Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. The sacraments of the New Law produce grace. For thesacraments incorporate man with Christ, make man a member ofChrist; and such incorporation is effected only by grace. Theprincipal cause of grace is God; the sacraments areinstituted to be instrumental causes of God'sgrace.
2. Grace perfects the essence of the soul; fromgrace, gifts and virtues flow into the soul's powers.To these normal effects of grace in the soul, and in the powers ofthe soul, each sacrament adds a special perfection of its own; thisis the respective sacramental grace of each sacrament.Sacramental grace is a special divine aid bestowed on the soul by asacrament, and meant to help that soul attain the precise end forwhich the sacrament is instituted.
3. Grace is in the sacraments of the New Law as atransient instrumental power.
4. The sacraments are instrumental causes of grace;therefore, they possess an instrumental power for bringing aboutthe effects of grace.
5. The sacraments of the New Law derive their powerespecially from the Passion of Christ; the virtue of the Passion isin some manner communicated to the receiver of a sacrament.
6. The sacraments of the Old Law could not of themselvesconfer sanctifying grace; they could only signify the faith bywhich men are justified, that is, set in the state of sanctifyinggrace.
"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."
Blessed Henry Suso
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"God looks neither at long nor beautiful prayers, but at those that come from the heart."
The Cure D'Ars
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"The supreme perfection of man in this life is to be so united to God that all his soul with all its faculties and powers are so gathered into the Lord God that he becomes one spirit with him, and remembers nothing except God, is aware of and recognises nothing but God, but with all his desires unified by the joy of love, he rests contentedly in the enjoyment of his Maker alone."
St Albert the Great
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