God's will versus Human will, Human freedom and "dying to self"

[roseproject]

There is a lot of emphasis in the life of the saints of “dying to self”, “I no longer live but God lives through me”, God’s will and human will, etc.

The “I no longer live…” one puzzles me the most. Does this imply that we are to abandon our own, individual uniqueness and become robots which don’t think their own unique thoughts, pursue unique interests? What would be the point of individual persons if we are all basically called to “become Jesus”, as it were, just in the shell of a different person? Who is the “I” the phrase typically refers to? Just the fallen part; to strip away the fallen part, or is it suggesting a complete annihilation of your own person? The latter wouldn’t make sense because, in Heaven, we will be our truest selves. We will all be unique persons. So, just give up the part that was distorted…or…?

Thanks in advance

 

[fhansen]

There is a lot of emphasis in the life of the saints of “dying to self”, “I no longer live but God lives through me”, God’s will and human will, etc.

The “I no longer live…” one puzzles me the most. Does this imply that we are to abandon our own, individual uniqueness and become robots which don’t think their own unique thoughts, pursue unique interests? What would be the point of individual persons if we are all basically called to “become Jesus”, as it were, just in the shell of a different person? Who is the “I” the phrase typically refers to? Just the fallen part; to strip away the fallen part, or is it suggesting a complete annihilation of your own person? The latter wouldn’t make sense because, in Heaven, we will be our truest selves. We will all be unique persons. So, just give up the part that was distorted…or…?

Thanks in advance

It’s not a complete annihilation of your own person; it’s an annihilation of the ego, kind of an imposter that actually dominates or overrides the truth of who we are in our created innocence. Who we are is a unique expression of God’s own image-at least that’s who we’re meant to be-and we can’t find any real depth of peace until we navigate back to it, with the help of grace. The catechism teaches that, with the original sin of man, he became spiritually divided not only from God, but within his own self, where God resides. Man’s individuality only authentically blossoms to the extent that man enters, or re-enters, communion with Him. This where true freedom lies, whereas the lie that Adam swallowed told him that he’d be freer if he were apart from his Creator.

 

[Sarcelle]

There is a lot of emphasis in the life of the saints of “dying to self”, “I no longer live but God lives through me”, God’s will and human will, etc.

The “I no longer live…” one puzzles me the most. Does this imply that we are to abandon our own, individual uniqueness and become robots which don’t think their own unique thoughts, pursue unique interests? What would be the point of individual persons if we are all basically called to “become Jesus”, as it were, just in the shell of a different person? Who is the “I” the phrase typically refers to? Just the fallen part; to strip away the fallen part, or is it suggesting a complete annihilation of your own person? The latter wouldn’t make sense because, in Heaven, we will be our truest selves. We will all be unique persons. So, just give up the part that was distorted…or…?

Thanks in advance

I can speak from experience. I notice the more I conform to God’s will, the freer I am to become my own authentic self. Counterintuitive, yes, but most of God’s laws seem to be like that.