Can a Person Truly Change?
Opening Prayer
Lord,
You do not call us merely to improvement
but to holiness.
Help me understand Your grace
and trust that You can truly change me.
Amen.
Part One
What Grace Is
Grace is not:
A feeling.
Religious emotion.
Positive energy.
Grace is a real participation
in the life of God.
The Church teaches that sanctifying grace:
Dwells in the soul.
Makes us adopted children of God.
Strengthens us to live differently.
When someone is baptised, grace is given.
When someone confesses mortal sin, grace is restored.
When someone receives the Eucharist worthily, grace is strengthened.
Grace is not symbolic.
It is supernatural life.
Pause and Reflect
Do I think of grace as something real,
or only as a religious word?
Do I believe God can change habits and patterns in me?
Part Two
Why Effort Alone Is Not Enough
Many people think morality is about effort:
Try harder.
Be disciplined.
Make better choices.
Effort matters.
But effort alone cannot overcome every weakness.
Human nature is wounded by sin.
We experience:
Temptation.
Habit.
Selfishness.
Pride.
If faith were only moral improvement,
it would eventually collapse into frustration.
Grace makes what is difficult possible.
It does not remove struggle.
It strengthens the will.
It heals the mind.
It gradually reshapes desires.
Consider
Have I relied only on willpower?
Do I become discouraged when I fail?
Have I asked God for strength before facing temptation?
Part Three
Cooperation
Grace does not force change.
It invites cooperation.
God does not remove freedom.
He strengthens it.
Transformation requires:
Prayer.
Sacraments.
Honest self-examination.
Repeated return after failure.
Holiness is rarely sudden.
It is usually gradual.
Saints were not born without weakness.
They persevered with grace.
If grace is real,
then change is possible.
Not instant perfection.
But real growth.
Reflect Honestly
Where do I feel stuck spiritually?
Have I accepted certain weaknesses as permanent?
Do I believe God can transform me slowly?
Part Four
Grace and Identity
Grace does more than improve behaviour.
It changes identity.
The Church teaches that through grace we become:
Temples of the Holy Spirit.
Adopted children of the Father.
Members of Christ’s Body.
This is not poetic language.
It is spiritual reality.
When grace is lost through mortal sin,
that divine life is wounded.
When restored, life returns.
This is why the sacraments matter.
They are not symbolic encouragement.
They are channels of real grace.
Catholic life is not self-improvement.
It is participation in divine life.
Quiet Reflection
Sit quietly.
Imagine the soul as a room.
Is it filled with light?
Or cluttered and dim?
Ask the Lord to renew it.
Remain in silence.
This Week
Choose one:
• Pray daily for strength in one area of weakness.
• Receive the Eucharist attentively.
• Make an honest act of contrition.
• Read about one saint who struggled and persevered.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Your grace is greater than my weakness.
Transform my heart.
Strengthen my will.
Make me faithful and holy.
Amen.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 