God's desire to convey His goodness and eternal blessedness led Him to create intelligent and free beings. He freely shared a portion of His divine nature, referred to in theology as "sanctifying grace," with these beings.
This divine gift, obtained through faith in baptism, transforms individuals into adopted children of God. Initially, it resembles a seed, gradually maturing and culminating in ultimate fulfillment after death, in eternal life.
The Christian journey is the life of a person as a child of God in Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, spanning from baptism to the transition to eternal life. Consequently, the paramount moral principle of Christian existence is this divine redemptive plan, known as the "eternal law" in moral theology.
The Old Law represents the earliest stage of revealed law. Recognizing that a law inscribed within the human heart was necessary to heal humanity, God intervened through His loving Spirit in each individual's conscience. This law encompasses truths accessible to reason and validated in salvation covenants, with its moral guidelines condensed into the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue.
These commandments establish the basis of human calling, prohibiting actions contrary to love for God and neighbor while prescribing what is essential to it.
May the grace of the Holy Spirit accompany us, enabling us to grasp that love transcends mere adherence to the law. This understanding allows us to be transformed by the ever-present Lord, who serves as a faithful ally, providing illumination and opening our hearts to the new law of love.
