Make America Grateful Again

[Xeno.of.athens]

Grace is given rather than earned and all who receive it ought to be grateful for it.

In Catholic theology, grace is understood as God's free and undeserved gift to humanity, enabling individuals—and by extension, nations—to share in divine life and grow closer to God. While grace is often discussed in relation to individuals, Catholic teaching also acknowledges its role in shaping nations, guiding them toward justice, peace, and moral integrity.

St. Paul, for example, speaks of grace in connection with nations, emphasising obedience to faith and righteousness. The Church teaches that God's grace can influence societies, inspiring leaders and communities to act in accordance with divine will. This grace is not something earned but is given freely by God to help nations uphold truth and goodness.

 

[RandyPNW]

Grace is given rather than earned and all who receive it ought to be grateful for it.

In Catholic theology, grace is understood as God's free and undeserved gift to humanity, enabling individuals—and by extension, nations—to share in divine life and grow closer to God. While grace is often discussed in relation to individuals, Catholic teaching also acknowledges its role in shaping nations, guiding them toward justice, peace, and moral integrity.

St. Paul, for example, speaks of grace in connection with nations, emphasising obedience to faith and righteousness. The Church teaches that God's grace can influence societies, inspiring leaders and communities to act in accordance with divine will. This grace is not something earned but is given freely by God to help nations uphold truth and goodness.

Yes, I think grace comes from the character of God, who unselfishly displays His love for all. He does not sacrifice justice in showing His love. But neither does He make His love conditional on how people act. His love and justice are indistinguishable.

 

[Clare73]

Yes, I think grace comes from the character of God, who unselfishly displays His love for all. He does not sacrifice justice in showing His love. But neither does He make His love conditional on how people act. His love and justice are indistinguishable.

Not really.

His justice (condemnation) applies to all those of Adam, condemned at birth (Eph 2:3) by the imputed sin of Adam (Ro 5:17), which is the pattern (Ro 5:14) for the imputed righteousness of Christ to all those of Christ, while
his love (the cross) applies only to those who believe in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25) for the remission of their sin and to whom are imputed the righteousness of Christ (Ro 5:18-19).

 

[Philip_B]

Not really.

His justice (condemnation) applies to all those of Adam, condemned at birth (Eph 2:3) by the imputed sin of Adam (Ro 5:17), which is the pattern (Ro 5:14) for the imputed righteousness of Christ to all those of Christ, while
his love (the cross) applies only to those who believe in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25) for the remission of their sin and to whom are imputed the righteousness of Christ (Ro 5:18-19).

I think equating justice with condemnation is to miss the point. Justification and Righteousness are basically built on the same Koine Greek concept and in that sense are pretty much the inverse of condemnation and to do with setting us in a right relationship with God. We condemn I suspect more than God and we are gracious I suspect rather less than God.

Jesus said, "I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people to myself".

Thanksgiving is not just a day, it is a way of living. The image of God is more clearly seen in graciousness than it is in condemnation.

 

[RandyPNW]

Not really.

His justice (condemnation) applies to all those of Adam, condemned at birth (Eph 2:3) by the imputed sin of Adam (Ro 5:17), which is the pattern (Ro 5:14) for the imputed righteousness of Christ to all those of Christ, while
his love (the cross) applies only to those who believe in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25) for the remission of their sin and to whom are imputed the righteousness of Christ (Ro 5:18-19).

God's Wrath towards sinners does not prevent Him from being a God of love.

James 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Matt 5.43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Some people think that God is only being "loving" when He is blessing people and saving people, and when He is angry and full of wrath He is somehow no longer being "loving." But I think you will agree with me on the above passages, indicating that God is a constant "love," and unchanging no matter whether He is blessing or cursing.

His wrath is not like human vengeance, full of carnality and selfishness. God is a constant, being always in the nature of "love," and no matter what He does, is consistently operating out of "love."

It is obviously not easy to explain this in human terms because we are not like that normally. So forgive me if I don't express things very well!

 

[Clare73]

God's Wrath towards sinners does not prevent Him from being a God of love.

Agreed. . .

 

[The Liturgist]

Grace is given rather than earned and all who receive it ought to be grateful for it.

In Catholic theology, grace is understood as God's free and undeserved gift to humanity, enabling individuals—and by extension, nations—to share in divine life and grow closer to God. While grace is often discussed in relation to individuals, Catholic teaching also acknowledges its role in shaping nations, guiding them toward justice, peace, and moral integrity.

St. Paul, for example, speaks of grace in connection with nations, emphasising obedience to faith and righteousness. The Church teaches that God's grace can influence societies, inspiring leaders and communities to act in accordance with divine will. This grace is not something earned but is given freely by God to help nations uphold truth and goodness.

In Orthodoxy we further believe Grace to be an uncreated Energy of God, which is also the belief of most Byzantine Rite Catholics (who venerate St. Gregory of Palamas, who defended this doctrine, which has its roots in the Cappadocians and earlier), and it is through these uncreated energies that we can know God, because in this lifetime at least His transcendent essence is inscrutabe, although using apophatic theology, statements of the via negativa based on Scripture, we can say, for example, that God does not change, God does not discriminate between persons, there is no limit to God’s knowledge, there is no limit to God’s power, there is no limit to God’s mercy and so on. It is also possible to make related kataphatic statements (affirmations) about God such as God is Love, and God consists of the uncreated persons of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, united in the divine essence of the unoriginate Father, with the Son also being consubstantial with us, having united our human nature with His divine nature without change, confusion, separation and division.

Now, importantly, with regards to grace, if we’re going to talk about grace and being grateful, Americans must become more sacramental; Australians also I would add, indeed, everyone, because the Sacraments are the primary means of accessing salvific grace, through Baptism and the Eucharist, and the anointing of the sick with oil in the sacrament of Holy Unction, all of which are efficacious and important if done in a church with valid sacraments, such as ours, yours and mine, and additional means of grace include what your church calls sacramentals, such as Holy Water, which is a useful means of blessing things, and also the myrrh miraculously flowing from icons and relics (have you ever had a chance to experience any of this? In Orthodoxy the clergy try to bring us the myrhh from icons and relics as often as possible; this myrhh, by virtue of its miraculous appearance, is a strong demonstration of the grace of God in that it is physically manifest.

And some may well scoff at the idea of it, but by virtue of its existence it proves them wrong.