Expert: Edward Bode - 2/7/2007

Question
Hello Mr Edward!
Is it true that our free will allows us to do only bad things, to do evil, and if there is something good that we do it is solely thanks to God's will cause we're not able to do any good on our own, we need God's grace. Since we need God's grace to be able to do something good it means our free will enables us only to sin. Can we then call it a freedom of choice that was given us by God since, on our own, without God's help, we can only commit sins. Therefore I conclude that angels are not free cause they can't sin, we, however,can thanks to our free will, but does it really, without God's grace, allows us to do bad things only? Thanks.

Answer
Lucas, you have touched the multi-million dollar question -- the explanation of God's actions in regard to free will. That is sometimes referred to as the mystery of grace.
Catholic philosophers and theologians and various Church councils agree that we humans have free will and that we need God's grace to attain salvation.  The two facts of free will and needed grace are well established.  
From the time of the Church Fathers [4th century] on to the present, many have attempted to explain the mystery.  I cannot give you a complete rational explanation of the divine mystery.
In every human action is some kind of action on the part of God.  That is on the natural level.  On the supernatural level of grace is also an action on the part of God.
That we have free will is also a given.  If we did not, then we would be incapable of being responsible for any action and so deprived of the dignity of freedom.  Without freedom, the promise of salvation makes no sense.
So, we know that we have the capablility of freely choosing good or evil.  The details of how our freedom is not removed by the natural or supernatural intervention of God will have to wait until we have access to the infinite mind of God in heaven.  
Saying that some supernatural truths are a mystery is not a copout -- philosophically, the answer lies in the inability of a finite mind to understand the infinite.  There are numerous mysteries; possibly, the greatest is why God is necessarily a Trinity.
I hope these thoughts, Lucas, are of some value to you.  If you would like to write again, please feel free to do so.  
Best wishes, Lucas.  Keep on cooperating with God's supernatural graces, which are not lacking.