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Here in America, we often talk about “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” – it’s kind of our motto. But what exactly is liberty? Should we pursue happiness at all costs? What if, instead, obedience is the secret to liberty?
Jesus Christ lays down for us His life as the ultimate example of liberty: putting what’s best (the higher good) above our preferences. In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” This great mystery is the framework by which we should all pursue liberty.
Though with free will we can “do whatever we want,” true liberty is about surrendering to God’s will. It is thereby how we are set free. Think of driving: We are free to drive wherever we want, but when we remain within the confines of the roadway system, our driving experience is much smoother and more efficient.
Enter into our latest chat, and learn how obedience and detachment lead to freedom and become the momentum for true joy.
And consider joining our Living Jesus Chat Room of the Visitation Sisters. Each Sunday we read a passage of St. Francis de Sales and then gather great insights and sharing.
Visitation Sister: We are getting close to religious freedom week, so the opening questions are remotely related, I think.
Question: How do obedience and liberty go together? Aren’t they mutually exclusive or contradictory?
Caroline: It’s another paradox. When we are free, we are at liberty to follow Jesus without constraint.
Visitation Sister: Good answer.
Ben: When I think of obedience, I am thinking of discerning what God wants me to do. Liberty is a choice to do our own thing or do God’s Will!!!!!
Visitation Sister: Obedience in itself can be freeing, at least psychologically.
Rebecca: Definitely not mutually exclusive, however, of the three evangelical counsels. When I was considering a religious life, I thought I would have the most difficulty with obedience.
Caroline: Me too!
Visitation Sister: But if we listen to the Holy Spirit within and follow the inspirations, we can feel free because we know the Spirit only guides us in the best way.
Caroline: I agree.
Rebecca: True, Sister, but in some communities the examples they gave of HOLY OBEDIENCE seemed to me to have nothing to do with discerning God’s will but rather submitting to a pecking order. Nothing to do with Love, but more to do with who has the power.
Caroline: I saw some of that too, Rebecca.
Question: What does it mean to love obedience more than we fear disobedience?
Caroline: We obey willingly out of love instead of acting in fear of punishment.
Visitation Sister: Love is greater than fear, but fear can prevent love.
Rebecca: Fear can cripple in every way. Maybe that is why in the Bible “DO NOT FEAR” is repeated so often.
Caroline: 365, one for every day of the year.
Rebecca: St. John Paul II wrote about those 365 exhortations, too.
Visitation Sister: Loving obedience is the positive approach to following the Lord!
Caroline: It can be hard because we like to have control.
Ben: When I was discerning retirement with Janet having early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and my Son Mitch beginning to show signs of recovery, it was a very difficult decision and I was looking for God’s help!!!! I was working at several different locations with a lot of different people. One day a coworker counseled me briefly saying: you will never regret the extra time with Janet, but you will regret it if you continue working and miss that time. God made it clear that it was time to enjoy our time together and help.
Visitation Sister: The best decision, Ben.
Caroline: That is beautiful, Ben. I stole extra time with my dad too.
Rebecca: I’m glad, Ben, that you made the decision and are evidently at peace with it. LOVE is so much “bigger” than a full paycheck.
Question: What does it mean for our hearts to be disengaged from all things?
Rebecca: Good Question.
Rebecca: THINGS NOT PEOPLE OR GOD, RIGHT?
Visitation Sister: I think in terms of overattachment.
Caroline: If we are not inordinately attached to things, we can respond quickly when God calls.
Ben: Thanks!!!!!! God Always confirms with us what He wants us to do!!!!! It has always helped me to look for and ask for His confirmation!!!!!! We all face such difficult decisions throughout life!!!!!! Thank God for the Holy Spirit Guiding Us!!!!!! All because of Jesus’s Obedience to the Father!!!!!!!!
Rebecca: Yes, Jesus’s Obedience is the model! If it can be so, take this cup from me, but not my will but YOURS be done!
Visitation Sister: How do we “love and desire consolations” and yet at the same time not set our hearts upon them?
Ben: I think when we can put everything aside even our strongest attachments to actually be available to do God’s Will!!!!!! That’s what Jesus teaches Us to do!!!!!! He led us by example Going to the Cross to Free Us All!!!!!
Caroline: There is so much inside human nature that fights this.
Ben: So true, Caroline!!!!! That’s why we can’t do it without the Holy Spirit!!!!!!!
Caroline: And the world spends so much time selling us on following our heart, not God’s.
Visitation Sister: I think all these ideas are subject to the circumstances in the charismatic world thirsting strongly for a gift of the Spirit. Visitation Sister: Though, I guess if the gift is not given, one must accept it calmly.
Ben: We know that we are walking with the Holy Spirit when we demonstrate the Fruits of the Spirit in our Daily Life. When we do the opposite of the Fruits of the Spirit, we know we are grieving the Holy Spirit and we need to run to Jesus!!!!!
