Freedom

If, as it is said, the glory of God is a human person fully alive and, as we know from experience, that to be fully alive is to be free, than our human freedom is fundamental in God’s plan for each of us. Freedom is the single most defining gift that God has given us. It makes us a human person and it is what separates us from everything else. Freedom allows us to choose (or not choose) God or at least, the better good, which of course, is to be a part of God’s plan for Salvation. God’s gift of human freedom is essential, complete and unlimited. It character is not “freedom from” service and love, but “freedom for” service and love. But, we are not God and the human condition is our reality. Our life and our freedom (gifts though they are) are limited and restricted by character and circumstance. It seems our very humanness gets in the way of our freedom. Today’s readings are about the space between God’s gift of essential and unconditional freedom and our limited and very conditional freedom. And unfortunately we often mistake one for the other and so we are not free at all. The first reading gives us an example of freedom used well. A worthy wife is worthy not by happenstance, but by her choosing to live a life of worthiness in the eyes of her neighbors and in the eyes of God. The wife’s worthiness is not cosmetic or some shallow adornment. Her worthiness runs as deep as her desire, understanding and choice to live a life of loving service, where hands work diligently, fingers labor skillfully, arms reach to embrace the poor and those in need. Not for her own well-being and self-glory, but for the well-being of others and for the glory of God. Her worth (called beyond measure) is simply her proper use of freedom. She is free to turn away from the obligations and challenges of life, but she is also free to be responsible for life, hers and others. In choosing “freedom for”, rather than “freedom from”, she lives in the light, immune to the darkness that hates all free things and which constantly threatens to over shadow the children of light. We, St Paul says, are children of light. And where there is light there is the Spirit and where there is the Spirit, there is truth and the truth, as St John says, will set us free. But, only, if we choose truth. It is not magic, it is a matter of choice. For one can only choose to know the truth or live in the light and certainly one can only choose to love. And we must pray to discern and understand and to choose wisely. St Paul says; stay awake, alert and sober. For it is only when we a wide eyed and watchful that we are we safe (or at least safer) from those attachments and desires that get in the way of our freedom to love beyond ourselves, to serve God by serving others and honoring him, by honoring his creation. In today’s Gospel God is likened to a wealthy man who goes on a journey. In preparation for the journey he entrusts his treasure (let’s call it - human freedom) to three human beings (called his servants). This treasure is not divided up equally but rather by their individual ability (perhaps because God’s gift, essential, unconditional and unlimited, can only be experienced in a human way, that is, incomplete, conditional and limited by our character and circumstance.) As the master travels his servants go about their business. Two servants, the ones with the most ability, use the funds (the freedom entrusted to them) to conduct good business, so to speak, and in doing so give the master good return. They increase his wealth and expand his Kingdom. They use their freedom well, not for themselves, but for the service, honor and love of their master and so they were invited to share in the master’s joy. But, the third servant, perhaps in fear of losing what he had been given, or perhaps not knowing what to do with the freedom he had been given, chooses to bury it. Freedom, which by its very nature is free, was now concealed and imprisoned. So tightly constrained that is was smothered, so hidden it was no freedom at all. Set aside and buried it was given no chance to breathe life, expand justice and free others. In this case the servant gave poor return on the master’s gift and contributed nothing towards the master’s wealth and kingdom. Here there was no joy coming. This parable is a cautionary tale. It reminds us that God’s extraordinary gift of freedom is, despite our inabilities and circumstances, meant to be used, and used, as well as possible. The gift of freedom is meant to give good return. And good return (at least to me) is giving glory to God by being fully alive (that is to serve, honor and love him). Oh yah, this cautionary tale ends with a warning. Everyone who utilizes their freedom will be given more, for freedom begets freedom as light begets light. And those who fail to use their freedom will have it taken away and they will find themselves enslaved by the darkness outside. Where they, along with all those who now realize too late what a marvelous gift freedom was, are out in the cold, set to grind teeth and wail into the night.