t became man and made it for him.

Q. 456. {103} What do you mean by grace?
A. By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us, through
the merits of Jesus Christ, for our salvation.

Q. 457. What does "supernatural" mean?
A. Supernatural means above or greater than nature. All gifts such as
health, learning or the comforts of life, that affect our happiness
chiefly in this world, are called natural gifts, and all gifts such as
blessings that affect our happiness chiefly in the next world are called
supernatural or spiritual gifts.

Q. 458. What do you mean by "merit"?
A. Merit means the quality of deserving well or ill for our actions. In
the question above it means a right to reward for good deeds done.

Q. 459. {104} How many kinds of grace are there?
A. There are two kinds of grace, sanctifying grace and actual grace.

Q. 460. What is the difference between sanctifying grace and actual
grace?
A. Sanctifying grace remains with us as long as we are not guilty of
mortal sin; and hence, it is often called habitual grace; but actual
grace comes to us only when we need its help in doing or avoiding an
action, and it remains with us only while we are doing or avoiding the
action.

Q. 461. {105} What is sanctifying grace?
A. Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy and
pleasing to God.

Q. 462. {106} What do you call those graces or gifts of God by which we
believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him?
A. Those graces or gifts of God by which we believe in Him, and hope in
Him, and love Him, are called the Divine virtues of Faith, Hope, and
Charity.

Q. 463. What do you mean by virtue and vice?
A. Virtue is the habit of doing good, and vice is the habit of doing
evil. An act, good or bad, does not form a habit; and hence, a virtue or
a vice is the result of repeated acts of the same kind.

Q. 464. Does habit excuse us from the sins committed through it?
A. Habit does not excuse us from the sins committed through it, but
rather makes us more guilty by showing how often we must have committed
the sin to acquire the habit. If, however, we are seriously trying to
overcome a bad habit, and through forgetfulness yield to it, the habit
may sometimes excuse us from the sin.

Q. 465. {107} What is Faith?
A. Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which
God has revealed.

Q. 466. {108} What is Hope?
A. Hope is a Divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give