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Freedom—Essential for
BY FR. EUGENE J. WEITZEL, CJS.V.
Freedom is the quality or the state of being free. It is, for the
individual as well as the group, the absence of necessity or
constraint in choice or action. It is liberation from slavery or
restraint from the power of another.
Personal external freedom is the absence of restraint or
coercion, but. more significantly, personal freedom is the fullness
of being.
While we primarily will be concerned with personal freedom
here, we cannot completely ignore the role of community in
freedom, since community freedom affects personal freedom.
Since we can speak of both the ecclesiastical and the secular or
political community, it seems appropriate to say a few words
about the role of freedom in each.
Obviously, freedom and obedience must co-exist in the
Church. In fact, it is to the advantage of all segments of the
Church, including those in authority, to respect the freedom of
individuals and groups to express their opinions. In 1950, Pius
XII observed that there must be a “public opinion” in the
Church that is entitled to scope and tolerance, for this is “the
birthright of any normal human society.”
Education
To Freedom
BY FR. CARL J. PFEIFER, S J.
We were sitting around a crackling fire. The sun had set and
stars already dotted the black sky. Four couples and I were
discussing the meaning and purpose of life. Their eleven children
were already packed off to bed.
From the first chapters of the Bible (Genesis 1-2) I suggested
that man was created by God to be free, free to love. These two
chapters of Genesis indicate that God gave man dominion over
everything in the entire world, not as an isolated individual, but
as a person whose life and growth is achieved in relation with
others. It was not good for man to be alone. God made man to
live with others.
I pointed out that the marvelous imagery of the biblical story
indicates that from God’s viewpoint man is created to become
fully free, with dominion over all that can enslave him. His
freedom grows to the extent that he loves and is loved. In this
capacity for freely giving of self in love man images God himself
whose supreme freedom is motivated solely by love.
The couples reacted immediately to this analysis of the
biblical story about the meaning of human existence. Aside
from problems and questions regarding the stories in the first
two chapters of Genesis, there was consternation at the idea
that God made man to be free. That the meaning of a person’s
life so sharply focused on freedom disturbed my friends.
One of the men scoffed that the best thing for him to do
then, to be really free and a better person, would be to forget
his job, wife, and children, catch a plane for Florida and bask on
the beach. Admitting that this was an attractive thought at
times, he did not consider it an example of personal growth.
Another said that my idea sounded like an excuse to make life
easier, to legitimize escape from difficult situations.
One of the wives said the idea of being free from laundry,
dishes, cooking and cleaning sounded great, but she thought her
life found meaning precisely in doing these tasks for her family.
Through much laughter and serious discussion we grappled for
several hours with the meaning of freedom in one’s life from the
perspective of Christian growth and holiness. What gradually
came clear was that the word “freedom” means different things
to different people, with the most common being that
“freedom” means freedom “from” things that are difficult or
unpleasant. To say that “freedom” is at the core of Christian
life appears at first glance to be opting for an easy way out of
life’s challenges, an invitation to shirk responsibility.
The experience was enlightening for all of us. It brought into
sharp perspective some of the misunderstandings that arise
through words, the large “communications gap” that can exist
even though people use the same language. We came to realize
that the notion of freedom is central to so much of
contemporary thought, yet the meaning of freedom is
understood differently and feelings about freedom span a broad
spectrum from fear to frivolity.
After our feelings had been aired, and our thoughts clarified,
we looked at other passages of the Bible and the Documents of
the Second Vatican Council. St. Paul, for example, points out to
the Christians of Galatia: “My brothers, remember that you
have been called to live in freedom .. .Out of love, place
yourselves at one another’s service” (Gal. 5:13). He carefully
points out in that passage that freedom is not giving in to the
free “rein of the flesh,” that is to the pull of selfishness and
irresponsibility.
