What is True Freedom?
We all love freedom. It seems to be the highest value in our society. But what is true freedom? Freedom is often defined as “the ability to do whatever one wants, as long as no one else gets hurt”. Likewise, law, a great good, is seen as something opposed to freedom; something restricting or limiting freedom. Perhaps a better question might be “What is freedom for?”
American Flags, by User:Lipton sale, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Freedom is a gift given to us by God for our human flourishing. God is the Author of our freedom. He created us to be free. His Laws (the Ten Commandments), make us more (not less) free, the more we are obedient to them. In fact, all good laws actually enhance freedom, even if they are negative (like guard rails on a narrow mountain road which help us to drive freely and to safely reach our destination). The Author of freedom can never be the enemy of freedom!
The more one does good, the freer one becomes. The more one does evil, the less free one becomes. When we sin, do we not become a slave to sin? Sin is using our freedom to sell ourselves into slavery and increase our addictions to more sin. We are free to increase our freedom by obedience to the truth or decrease our freedom through sin. In Hell, there is no freedom; in Heaven there is total, complete freedom. Hence, true freedom, is the freedom to become the saints God created us to be!
–Fr. Andrew, FPO