The Way of Salvation by Fr. Vincent McCorry, S.J.

In the present religious climate, which in so many ways is healthy, it becomes necessary to insist that when a Christian shows concern for his eternal salvation, he neither dismisses the legitimate values of the here and now, nor imply indifference to the welfare, whether immediate or ultimate, of everyone else. A Christian may indeed brood excessively on his eternal destiny, just as any person who lacks interior balance may grow neurotic and obsessive on any subject--money, for example. But the person who believes in what the Acts of the Apostles calls the Way--the way of life, with its ideals, motives and goals, shown by Christ--will not be faulted if we periodically reflect on the issue of salvation. And, more practically, on the question of how salvation is to be achieved.

Eternal happiness is the fruit of teamwork, of knowing cooperation. Into the work enter both the grace of God and the willing effort of the individual.

The first observation to be made about the truth here expressed is a candid declaration of lack of knowledge. That God’s grace and our effort are related in the attainment of salvation, we know. How they are related, we do not exactly know.

Surely it will be clear to the person of faith that mystery must be accepted as an intrinsic element of revealed religion. And that mystery does not at all constitute a disabling factor in religion. If science is stimulated and not embarrassed by its manifold mysteries, why should not the person of faith be actually enlightened by supernatural truth whose total meaning we can never grasp? As was said long ago, the God who could be completely gotten inside the human head would not be much of a God. Besides, it must ever be repeated that in Christian mysteries of the practical order, such as this of attaining everlasting happiness, the believer understands amply enough for his needs. We know that grace can be trusted, but without sloth. We know that effort must be made, but without illusion. In short, for the supreme purpose of possessing God forever, the Christian knows (and it is much to know) what to do.

As followers of Christ undertakes to operate for our salvation, with the grace of Christ, we should be aware that salvation involves presuppositions and problems.

The first presupposition is that we are substantially free to make choices. Depth psychology has rightly warned against illusory glibness in measuring interior human freedom at a moment and in a context. Nevertheless, it remains a most sharp human awareness that a person does make personal choices; that we can choose A when we might have chosen B or C; that we frequently choose A with clear knowledge of the responsibility and consequences involved. The second presupposition is that a man’s free choices exercise an influence on our final destiny. The Christian believes in God and in our own dignity in freedom as opposed to blind fate and mere mechanics.

The two main salvation problems are, of course, presumption and Pelagianism. Presumption means what it says: the individual need do nothing toward their salvation; God will do all. Pelagianism means that the whole job can be done and must be done by the individual. One wills and sweats their way into the kingdom of heaven.

Our salvation is the outcome of cooperation between our sincere effort and God’s abundant and powerful grace.

If so, just how do we come by the Grace of God? The first and simplest answer to this practical question is been provided by Christ Himself: Ask, and the gift will come; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you. Everyone that asks, will receive, that seeks, will find, that knocks, will have the door opened to him. (This saying must have been familiar to the early Christians. It is recorded in identical terms by both Matthew and Luke.) The most immediate means to grace, and thus to salvation, is prayer.

Most people are normally reticent on the subject of their most personal dealings with almighty God; otherwise, it might be instructive to conduct, in the matter of prayer, one of those surveys that are meat and drink and headlines to us nowadays. The survey would consist of two questions only. One: What portion of your prayer is petitionary? Two: What portion of your petitionary prayer is addressed to spiritual rather than material assistance? Let there be repeated the broad truth that the sight and possession of God forever stands quite beyond the order of objectives that can be achieved by strenuous effort alone. Unlike suitable weight, eternal happiness cannot be gained simply by tenacious dieting and exercise of one kind or other. Creation is a gift, and grace is a gift, and salvation a gift. Moreover, one’s physical creation belongs to the natural order, while grace and salvation belong to that supernatural economy where sheer, ethical effort has, in itself, no true currency. So the Christian begs God (who, on His part, is more eager to answer this than any other prayer) for the needed assistance. Then in order to employ a respected formula, we may indeed praise, reverence and serve God and by this means save our soul. The anguished cry of Simon Peter, attempting to walk on water, is entirely suitable for our regular and heartfelt use: as he began to sink; he cried aloud, Lord, save me!

Read other articles of spiritual enlightenment in the March 2001 edition of The San Francisco Charismatics or return to the Main Menu by clicking on the blue.