Spirituality of Freedom

[jmjconder]

I wonder on this day of the 4th of July if the spirituality of authentic freedom…in the Catholic tradition is often misunderstood…not understood…not even considered. I find this quote the most expressive thought of what Catholic need to believe…and if Catholics lived a life by this…how different life may be…I wonder ~ do you?

“Freedom is not being able to do whatever you want to do. That is license. If you have license, rather than authentic freedom, your house is built on sand and will collapse. Authentic freedom is the power to do what we ought to do; the power to choose the good, the true, and the beautiful." Fr. John Corapi SOLT

 

[beckycmarie]

Awesome quote - thank you for sharing it. Life is radically different when you move from living a life of license to a life of true freedom.

 

[MarieVeronica]

Awesome explanation of authentic freedom… from Fr. Corapi! :clapping: Thank you for sharing it with the forum!

I have another quote on the subject. This one is from the Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (it concerns Freedom of Speech… but can cover the entire spectrum of Freedom… in the generic sense).

“Freedom of Speech… does NOT mean the freedom to shout “FIRE” in a crowded theater.”

My understanding of this… is that “freedom” doesn’t mean we can do WHATEVER we want, WHENEVER we want. :nope: Just as Fr. Corapi so beautifully explains (above). Freedom is more about having the freedom to make the right choices. Not the choices that we “prefer”… but the right choices, according to God’s Laws.

 

[jmjconder]

Thank you for your replies.

This is the one concept in our faith that I truly believe “I” have failed to instruct youth from our parish in. I try my best…however it is so difficult because this particular Catholic concept is so foreign to so many.

We hear about many of the virtues in homilies and living a Christian life and following the Beatitudes…when was the last time you heard the Catholic concept of “freedom” instructed to you the faithful in a homily? I myself cannot remember.

In this present world of secularism and relativism ~ where are we (the Catholic Church) instructing the faithful about the freedom that our Catholic faith offers…I believe with all my heart ~ this concept is so essential to living an authentic life of the faith. Why don’t we hear about this “freedom?” The freedom our Catholic faith offers is NOT the freedom so many people believe it is…it is so much more…and gives so much more of what we desire…freedom!