Caroline: I heard many sermons this year on the difference between the charismatic gifts and what happened on Pentecost.
Visitation Sister: Can you share a little?
Caroline: The gift of fire given on Pentecost is purifying and ignites the fire of evangelization. The apostles were afraid until the Spirit took over. The charismatic gifts are for prayer and healing.
Visitation Sister: Thank you.
Rebecca: Once, at a “healing service” with a well-known lay “healer” where a lot of people were marveling at how much better they felt in— each had a private session with the speaker — I was accused by this lay healer of interfering with any healing by not really “wanting” to be healed. It was disturbing. But in private prayer that scene in the Olive Garden came to me, and I knew that the two: desiring relief, consolation, healing AND being WILLING to accept whatever God, in his Loving will, asks of me, even death.
Visitation Sister: His Will is everything.
Caroline: He sounds almost like those preachers who demand that your illness be cured, claim it in the Name of Christ. They never say what happens if the physical healing is not in God’s plan.
Lydia: I went to see the relics of St. Anthony. They are touring the US.
Visitation Sister: Where did you see them?
Lydia: I went to NJ.
Ben: God Bless You, Lydia, How Nice!!!!!
Lydia: They will be in Manhattan for the next few days. They will be in several Churches in Manhattan. They were also in Brooklyn and The Bronx and Yonkers. Friar Mario and Friar Fabio came with them. Friar Mario is on Twitter, now X, and he prays for people from Padua from St. Anthony’s tomb. He also makes lots of videos about St. Anthony. It was so nice to meet him.
Visitation Sister: What congregation are the friars from.
Lydia: The relics will be in Manhattan. You can look at the schedule. Conventional Franciscan Friars.
Visitation Sister: Thanks.
Lydia: Yes, it was so good to go today, because Fr. Fabio was saying how the Holy Spirit made St. Anthony able to communicate with everyone no matter what language they spoke.
Ben: Wow How Special!!!!
Caroline: An example of Pentecost.
Lydia: His tongue and his vocal cords were still intact in the 1980s.
Ben: That’s Confirmation of the Presence of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost!!!! Amazing!!!!!
Lydia: Yes, he is a very special Saint, I could feel it today with his relics there.
Ben: Thanks for Sharing, Lydia!!!!!!
Question: How can we maintain a “joy of heart,” and if we lose it for a moment, how do we keep the momentum of joy?
A Fruit of the Holy Spirit many do not discuss is Long Suffering, Rebecca!!!!!! What an Inspiration to the Community when we watch others who suffer Greatly keep their Faith as they walk through their Suffering with God!!!!!!
Visitation Sister: Joy is also of the Holy Spirit. We need to implore the Holy Spirit.
Ben: Amen!!!!!!
Visitation Sister: We always need to open our hearts and make efforts if necessary to keep the joyous spirit, but ultimately it is a gift.
Ben: It’s So Amazing to Learn the Life of the Saints and how Powerful the Holy Spirit worked in their Lives to accomplish So Much for God!!!!! It inspires me when I get down!!!!!! Their Lives are So Precious to Us All!!!!!
Caroline: Because it is not us working the miracle on our own power.
Ben: Amen, Caroline!!!!!!
Rebecca: Right, Caroline!
Visitation Sister: What are the most difficult attachments we have in our lives? And how do we become free from them, and yet not run away from our responsibilities?
Caroline: Mine are my wanting still to be in the monastery but being out here working.
Visitation Sister: Right now, mine may be New York and knowing I must go to another state, although on the other hand I do look forward to it. It’s mixed.
Rebecca: I think I am attached to my freedom – including to live here where it is quiet most of the time and the air is almost always clean (except lately with other forest fires in Canada).
Caroline: I think it’s beautiful there.
Ben: Getting too busy!!!!! Daily Mass, Bible Readings, Quotes from the Saints, and testimony from people close to God how they handled situations or advice from others is helpful!!!!!
Visitation Sister: I guess each of us have or have had responsibilities and WE HAVE NOT run from them but maybe we think about that sometimes. The Lord can free us of attachments, but we must let him. I hope each of you are flooded with grace from the Holy Spirit this week and always!
Lydia: You too, Mother.
Caroline: That lifelong surrender and trust is an adventure, and it can be hard when you don’t see where you are going. But that’s kind of the point.
Visitation Sister: Let Him work for us!
If you enjoyed this article, why not join us at our Living Jesus Chat Room of the Visitation Sisters. Join us at 7:30 p.m. ET each Sunday! We read a passage of St. Francis de Sales and then gather great insights and sharing!
Kevin J. Banet is a journalist and publicist. He provides marketing for religious communities, non-profits and healthcare services. Kevin and his family live in the Chicago area. His website is VocationPromotion.com.