The freedom Paul says Christians are called to is freedom
from sin, from enslavement to selfish desire that leads one to
ignore or reject one’s true good, the good of others, and the call
of God. This freedom is ultimately a freedom from whatever
causes human diminishment and death. But Paul’s emphasis is
more on what freedom is for, namely to enable one to place
himself at the service of others in love. The Christian is called to
a freedom that makes possible true love - of self, of others, of
God. According to St. Paul, the Holy Spirit’s presence and
activity can be discerned wherever there is genuine freedom:
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor.
3:18).
Building on the biblical insights into man’s freedom, the
Second Vatican Council affirms that “authentic freedom is an
exceptional sign of the divine image within man” (Church in
World, 17). The text is clearly referring to the first chapters of
Genesis, which my friends and I were discussing. In a later
passage the Council teaches that “the gospel announces and
proclaims the freedom of the sons of God” (Church in World,
41).
As we considered our experience in the light of the Bible and
the teachings of the Council that evening around the fire, we
realized that we were just beginning to penetrate something of
the mystery of human freedom which is the image of God in
man. We recognized that true freedom as the Bible and Christian
tradition uses it is synonymous not with escape or anarchy, but
with responsibility and mature commitment.
As St. Paul clearly taught, authentic freedom equips a person
for love and service. Such a notion implies that, in Paul’s words,
“Everyone should bear his own responsibility” (Gal 6:5). To
grow in freedom, means to grow in responsibility, the capacity
to genuinely love.
In that sense one task of religious education at home or
school is to enable persons to become truly free (See
GENERAL CATECHETICAL DIRECTORY, No. 4, 61, 71).
Certainly, the personal freedom of every individual would be
endangered if the political community were not free to continue
in existence. Within the community there must exist that degree
of freedom which is necessary to assure that individuals as well
as groups can play an effective role in organizing the life of the
political community for the attainment of the common good.
Every time we experience freedom, whether it be personal or
communal, we move in the direction of self-perfection and
self-actualization. Each experience of freedom helps us realize
that man’s freedom of choice is the basis of all moral
responsibility and the prerequisite for all (temporal and eternal)
forms of reward ana punishment. This is true even for the
freeing, redeeming actions of Jesus Christ who freely suffered
and died for us.
Christ’s freeing, redemptive suffering and death did not
guarantee external freedom - the freedom which gives man the
opportunity to lead his life according to his discretion - for all
BY FR. JOSEPH M. CHAMPLIN
Veteran travelers who change planes and airlines at Boston’s
Logan International Airport find an unfamiliar word in the
directional signs they follow from one end of the sprawling
structure to the other. “American, National, Alleghany,
Chapel.”
The arrows take you to and past Our Lady of the Airways
Chapel located in the central terminal building. Those in charge
there offer 7 Sunday Masses for Americans on the go and a daily
8:00 a.m. Eucharist. Perhaps more importantly, however, the
chapel itself makes the Church visibly present in this busy
center and gives many an opportunity to step aside, rest for
awhile and pray to Christ in the tabernacle.
Last summer I had a two hour connection between Air New
England and Alleghany Airlines, walked by the attractive
chapel, then decided to stop and make a “visit.” During my 45
minutes stay, probably a half dozen people entered for a few
moments and moved on. A few apparently looked in out of
Weekly Quiz
1 is liberation from slavery or restraint from
the power of another.
2. T. or F. - Community freedom affects personal freedom.
3. The freedom man gained from Christ’s redeeming act is
called freedom.
(a) Christian (b) Civil (c) Personal
4 carried his freedom within himself.
5. T. or F. -- Real freedom depends on other people.
6. The first two chapters of the Book
of indicate God gave man dominion over
everything.
(a) Genesis (b) Exodus (c) Numbers
7. God made to live with others.
8. True freedom is synonymous with responsibility and
mature
9. T. or F. -- The Church always insists on complete
freedom for the human heart.
10. Personal prayer before the represents a
solid part of Catholic tradition.
