Grace
is God's favor extended toward us, unearned and undeserved. Grace is the
invitation extended by Jesus (and made possible by his life, death, and
resurrection) to enter into the irresistible and penetrating light of God's
love. And more, it is the gift of God's own Spirit working in us enabling us to
RSVP. Still more, grace is the promise of the Holy Spirit working in us to
bring about a radical transformation through the mercy of forgiveness, healing,
and the infusion of God's own love such that we may become partakers of the
divine nature.
In
an interview, Bono of the rock band U2, had this to say about grace:
Bono: You see, at the center of all religions is
the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics; in physical laws every action is met
by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very
heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this
idea called Grace to upend all that “as you sow, so you will reap” stuff. Grace
defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your
actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of
stupid stuff.
Assayas: I’d be interested to hear that.
Bono: That’s between me and God. But I’d be in
big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep shit. It
doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that
Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t
have to depend on my own religiosity.
Maybe after all, Bono is only partly right. Maybe Grace and Mercy are actually at the heart of it all rather than Karma (or, according to the New Testament, certain ways of understanding the Law). That is good news indeed. Because we've all done a lot of stupid things.
Listen to the song Grace by U2. Or just read the lyrics. However ugly things may seem, remember: grace makes beauty out of ugly things.
Grace
She
takes the blame
She
covers the shame
Removes
the stain
It
could be her name
Grace
It's
a name for a girl
It's
also a thought that changed the world
And
when she walks on the street
You
can hear the strings
Grace
finds goodness in everything
Grace,
she's got the walk
Not
on a ramp or on chalk
She's
got the time to talk
She
travels outside of karma
She
travels outside of karma
When
she goes to work
You
can hear her strings
Grace
finds beauty in everything
Grace,
she carries a world on her hips
No
champagne flute for her lips
No
twirls or skips between her fingertips
She
carries a pearl in perfect condition
What
once was hurt
What
once was friction
What
left a mark
No
longer stings
Because
grace makes beauty
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