What is true freedom? A common understanding of freedom is the right to do what I want, whenever I want with no burdens and no responsibilities. As we hear in today’s first reading this is not what Christian freedom is. Paul tells us true freedom means being a slave of God: “But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life.” Paul contrasts true freedom with slavery to sin: “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed?”
When we do God’s will we are truly free because we are then doing what we truly want to do in our heart of hearts, the way God created us. “Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26). In the depts of our heart or our being is this image and likeness of God. God’s way and will has been implanted in us particularly through the new covenant that he makes with us:
“See, days are coming…when I will make a new covenant…But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days…I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, “Know the LORD!” Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me…for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin.” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33-34).
Jesus makes this covenant promised by Jeremiah anew with us as the Last Supper and through his death on the cross.
“In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
Jesus’ death on the cross has freed us from Sin as an enslaving power. Now we are truly free to do God’s will. Jesus teaches that this is the way to true life and happiness. What does it mean to do God’s will? We just need to follow the way of Jesus, the way of love, mercy, and compassion. The way of Jesus is the way of true freedom.
Image: “Rembrandt – Self Portrait as the Apostle St Paul [1661]” by Gandalf’s Gallery is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.