Thought for the Day – 17 February – The Will

Thought for the Day – 17 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Will

“St Paul seems to contradict this idea when he writes: “There is question, not of him who wills, nor of him who runs but of God showing mercy” (Rom 9:16).

What he says is true.
Our will is inadequate to effect anything without the grace of God.
But, it is equally true, that the grace of God is not sufficient without an act of the will on our part.
God created us as intelligent beings with the marvellous gift of free will.
Because He respects the liberty which He gave us, He will not compel us by His grace to become holy.
He only assist us.
His assistance is absolutely necessary because of ourselves, we are incapable of forming a good intention, let alone performing a good action.
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves,” St Paul says elsewhere, “to think anything, as from ourselves but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor 3:5).

We must pray fervently for divine grace but, it depends on our own will to ensure, that God’s grace produces results in us.
This is the only way in which we can become perfect.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/17/thought-for-the-day-17-february-the-will/