Grace and the Sacramental Nature of reality Learning

Grace and the Sacramental Nature of reality Learning Objectives: Understand the meaning of the term ‘grace’ Understand how reality can be thought of as ‘sacramental’ Understand how each of these ideas affects Catholic understanding of God’s creation Copy - Key term Grace: God’s free gift of his unconditional love to the believer

Key Words Grace The free gift of God’s love Sacraments a visible and effective sign of God’s invisible grace The term ______ comes from the Latin word _______ which means free. Christians believe it is the ________ of God himself to all people. Christians believe that no person can deserve or _____ God’s grace. Grace is God’s free communication to ______. The ______ is the ultimate sign of God’s _______, since he freely gave his son to the human race. Grace is also the invitation to respond to God’s love by doing God’s _____ and being close to him at all times. Word Bank free gift/ love/ will /humanity/ Gratis/ earn/ incarnation/ Grace/ love

Copy out the following: Grace is… • The love that unites the three Persons of the Trinity • Helps people to become aware of what God wants for them • Gives believers the strength to do what God wants • Is a free and unconditional gift of love from God • Pours into people’s hearts and calls them to a deeper relationship with God • Pours out from the Trinity and fives life to all things

“Grace is favour, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adopted sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life” Catechism of the Catholic Church Answer the following questions: 1. Explain what is meant by grace. 2. Explain how grace might affect a believer’s actions and attitudes. The belief that grace does not need to be earned could change people’s behaviour for better or worse. People who live a good life and try to follow Jesus’ teachings might feel resentful towards those who do not, knowing that they will still receive God’s grace, and will still have an opportunity to be with God in Heaven. Those who do not live a good life, and who may be feeling unworthy of God’s love will find comfort in the belief that grace does not need to be deserved. The belief that God loves them regardless of their actions (as a parent loves their child) could give them the courage they need to reconcile with God.

Sacramental nature of reality Copy the following information: The sacramental nature of reality is the first way that God makes his love visible to human beings is through the creation of the world. Catholics believe at some level the whole of creation is a sacrament of God’s love. This means that the whole of reality is in one sense “sacramental”

Sacramental nature of reality Copy the following information: Catholics believe that sacraments are special signs of God’s love for human beings They are particular moments of God’s grace that help believers to be aware of God’s presence in their lives.

Explain what is meant by the “sacramental nature of reality”.