Lauren Scharmer, a 32-year-old longtime friend with a deeply convicted Catholic faith reflects on Newman's insights in his 1856 sermon "The Secret Power of Divine Grace". With the aid of Scripture Newman makes it clear that grace is so close to us that we are never alone. Since in the Incarnation, Christ came subtly to "conquest the heart", He in turn comes to us daily by regular, subtle inward influences in the form of the Sacraments - "He is ever coming. Again and again He comes to His Church" (lines 160-161). Lauren explains that Christ comes "again and again" in order for wayward souls to be reconciled to God and to oneself. Once reconciled our restless hearts become truly free. Today, as we contend with a crazy world, alienated from The Creator, we witness an ever increasing distinction of the world from The Gospel making the life of Christ all the more beautiful and inviting. Encountering this beauty is the most important event of our lives knowing that it will propel us forward into the world "again and again".
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.
