Merited Grace from the Passion

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The Passion and death of Christ merited the Graces for our salvation. I know this but I was wondering if some could elaborate on how this comes about. Does the Father give the Grace to His Son or does the Treasury of Merit mean something else. Mary is somehow involved since she works with her Son in distribution of Graces. All Grace is a gift but what can be explained about God distributing Grace.
 
I’m not sure about the inner workings of the Trinity but God is the source of grace–Jesus is rightly said to the source, the sole Mediator between God and man. Mary helps distribute that grace, just as the Church as a whole does (the grace of Christ the head flows down and through His body, the Church–Mary is often considered the neck–the first member of the body in whom all grace is found).

The treasury of merit is a little different, but related. There are three parts to repentance: contrition, confession, and bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance (aka make satisfaction). The treasury of merit is related to the third part. Since we are all one body, we can do that part on behalf of one another. The treasury of merit is the superabundant fruits brought forth by the whole Church for this purpose (including Christ, Mary, and all the Saints). They are applied to individual souls by the bishops–in light of their power to bind and loose–by what we call an indulgence.
 
@mdcpensive1

Can I humbly recommend a prayerful reading of Saint Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians? ✌️
 
Just to clarify the spiritual treasury of the Church, isn’t the fruits or satisfaction of Christ infinite while those of Mary and the Saints superabundant? Also we can gain indulgences for ourselves or souls in Purgatory but not for people living on Earth right?
 
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Im ao happy to see these questions on grace. I learned the most about grace in reading the lives and writings of the saints. We receive sanctifying grace through the sacrements. Many catholics dont have a conception of grace beyond the absract. When Jesus says unless u eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you- I’m convinced the life of grace in the soul is included in the life of which He speaks. Grace with out limiting a definition Grace is definately a supernatural gift of something we dont have in and of ourselves and which we cannot merit. So even when we are given a grace that helps in our sanctification it is His grace by His merit. I have found that when we ask the Lord for a specific grace he undoubtably gives it. For example if you ask for the grace of increased faith and confidence God will give it to you. Ask for the grace of holy awe and a disposition pleasing to Him at Mass. He will give it to you. Ask for the grace of humility everyday… you will never find u actually have that one. Finally ask Him to give you the grace to love Him more than you already do. Its my hope that when He gives you the graces for which u ask that u proclaim it for His greater glory and the salvation of souls. When asking for grace beware the trap of attributing the credit of God’s graces to ourselves.
 
Grace comes to us through all the means of nature: light, food, word, matter, everything…spirit…wind, air, earth, fire.
 
I think you may be right about merits.

Technically indulgences could be acquired for the living, but are open to abuse so rarely permitted. But there is nothing theologically wrong with it. For example, there have been some rare privileged altars in the past where the plenary indulgence could be applied to the dying, not just the dead. Priests belonging to the Pious Union of St. Joseph’s Death had a special grant from Pope Benedict XV so that every Mass they said for the dying was as if it were on such a privileged altar.

It also bears noting that indulgences for the dead are bit different too. The Church’s pastors have no jurisdiction over the dead, so they can’t really grant indulgences for them. As such, canon law says they are applied “to the dead by way of suffrage.” In other words, it is a petition to God to accept them for the benefit of the suffering soul. We have a pious confidence that He does, but no irrevocable promise from Him.
 
Zach said:
Just to clarify the spiritual treasury of the Church, isn’t the fruits or satisfaction of Christ infinite while those of Mary and the Saints superabundant? Also we can gain indulgences for ourselves or souls in Purgatory but not for people living on Earth right?
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Just for oneself or another that has died (presumably in purgatory). As long as one is Catholic and in the state of grace, an indulgence is a possibility. Additional merit is added to the merit of the indulgenced act, by the Church, in proportion to how perfectly it is done.
 
I know that Mary is involved in the distribution of Graces because she is our spiritual mother and mothers love their children in special ways and want what is best for them. In my readings I have learned that there is a special relationship between Mary and Jesus and Mary being such a Grace filled being with the authority given by her position as queen of heaven has the task of working with the elect in distribution of Graces. But as I stated in the OP. do the Graces come from the Father to the Son because of the sacrifice on the cross and are they meant to be distributed as a mother would want for her sons and daughters. It seems like Grace is passed around from the Father to the Son and to Mary then to us. But if Grace is the life of the Trinity of which I have heard this definition, then how is it a relationship? Or is it not a relationship ?
 
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