The issue of freedom has come up in the discussion of many public issues in recent times. In the minds of some, freedom means living our life as we want and not having to do what others tell us to do, no matter who is telling us. It’s an adolescent stance that sometimes persists into adulthood.
We see this concern about freedom come up often in public discourse in terms of how we interpret law, how we understand our individual rights, who should be determining public policy, how we understand our relationship with others and our obligations towards others.
I think that one of the things that the years of the Covid pandemic have taught us is that we are all interconnected, and that how I live my life can affect your life in significant ways, and that imposes a moral obligation on all of us.
The freedom that Jesus brings includes a responsibility towards others. It’s clear in how he lived and in what he taught. I think that’s something missing in many of our conversations about freedom—a concern for the common good and a willingness to make sacrifices for the common good. It’s not just about me and what my rights are and what I want. To be truly free, to be truly human is to support the humanity of all God’s people.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)
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This is very true. I think we need to be more concerned about others than ourselves. I’m not saying neglect yourself and your family, but there are so many people who could use your help, could use you to show them the way, but many of us are too caught up in me, me, me. Look outside of yourself to see where God is leading you!
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Happy New Year, Fr. Ron. I find your discourse on freedom very cogent. The images are excellent. Where did you photograph the art?
All best,
Lynn
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Happy New Year! The images are from the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Boston, all part of my post-Christmas travels.
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