If we can ONLY be happy with God, then how is Grace a "Gift"?

[Neithan]

A few questions now. Is grace equivalent to the Holy Spirit?

It is an effect of the Holy Spirit in a person’s soul. Christians are not the only people who can receive grace, but we believe all grace is mediated through Christ (Hebrews 10:10), whether through the ordinary means of the sacraments or some extraordinary means; but it requires a person’s cooperation, and can be resisted, which leads to sin. The saints are examples of people who freely cooperated with God’s gift of grace and received great sanctification in their lives.

Have you read the letter to the Hebrews? I’d recommend reading it in full.

 

[RealisticCatholic]

The more I’ve read about Aquinas these last few days, the more I’m seeing that yes, this thinking is right, but that’s no real dilemma. Because even though we can’t do certain things “by nature,” God still designed us for certain goals — even if it requires God’s grace. It just has to do with the nature of what grace is, especially considering Charity (Love).

So there’s no real problem anymore for me. Thanks!

 

[Isearch]

A position stating that God could have created anyone without Him being their ultimate happiness is a nonsensical position. But, how close we could attain this Ultimate Beatitude is determined by Him alone; He sets the rules.

 

[Ghosty1981]

So there’s no real problem anymore for me.

Glad to hear it!

One worldly analogy that helps me is to think of a car. We can have a perfectly designed and complete car that simply doesn’t run.

Why? It is out of gas. Running on gas is in the very design of the car, but gas must be added to it; gas is both “extra” and required for the nature of the car to fully function.

God made us to work with Him, through Him, and towards Him. We don’t function properly without Him, but our nature isn’t inherently defective in this.

Peace and God bless!