On the 4th of July every year USA celebrates the day of Independence, the day of freedom from the yoke
of oppression. We rejoice in this breaking of shackles, the oppression of domination, and the unjust treatment suffered
for many years. Although there is joy and festive celebration every 4th of July, true freedom can only
come from one PERSON: JESUS CHRIST! It is Jesus who truly gives us liberty, true freedom, the freedom of the sons and daughters of God!
What then are ways in which we can experience this true interior liberty, a liberty that no exterior force can rob? Here are some true pathways to freedom!
1. BAPTISM! This Sacrament frees the soul from the
shackles of sin, the dominion of the devil, and introduces the person to a
relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
shackles of sin, the dominion of the devil, and introduces the person to a
relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2. FORGIVENESS! Hatred, envy and jealousy, resentment and
growing bitterness, cultivating plots to seek out revenge—all of these interior
sentiments transforms the individual into a slave. Jesus Himself said that sin indeed is
slavery. Therefore, when a wounded
person can open his heart to forgiveness and mercy, he has freed a prisoner.
Who? He indeed was the prisoner of his
own lack of forgiveness. Hatred enslaves; love
ennobles and sets the slave free.
Jesus came to set the captives free!
growing bitterness, cultivating plots to seek out revenge—all of these interior
sentiments transforms the individual into a slave. Jesus Himself said that sin indeed is
slavery. Therefore, when a wounded
person can open his heart to forgiveness and mercy, he has freed a prisoner.
Who? He indeed was the prisoner of his
own lack of forgiveness. Hatred enslaves; love
ennobles and sets the slave free.
Jesus came to set the captives free!
3. CONFESSION! Many people live in fear, doubt, insecurity,
and depression! What a sad existence! Usually the reason is very
simple: sin accumulating in their hearts and suffocating the joy that comes
from God. Sin is like carrying a heavy
weight. The movie THE MISSION portrays a
brother killing his own brother. For penance, the priest has given him the duty
to carry a weight attached to a cord wherever he goes and for an extended
period of time. As the penitent slowly ascends
a mountain, and as the weight and incline drag him to the ground, the priest
admits that the murderer has carried out his penance. The cord is cut and the heavy weight cascades
down the mountain; the sinner, accomplishing his penance and truly sorry for
his sin is set free! What an excellent
cinematic depiction of what sin is but even more important what sorrow,
confession, contrition, and penance can do!
It can set captives free and communicate TRUE FREEDOM! This is the freedom of the Sons and
Daughters of God! Seeking true freedom
of conscience, of guilt, why not try confession? The price could not be better and the Healer
is the best—Jesus, who came to save and heal the sinners and broken-hearted! He
is waiting for you in the Confessional!
and depression! What a sad existence! Usually the reason is very
simple: sin accumulating in their hearts and suffocating the joy that comes
from God. Sin is like carrying a heavy
weight. The movie THE MISSION portrays a
brother killing his own brother. For penance, the priest has given him the duty
to carry a weight attached to a cord wherever he goes and for an extended
period of time. As the penitent slowly ascends
a mountain, and as the weight and incline drag him to the ground, the priest
admits that the murderer has carried out his penance. The cord is cut and the heavy weight cascades
down the mountain; the sinner, accomplishing his penance and truly sorry for
his sin is set free! What an excellent
cinematic depiction of what sin is but even more important what sorrow,
confession, contrition, and penance can do!
It can set captives free and communicate TRUE FREEDOM! This is the freedom of the Sons and
Daughters of God! Seeking true freedom
of conscience, of guilt, why not try confession? The price could not be better and the Healer
is the best—Jesus, who came to save and heal the sinners and broken-hearted! He
is waiting for you in the Confessional!
4. BE A GOD-PLEASER AND NOT A PEOPLE
PLEASER! A subtle form of slavery is
the following: trying to please everybody!
Our first objective in life should always be to discern what is the Will
of God for me and to carry it out quickly, joyfully and enthusiastically! If our desire is always to cater to the
whims of others, try to follow the flow, to be modern and be with it, then we
will always end up sad and confused!
Before deciding and acting, our question should be: is this course of
action pleasing to God? If in the positive, carry it out! A model for us
is the person of St. John the Baptist! He was not a people-pleaser; he did not cater to popular opinion; nor
did he strive to ingratiate himself with the King, at that time King
Herod. On the contrary, he denounced the
relationship of King Herod which was sinful, incestuous and adulterous! Herod threw John in prison. As he celebrated his birthday party, who was the truly free individual? Not Herod! Herod was indeed a slave of sin:
lust, gluttony, greed, pride. John
experienced the true freedom of the sons of God, despite the dungeon, chains
and darkness! Decapitation followed, but John was the true victor! Are you at times a slave to popular opinion,
the mode, what others might think and say?
