Shared Freedom

and
Threats to Freedom
Shared Freedom
 It is not my own individual private
possession, but a shared freedom with
others in community. It is not found in
prejudice, deceit, or ignorance, but in truth.
“The truth about Jesus the Savior, The
truths about the Church, and The truth
about man and his dignity are the pillars of
this freedom.
Freedom From
 We become sharply aware of the value of our
freedom only when we are forced to do
something against our will. Then we realize
how much we long to be free from things
imposed on us. But this “freedom from” all
restraints can often result in following
selfish inclinations or blind prejudices
rather than seeking what is truly good.
Freedom For
 Freedom from is obviously directed towards
a second freedom, the more important
“freedom for.” Beyond being liberated from
all the obstacles to authentic freedom is the
freedom for growing as full persons and
children of God, sharing in the life of Christ
our Liberator through his Spirit.
Two level of Freedom For

 Freedom of choice - by which I direct my

moral acts, and

 Fundamental freedom - my very self.

 In the first level, we have the freedom to
choose to act in this or that way, to do good or
evil. But by consistently choosing to do the
good, we gradually become free loving
persons, the second level. This shows how our
personal “freedom for” is both a process and
task. Through our free choices, striving to
overcome the obstacles from within and
without (task), we gradually grow (process)
towards authentic, mature fundamental (self)
freedom.
Threats to Freedom - are the barriers
towards freedom
 Interior obstacles - ignorance, or our
disordered passions, fears, personality
defects, bad habits, prejudices or
psychological disturbances

 Exterior forces - violent force or even the

threat of violence.
These impediments are commonly traced to
three sources:
 Biological, which include inherited handicaps and
defects as well as external substances like drugs;
psychological, 
 Interior compulsions, including those originating
in the unconscious
 Social pressures such as the many economic,
political, and cultural obstacles which impede the
right to freedom
 All those factors diminish our freedom and
thus moral imputability and our
responsibility. But the greatest single
obstacle to authentic freedom is SIN.
Liberation to true freedom means “first and
foremost liberation from the radical slavery
of sin”.
Freedom of the Children of God.
 The goal of this process and task of personal
freedom is “to be set free from slavery to
corruption and share in the glorious freedom
of the children of God”. Christ has freed us
by giving to everyone the power to conquer
sin and to recover the meaning of our
freedom and so attain the good and
accomplish our calling as children of God.
 Freedom “to attain the good” simply means
to “act as Jesus did” __ to “mirror in life the
Fatherhood of God as the Father’s adopted
sons and daughters in Jesus, the Son, and
through Jesus’ indwelling Spirit.
Exercise of Responsible Freedom
 Moral conscience is the expression of the
divine law, defining what is good and what
is evil. It impels us to do the good and to
avoid evil. It judges our behavior, approving
what is good, condemning what is evil”.
Thus, it is our conscience that indicates for
us how, in our daily thoughts, words and
deeds, we are to love God and our neighbor.
THANK YOU
FOR
LISTENING!
:)