Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3540

3540 Effectiveness of grace....

September 8, 1945: Book 45

The slightest resistance prevents the influx of divine grace and its effectiveness, although divine love always and constantly wants to bestow gifts of grace upon people. The opening of the heart, the will and desire for God's grace, is absolutely necessary for it to become effective in the human being, because God's grace is a sure means of attaining maturity of soul, which the human being must strive for and achieve of his own free will. A gift of grace offered to him without his will to receive it would promote his development without his will having changed, but this is the purpose and aim of his earthly progress. The extent of the human being's innermost desire to be supported by God can only be judged by God alone, yet He already takes the slightest will into account and grants the human being His help.... He gives him His grace and it will also have its effect on him. The realization of one's own inadequacy is the first step towards desiring and requesting God's grace, God's help, for in the awareness of his weakness he reaches out longingly for salvation, and thus he opens himself to the influx of grace which God hands out unmeasured to anyone who desires it. Every aid which promotes the human being's spiritual development is grace, offered to him by God's great love so that he may become blissfully happy.... It is a gift which, however, is only given to the weak, the needy, who are aware of their condition and who humbly come before God in their weakness, asking for His grace.... This condition has to be imposed by God because He respects the human being's free will, but a gift of grace against the human being's will signifies a constraint which impairs the soul's maturing. God places every conceivable means of help at people's disposal, yet He does not force it upon them but requires the willingness to accept it and to respect the giver in gratitude and love, but then the human being will effortlessly cover the path of ascent and be able to record rich success for his soul. For whatever God gives to people in His infinite love has to be successful if it can take effect on them through their will....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers