The Mystery of...

Grace

“I do not understand the mystery of grace—only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.”

Anne Lamott

Yesterday, in Spirituality Group, we engaged in a lively discussion about grace—what is it, and when do we see it in our lives? This conversation was sparked when Harry asked the simple question, “What is grace?” When you start fishing around in your brain cells for a pat definition, it's hard to find. Grace is an experience. Sometimes we know it in the moment, like when we're driving down the interstate, and an 18-wheeler veers into our lane but somehow misses us. Grace may be accompanied by a string of profanity, and then profound relief. We know we've been spared—but we don't know why.

Much of the time, however, grace is subtle and seen in hindsight. It is in decisions, accidents and mistakes, in chance meetings and wrong turns we make that seem crazy at the time, but when we look back, we know they were a “God-send” in the most literal sense. When we didn't have a child in a first marriage even though we tried, or we didn't get that job we wanted, or when we made a major move that didn't pan out, and later we realize these were the best possible out-comes. That's grace at work.

According to Pope Francis, “Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason.” Grace is always a gift; it cannot be earned. It is founded upon, and is the foundation of trust. Trust in the universe, and most of all, in God. Trust that your better angels, your spirit guides have your back. They may allow you to fail, but they will never abandon you. They will always light your path if you let them.

                                          In the Spirit,

                                               Jane