Grace - explain to kids

[SisterSnowflake]

Hello, everyone!

My 11th graders are having a hard time understanding grace, actual grace, and sanctifying grace.

Can anyone offer an easy-to-understand definition and possibly examples/illustrations of these terms?

Thanks and God bless!

*When I use the catechism definition, they say, “but what IS it? I don’t understand!”
A Sister friend said to describe it as “strength”.

 

[TheDoctor]

This is from the Baltimore Catechism. It may be helpful to use this as some simple background before going to the CCC:

ourladyswarriors.org/faith/bc3-10.htm

I teach 6th grade Confirmaiton. For my kids I would put it this way:

• Grace is a gift from God that gives us the ability to follow His ways.
• Sanctifying Grace is the grace which God gives us which allows us mere mortals to partake in His Divine life. We get this grace at baptism and but we lose it when we willfully reject God via mortal sin. We regain it at reconcillation.
• Actual Grace is the strength to follow God.

For example: I have lost sacntifying grace by my own fault because I am in mortal sin and cut off from God. Knowing this, I go to confession. At absolution God’s sanctifying grace again flows into me and I have the strength to again take up my cross and follow him. Leaving Church refreshed, I decide to head out for lunch as I am starving. I see a homeless man. I know that Jesus wants me to take care of my homeless brother and not pass him by, but man I am REALLY hungry. Actual Grace is the stength God sends me to do what Jesus would want and take my meal money and give it to my homeless brother.

 

[SisterSnowflake]

THANKS SO MUCH, The Doctor!!

This is exactly what I was looking for.

God bless!