Call to conversion and freedom now!
Be not a “People-pleaser”; rather, be a “God-pleaser”!
PLEASER! A subtle form of slavery is
the following: trying to please everybody!
Our first objective in life should always be to discern what is the Will
of God for me and to carry it out quickly, joyfully and enthusiastically! If our desire is always to cater to the
whims of others, try to follow the flow, to be modern and be with it, then we
will always end up sad and confused!
Before deciding and acting, our question should be: is this course of
action pleasing to God? If in the positive, carry it out! A model for us
is the person of St. John the Baptist! He was not a people-pleaser; he did not cater to popular opinion; nor
did he strive to ingratiate himself with the King, at that time King
Herod. On the contrary, he denounced the
relationship of King Herod which was sinful, incestuous and adulterous! Herod threw John in prison. As he celebrated his birthday party, who was the truly free individual? Not Herod! Herod was indeed a slave of sin:
lust, gluttony, greed, pride. John
experienced the true freedom of the sons of God, despite the dungeon, chains
and darkness! Decapitation followed, but John was the true victor! Are you at times a slave to popular opinion,
the mode, what others might think and say?
Call to conversion and freedom now!
Be not a “People-pleaser”; rather, be a “God-pleaser”!
5. OUR LADY/ MARY MOST HOLY GIVES TRUE
FREEDOM! After conceiving Jesus through
the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary moved in haste to visit her cousin St.
Elizabeth. Moved by the Holy Spirit,
intent upon charity through service, joyful in God who was within, Mary arrives
and greets St. Elizabeth! Upon this
greeting, true LIBERTY was communicated and experienced! Upon hearing Mary’s greeting the baby John
leapt in her womb! The words of Mary and the silent presence of Jesus— the
Hidden Redeemer already acting— resulted in John being liberated from the
stain of Original Sin. The bond was
broken and the stain of sin cleansed through the word of Mary and the Presence
of Jesus! Experience has proven that
Marian Sanctuaries are indeed, “Spiritual clinics”. Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe,
are all classical examples of pilgrims who are sinners have recourse to
sacramental confession— sometimes after many years- and consequently are set
free from the bonds of sin and the clutches of Satan! Indeed Mary has been called to crush the ugly head of
the enemy and to cast out sin by her presence.
“O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
FREEDOM! After conceiving Jesus through
the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary moved in haste to visit her cousin St.
Elizabeth. Moved by the Holy Spirit,
intent upon charity through service, joyful in God who was within, Mary arrives
and greets St. Elizabeth! Upon this
greeting, true LIBERTY was communicated and experienced! Upon hearing Mary’s greeting the baby John
leapt in her womb! The words of Mary and the silent presence of Jesus— the
Hidden Redeemer already acting— resulted in John being liberated from the
stain of Original Sin. The bond was
broken and the stain of sin cleansed through the word of Mary and the Presence
of Jesus! Experience has proven that
Marian Sanctuaries are indeed, “Spiritual clinics”. Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe,
are all classical examples of pilgrims who are sinners have recourse to
sacramental confession— sometimes after many years- and consequently are set
free from the bonds of sin and the clutches of Satan! Indeed Mary has been called to crush the ugly head of
the enemy and to cast out sin by her presence.
“O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
After a radical conversion, upon his legs being shattered in the Battle of Pamplona, St. Ignatius of Loyola was inspired by the Holy Spirit to compose the classic, that has changed the world THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. At the
end of the Exercises, in the famous CONTEMPLATION TO ATTAIN LOVE, the contemplation challenges the retreatant
to “Magnanimity”— great generosity of soul— to offer himself totally to
God, but especially his “Liberty”. We conclude with this inspiring but challenging prayer and challenge you to pray
it and to live it; the result will be true “Liberty” of spirit!
end of the Exercises, in the famous CONTEMPLATION TO ATTAIN LOVE, the contemplation challenges the retreatant
to “Magnanimity”— great generosity of soul— to offer himself totally to
God, but especially his “Liberty”. We conclude with this inspiring but challenging prayer and challenge you to pray
it and to live it; the result will be true “Liberty” of spirit!
“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O Lord, I return it. All is thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.” (Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola # 234)
