Where is our Freedom?
Often times in our culture and society we talk about what “freedom” means, what does it entail? We talk about our freedom in a political sense very often. How often do we speak of our “spiritual freedom”? Probably not as much because we tend to believe that we have already obtained that freedom. In our society today, I believe that we often confuse our ‘spiritual freedom’ with our ‘religious freedom’, the right to worship where and how we want to. Spiritual freedom however, is when our spiritual and emotional state are healthy, and we are not ‘bound’ by obstructions that prohibit our relationship with God.
Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, states in his book Reimagining the Ignatian Examen, that “we are spiritually free when we are emotionally well-balanced and desirous of being a faithful, hopeful, and loving person.” On the opposite side of the equation “We are unfree when we don’t feel God’s presence at this moment, and we either don’t care or are too panicky to handle the situation well.”
Therefore, are true journey in the Christian faith must be focused on the desire to be present with God in a peaceful and calm manner. As we go through our life we may desire that peaceful presence with God in many types of life. One of the ways we come to understand this is by asking ourselves the questions such as “What was my most unfree moment this morning?” In other words, when was I in a bad mood? and then on the contrary, we must ask ourselves, “What was my most free moment?” We are in constant search for the balance of life that presents us to the space in which we are comfortable and living in the presence of Christ.
By asking ourselves these questions we then begin to understand what it means to “work for our freedom” in the presence of the Living God. We have to remember that it is not just “handed to us” rather we must work for this understanding of the peaceful and non-peaceful parts of our lives; spiritually and physically.
My friends, may this be a continual journey for you in all that you do and may you look forward to tomorrow that it may be a day of spiritual peace within your life.
Peace on this side my friends,
Pastor Mark
