What is "grace"?

[eleny]

What is your personal definition of it?

I was raised Catholic but left long ago. Every now and then, the concept of "grace" comes back to me and I realize that I don't really know what it is. When I was little, it was the rays of sun coming down from the clouds. We were taught that it's a state of being ands also something you got from god. But I'm still not sure what it is.

I considered posting my question in the Catholic or other such groups. But this group seemed like the place to get a variety of thoughts on this.

Thanks for reading this!

[elshiva]

1. Thank you! Don't remember what is exactly either.

Probably a gift from God that strenghtens you?

[intheflow]

2. I always think of grace as

a general gratitude about being alive and in relationship with the Divine. Grace is given by God (like the song Amazing Graze) and also extended between people (in good graces, or the grace of forgiveness or understanding). Maybe grace is happy and mutual loving relationship.

But then, I wasn't raised Christian so I don't know all the ramifications there. I have to say your description of grace being like "rays of sun coming down from the clouds" hit me on a visceral level. That image does "feel" like grace.