Lisa, I doubt a dictionary could have done as much justice about the Catholic concept of grace than you did. Except maybe a good Catholic dictionary.
Jew_Man, we believe that God provides grace for many things and to many levels according to everyone’s need and acceptance. For example, we believe that the fall of Adam has left our human nature with a proclivity, a tendancy, to sin. However, God always provides us enough grace to avoid sin. No matter how strong the temptation, God provides us with enough grace to resist. Likewise, God provide us with grace to get through any situation in our lives. As Lisa alluded, we must accept that grace. This is because God requires that we participate with Him. He wants us to choose to do what He wants us to do.
You came here because you felt that there is something lacking in Judaism. You could have just become irreligious, despondant, and started to believe that religion has nothing to offer you; others have. Instead you decided to seek. You have undoubtedly heard many bad things about Catholics and our beliefs. You could have decided that, no matter where your seeking led, you would never look toward Catholicism; others have. Instead you decided to see for yourself what we believe. You could have been insulted by our belief that God is leading you to the Church and decided to leave. Instead you chose to try and understand what we meant by it. At each of these points, as at countless others, God has offered you grace.
I believe it was St. Augustine who said, “Work as if everything depends on you but pray because everything depends on God.” God’s grace is ever present, ever ready to assist those who are willing to accept it.