ANSWERS:
1. (Freedom) 2. (T) 3. (a) 4. (Christ) 5. (F) 6. (a) 7. (Man)
8. (commitment) 9. (T) 10. (tabernacle).
Dignity and
men, but it did expand our freedom of will by providing a new
freedom. This religious freedom gained from Christ’s redeeming
act is called Christian freedom. The effects of Christian freedom
are fourfold and include:
1. FREEDOM FROM SIN. Christian freedom frees man from
the sin of Adam and from the slavery that arises from personal
transgressions as well.
2. FREEDOM FROM ETERNAL DEATH. Had Christ not
freely redeemed us we were destined to die not only physically
but spiritually since death is the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23). This
is not to say however, that the individual can not still be lost if
his faith is not accompanied by good works, for death will only
be completely destroyed at the end of time.
3. FREEDOM FROM THE RULE OF SATAN. Because
Christ three times resisted temptation and because of his
curiosity (not a bad form of modern evangelization), but most
either fingered their beads, lit a votive candle, or simply sat in
silent reflective prayer.
This experience served as another confirmation of a truth I
learned while a young boy and still believe strongly now in my
early forties - the positive devotional value of such private
encounters with the reserved eucharistic Lord. It is a practice
which, unfortunately in my view, may have been somewhat
neglected over the past decade.
In our praiseworthy rush to counteract extreme
individualistic piety we may have crushed a long-established and
valuable tradition. To spend hours before the tabernacle in
church and walk away oblivious of men’s needs in the world
outside leaves much to be desired; but to immerse oneself
totally in social action with no time for personal prayer scarcely
represents a better alternative.
Similarly, commitment to community worship and concern
about the liturgy in no way conflicts with a sound appreciation
for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. These, on the
contrary, complement one another. The priest who meditates
quietly in fromt of the tabernacle before Mass will
unquestionably celebrate the Eucharist more perfectly later at
the altar. Persons who drop into church for a few minutes at
odd times throughout the day may well be back for the
eucharistic celebration which in fact makes such personal
devotion possible.
The 1967 Instruction on Eucharistic Worship speaks in Part
III about “The Worship of the Eucharist as Permanent
Sacrament.” Two points bear repeating in view of today’s
developments.
Private devotion to the Blessed Sacrament should flow
from and lead to the sacred liturgy. “When the faithful adore
Christ present in the sacrament, they should remember that this
presence derives from the sacrifice and is directed toward both
sacramental and spiritual Communion . . .These devotions must
harmonize with the liturgy, be in some way derived from it and
lead the people toward the liturgy as to something which of its
nature is far superior to these devotions.”
Personal prayer before the tabernacle, although a later
development in the Church, nevertheless represents a sound and
solid part of Catholic tradition. “The reservation of the sacred
species for the sick. . .led to the praiseworthy custom of adoring
the heavenly food which is preserved in churches. The practice
of adoration has a valid and firm foundation especially since
belief in the real presence of the Lord has as its natural
consequence the external and public manifestation of that
belief.”
The Church always insists on complete freedom for the
human heart - freedom, for example, to choose our own
confessor and freedom to pray in our own way. Enthusiastic
liturgists need not limit that freedom, but ought to encourage it.
For the person who kneels regularly before the tabernacle
should rather naturally wish to join others when a priest leads
them in breaking the sacred bread.
“EVERY TIME WE EXPERIENCE FREEDOM. . .we move in the direction of self-perfection and self-actualization.”
A child propels a symbol of perfection, a circle. (NC Photo)
Appreciation of Prayer
Before Blessed Sacrament
PAGE 5 - October 5,1972
Happiness
redemptive death on the cross, Satan lost much of his influence
in human affairs.
4. FREEDOM FROM THE DOMINANCE OF THE FLESH.
Though our mortal bodies still fight in us against the spirit and
must be mortified, Christ’s free redemptive actions enable us to
become a temple of the Holy Spirit and so share in his
resurrection (Rom. 8:11).
