The Calls of Grace - Martha Olsen

Martha Olsen, brilliant fellow graduate of The University of St. Thomas Catholic Studies master’s program and now a busy mother of 4, shares her thoughts on the 1848 sermon “The Calls of Grace”. In this episode we learn from Newman that the sharpness of The Divine Word can readily penetrate a softened heart. Only a closed heart can stop The Word from entering it. Do I have a soft heart to receive Grace? What do we value that pierces our hearts?  Martha helps us see that Newman shapes his language for his listeners to realize that his message is directed at me! And how does Newman teach us to soften our hearts? Make the last four things (heaven, hell, death, and judgment) a priority in our life’s considerations. To cultivate good, rich soil we must consider, what is it we really care about. We need to develop a habitual state of mind that focuses on the things of God, seeking that path to holiness daily. Further, on a practical level, the very name of Jesus is the name we want to feed upon. If our minds are sharp about the name of Jesus, we are open to what he has to say to us. Through practical practices we can be beautified by the name of Jesus. If we are seeking holiness, we must allow Christ’s words to beautify us. They can bring us to life. And to avoid any hardening of heart I must continually strive to maintain the change that has come over me. I must continually receive Grace. If we trample on the Word of God with a hardened heart it is extremely difficult to pull out of that state. And there are those that trample on the Word because of ignorance. These are openings for us to evangelize either by acting in holiness or sharing our love for God’s Word. God wants us to hear so that we can reach out to others. Our hope rests in that “all things are possible through God’s Grace”. God gives Grace little by little, so we need to ask and receive every single day. By desiring Grace everything is possible. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.