Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit.
In my discussions with Veterans in rehab from substance abuse, I often remind them that freedom comes with a boatload of anxiety. No sooner were they discharged from the military, after passing from late adolescence to early adulthood while in the service, than they suddenly discovered they were "free!"
As children they dreamed of freedom! As young adults they heard elegies about freedom. So now -- freedom to do What?
Before they entered the service many still honored the authority of their parents. During their service, their officers told them where to go, what to do, what to wear and what to eat. What time to get up and what time to retire. Suddenly discharged these young men and women were free to do as they pleased with no one to answer to but themselves.
Those in our rehab couldn't handle it; they went a little crazy and ended up in a recovery program.
Freedom is an enormous blessing. Made in the image of God we enjoy a similarity to God which is unlike every other plant or animal. But freedom comes with a curse. In fact, the human being is condemned to be free.
The gospels insist upon that. The crucifixion of Jesus was not an unfortunate miscarriage of justice that should not have happen. Rather, his passion and death teaches us the essential nature of God. Our Father is generous beyond reason. He sacrifices his only begotten son, a sacrifice that not even God could afford. The cross displays this truth about God. Like God, we have no choice but to be free. We cannot give it away; we allow no one to take it from us.
In that sense, faith presents another facet of our freedom. It is another word for this enigmatic mystery. Keeping faith with the grace God has given us through the blood of Jesus Christ means living by the Laws of Freedom. We cannot abide jealous spouses, parents, children, or friends. They would own us! Nor can we betray ourselves to addictions, obsessions, or compulsions. When our possessions threaten to possess us they must be dispossessed. We should be suspicious of our desires and preferences for without God's Spirit they too will sell us down the river.
How do we know if we are moving freely by the grace of God, or following our own suspicious impulses. Saint John gives us some clues:
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
We recognize faith by its graceful way of being. It moves freely, with presence, mindfully, but without self-consciousness. As a young man, newly converted to the Lord, Saint Francis spent several months among "lepers." Initially disgusted by the sight and smell of these afflicted people, he resolutely chose to live with them. He cleaned their wounds, assisted their hygiene, and fed those who could not feed themselves. He was deeply committed to serving them and they were grateful for the zealous young man.
But there came a day when the Spirit compelled Francis to move on. We can well imagine his grief and the grief of his friends, but he would not betray the Holy Spirit out of preference for doing what he wanted or they expected. He embraced and kissed them, and departed.
We have seen the same freedom in Saint Paul as he moved about the Roman Empire, announcing the Gospel in towns, villages, and cities. Owning little more than the clothes on his back didn't burden him in the least. In fact, being penniless enabled him to move lightly. He could trust strangers to provide for his bodily needs. Saint Paul's great asset was his ready, affectionate love for people. They could see that God remained in him.
Anyone who thinks they can afford to be Christian, that's it doesn't require too much of them, that they need not make unreasonable sacrifices: has not discovered the Crucified Lord. Nor have they enjoyed the Freedom of God's Spirit, "You hear the sound it makes but you know neither whence it comes nor whither it goes."
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.