Though those who lived before Christ understood the
importance of freedom and regarded it as “a fine and splendid
possession, both for the individual and for the state” (Socrates),
it is impossible to grasp its full significance unless we reflect
upon it in terms of Christ’s freeing, redemptive actions, which
alone make freedom fully intelligible. This is so because an
understanding of the freedom which Christ obtained for us
effects a deeper appreciation of the splendor of all forms of
human freedom which are indeed reflections of God’s absolute
freedom.
Our Quest
For Freedom
BY FR. QUENTIN QUESNELL, S.J.
“Here is the one who will inherit everything. Let us kill him and then
we will have his inheritance!” (Matthew 21, 38).
We want so badly to be free. Aware that we are not, we look
around for someone or something that we can blame for our
lack of freedom.
If only we could be rid of this one person. If only such and
such a law did not exist. If only we had the money - or the time
-- or the skill. Get the obstacles out of our road, smash the
chains that bind us, kill the masters who oppress us - and we
will be free.
But we won’t be. And we aren’t, now. We know it, because
we’ve tried these ways before and they didn’t work. No sooner
did we get rid of one oppressor than another took its place.
We finally conclude, if we’re wise, that the reason we’re not
free is that there’s something wrong with us. Until we get that
fixed, get ourselves straightened out, feel our own insides
mended and healed, we never will be free.
Real freedom doesn’t depend on other people. It doesn’t
depend on what we have or don’t have. Freedom is within. The
tenants in the gospel story, who have leased a very profitable
vineyard, don’t want to give it back to its owner or even pay
what they owe in rent.
They find the owner in an obstacle to their freedom to do
what they want and have what they desire. The debt they owe
him oppresses them. The agents he sends to collect the debt are
a threat to their security and freedom.
Finally he sends his very own son. But the tenants don’t see
the son as a sign of the owner’s personal care and concern. All
they can see in him is “the one who will inherit everything. Let
us kill him and then we will have his inheritance. Then we will
have what we want, no one will interfere with us anymore, and
at last we will be satisfied, our worries will be over, and we will
be free!”
Will they? We know the answer already. The only freedom
they could possibly find that way is a freedom dependent on
possession of that property. The next time a threat to that
property appears - someone more powerful than themselves,
perhaps one of their own number who turns on the rest or
cheats them, an invading army, a fire, a drought, a flood -
whatever endangers their possession of that property will
threaten their freedom again. They are not really free. They are
slaves of their desires and of the possessions that help satisfy
them.
The free man in the story is the son whom they killed. We
know him as the one who died to make us free. Christ is the son
of the owner of the vineyard. He gave his life to blaze the trail
to freedom.
But see how he did it. He did it by giving his life away. He
exposed himself, out of love, to the violence and hate of his
unfree fellow men. He didn’t come to fight over the vineyard or
for anything else. So there wasn’t a thing they could do to him
that could make him afraid - not with that paralyzing fear
which inhibits action; not with a fear that could make him
bound and unfree.
Christ carried his freedom within himself. It was a freedom
based in the solid security that God rules the world and God is
our loving father. What more could he need? “Foxes have lairs
and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay his head.” “Your father knows all that you
need.” “Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness,
and all of these things will be given you besides.”
He believed this and lived it, and so he could say: “I lay down
my life to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it
down freely.” So he could tell his followers the secret of
freedom: “Blessed are the poor in spirit... .the
sorrowing . . .the lowly .. .” “Offer no resistance to injury.
When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer
him the other. If anyone wants to go to law over your shirt, hand
him your coat as well.”
That is freedom. St. James writes: “Where do the conflicts
and disputes among you originate? Is it not your inner cravings
that make war within your members? What you desire you do
not obtain, and so you resort to murder. You envy and you
cannot acquire, so you quarrel and fight.” But “it was for
liberty that Christ freed us.” “If the son frees you, you will
really be free.”