by Ricky Doc Sauceda
God's grace is our gift for accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. In this we are acknowlegding that Christ is the Son of God...the one who is prophesied throughout the Old Testament. It is Jesus who offers eternal life and forgiveness of all sins in his body and blood - the Lamb of God.
Our Christian faith is founded with grace as its heart. It is God's grace that enables us to have the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. By surrendering to Christ and being Born Again in the spirit, we become new in Him.
Of the gifts mentioned, clarity is needed on several. Counsel is right judgment...the making of good choices. Piety is reverence to God with humility, trust and love. Fear of the Lord is to have wonder and awe for Him. The others are defined by their obvious meanings and these seven gifts lend us the ability to live in the Light of the Lord. To carry out His will for us to share and love with one another.
Isaiah 11:1-3
The Branch From Jesse
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD--
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
These gifts are to be used to increase us in faith and strength. To aid us in carrying out our duties as followers and to assist us in spreading the Gospel. These gifts are part of a daily life that reflects goodness and well-being in the world. I was inspired by my time in the chapel tonight to expound on a message that is from these gifts.
I posted a testimonial about my personal experience with Mother Mary in 1985, and I share pictures of her daily. I have explained that she is an advocate of our Lord. She asks for us to accept Him as Savior and be saved from our sins, because He will soon return. Her concern and message are merited because we are getting closer to The Day of the Lord.
A translation of the New American Bible describes her:
Luke 1:28 -
And when the angel had come to her, he said,"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women."
This is the revelation I had while I was praying in the chapel...that Mary was full of grace by God. Before Jesus was born, His mother received grace first. This is very significant in explaining the Assumption of Mary which provides her status as an advocate for us, her children. She is the first person to receive the gift of God's grace. She willingly agreed to carry the Son of God.
Luke 1:38 -
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
I have been perplexed why Mother Mary appeared to me twenty-six years ago. I have stated that I was not a true believer of her at that time. I didn't even have a rosary, much less say the prayers associated with it. When I prayed the Hail Mary and Holy Mary, it was from routine and not devotion. Her appearance impacted me in a progressive way and I am still dealing with accepting her as Our Lady of Guadalupe. I find it strange that she changes her appearance, but I accept it. I have been praying the Rosary steadily for a year now and feel closer to Jesus for it. That is the purpose of her appearances - to call us to accepting Jesus as Savior.
This is why I will not ever leave the Catholic faith. As a Christian I share all other traits, but it is Mother Mary that brings out a clear and noticeable difference in me. I "believe" because I have seen her with my own eyes. I have heard her voice with my spirit. She is real.
Grace was hers and then ours. This is in the Gospel. It cannot be denied.