I read in the CCC 1987
The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” and through Baptism.
I also believe that Opus Dei teaches us that we can gain God’s friendship, acceptance by God, entry to heaven and/or salvation by conscientiously doing our jobs and duties. This sound like being justified, made righteousness, being in the state of grace by works.
I am sure OD’s teaching is not in conflict with the Catholic Church and I realise that groups and individuals in the Church have different charisms and emphases. So I would like clarification on Opus Dei’s teaching on the efficacy of doing our duties in gaining holiness/grace.
In particular I would like to see discussed official Opus Dei writings on grace and justification. I have found
opusdei.ie/en-ie/document/letter-from-the-prelate-august-2008/ excellent.
The best article I have seen is by Cardinal Scheffczyk
en.romana.org/art/43_8.0_2
However it seems to me that OD emphasizes work as leading to holiness rather than grace.
I would welcome comments.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31). This is essentially the message of Opus Dei for the laity (of course this passage from St Paul is also for priests and religious, every christian whatever their state and condition in life) and working in the world at some job forms a big part of many a lay person’s life (this does not exclude housewifes’ who have their own kind of work doing the domestic work of raising a family, etc.). Christ calls all people to holiness and to the perfection of charity whatever their state or condition in life as Vatican Council II taught - the universal call to holiness. The message of Opus Dei is that the lay state and all it involves is a path of holiness and sanctity. The lay state and all it involves can be sanctified if we approach it with a supernatural outlook and with the help of God’s grace. The religious state or the priesthood are not the only paths of holiness, of doing God’s will. Indeed, God calls most people to the lay state and marriage. The quote from St Paul above was directed to the Corinthians, that is, ordinary lay christians as well as to priests (there were no religious orders at that time).
St Josemaria de Escriva taught that the work of the ordinary lay person in the world is a means to holiness, that is, it can and should be sanctified. Just as the work of a priest or religious should be sanctified. God placed Adam in the garden of paradise to till and keep it (Genesis 2: 15), that is, to work. “Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening” (Psalm 104:23). God’s work of the creation in Genesis is provided as the example of man’s work. The work of humans is a share in God’s creative work of the universe. St Paul says that whoever does not work should not eat. The Benedictine motto is ’ work and prayer.’ Monks do their work within the walls of the monastery; the laity do their work in the midst of the world. Whether monk or lay person, work needs to be sanctified to give glory to God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Jesus Christ spent most of his life working as a carpenter and at the same time redeeming the world. The Church celebrates every year the feast of St Joseph the Worker. The Blessed Virgin Mary gave more glory to God threading a needle within the home of the Holy Family than did the martyrs on the gridiron. Consider the Little Way of St Therese of Lisieux.
Now, St Josemaria de Escriva knew very well the Church’s teaching and theology of grace as well as what Holy Scripture says about it. God’s grace always precedes all our good works. But, the life of humans on earth isn’t as a vegetable. Humans are engaged in all kinds of activities. And as St Paul says, whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God and this includes work. Work is something God has commanded us to do and by working with a right intention we do God’s will. And doing God’s will is the essence of christian perfection.
If a priest doesn’t fulfill his duties, what kind of priest is he? If a monk doesn’t want to fulfill the rule of the monastery, he is going to be kicked out. If a father doesn’t want to support his children, what kind of father is he? Faith without works is dead. The teaching of Opus Dei is not that we don’t need grace or Christ, that would be heretical and Jesus said ‘without me you can do nothing;’ it is simply that the lay life of ordinary christians much like the first christians is a path of holiness and sanctity whether they be single, married, or widowed.
