer the physical pain as a gift.
Dieting? A worthy penance indeed.
The first cup of coffee in the morning? Worth its weight in grace.
In this way, the holiest of saints learned - with a little conscious effort and practice - to make every act of every day a prayer, and thus they prayed continually, even if not with their mouths.
Here's an ingenious one: every heartbeat and every breath you take while you sleep. I have a prayer in an old prayer-book which goes something like, "Jesus, I offer you every beat of my heart and every breath I take while I sleep through the night, for the sake of the conversion of sinners throughout the world."
And just like that, you've entered into an 8-hour prayer session - how effective would that be if you remembered to do it every night?
How much easier can God make it? Not only do these graces help you to become holier, but you can (as indicated) offer these little acts on behalf of others as well.
Offer that beautiful sunrise for the conversion of your best friend.
Offer that lovely breeze for the restoration of Christendom in America.
Offer your tooth-brushing for the safety and sanctity of your children.
Offer that piece of French Silk pie in reparation for your own past sins.
Offer your 20-minute nap for an end to abortion.
Mow your lawn and offer it for some unknown priest who needs a bit of help.
Do the dishes and offer it for the guy who cut you off on the road today and then flipped you off.
Be creative! Tell God that you're going to observe total silence for the next 10 minutes and offer it up for the worst sinner in the world today.
Do 50 pushups and offer it for some poor soul in Purgatory.
The great thing is, every time you make an offering on behalf of someone else, your generosity is rewarded with extra graces for you.
Does it make a little more sense now why it has been said that the only tragedy in the world today is that anyone fails to achieve saint-hood?
It's so easy. God's ready to just give this grace away, more than you can handle. You just have to ask. And keep asking.
Why limit yourself? His gift is never proportionate to the request. I have a popcorn kernel stuck in my gums, and it's really irritating me - so I'm going to offer it, not just for one person, or ten people, but this time I'm offering it for the entire world. And when I feel the relief of finally getting it dislodged, I'm going to offer that relief for all of the souls in Purgatory.
Too much? Not unless you think you can overwhelm God with your request, or that your generosity can outshine His benevolence.
Hey - what are you waiting for? Make the rest of this day a prayer and do your part as a member of the "priesthood of all believers" - start interceding for all men, most of all for yourself.
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