August 3, 2025
My dear Kirkland Catholics,
These columns are not usually heavy on the theology, but I am a theology nerd so sometimes you will have to indulge me. The saying “Gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit” is from St. Thomas Aquinas. It means “grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it.”
Let’s break this down to get at its important implications for how we approach life and God Himself. Grace simply everything we receive from God either by actions He takes (actual grace) or simply by our connection to Him (sanctifying grace). Nature means everything about our “humanness” – my body, my soul, my emotions, my talents, my mind.
The first thing to note about this truth is the way that God relates to us: as Bishop Robert Barron likes to stress, God is not in competition with us. Grace doesn’t make us other than we are, it makes us more of who we are including in our desires and unique personalities and gifts. We far too often think about the commandments or call to holiness, for example, that these impinge on our freedom, cramp our style and limit us in some way. Those who have seen some growth in their spiritual and moral lives, however, all know that although progress is not easy, it is actually liberating and not limiting in any way. Holy people are not boring, they are the most interesting and alive people. Truly. If you struggle with this idea, pray the following prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to trust You and that your plans only lead to my greater freedom and joy.
The second thing to note about this is how we take care of our humanness. If grace builds on nature, we are more and more built up if we are taking the best care of our nature. This time of summer has hopefully provided many of us with more margin for rest and relaxation. Our diet, exercise, sleep, mental health, stress management, taking time for “fun,” intentionality about family and other relationships, and the type(s) of media we consume has a noted effect on our overall health and thus impacts our spiritual journey and how much we are actually built up in grace. HFK and SJV staffs are having a joint retreat in September that is all about “holy wellness” focused on all of these areas. August is a good time before entering back the craziness of September, to set some humanly healthy habits around our bodies, minds and spiritual practices; and to make a good individual or family resolution around wellness.
With love in Christ,
Fr. Brad