Live Free
Pope John Paul II defines freedom as:
“Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought. When freedom does not have a purpose, when it does not wish to know anything about the rule of law engraved in the hearts of men and women, when it does not listen to the voice of conscience, it turns against humanity and society.”
Freedom is not always about liberty or independence, the freedom to choose and do whatever pleases us. True freedom is about being in a state of peace, happiness, and satisfaction as a result of choosing what is right. It is a guilt-free, fearless, shameless, stress-free kind of life.
So how exactly can we live free?
Choose What Is Right
The end will never justify the means. Doing something wrong will never truly make us happy because, in one way or another, it deprives us of experiencing complete freedom.
We are freest when we are able to say yes to what is good—when no addiction, compulsion, or habit prevents us from choosing and doing what is right.
Decide to Be Happy
According to Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, God planted in our hearts an infinite desire for happiness that nothing can satisfy but God Himself. Any earthly fulfillment can only be a foretaste of eternal happiness.
“Happiness is not in us, nor is happiness outside of us. Happiness is in God alone. And if we have found Him, then it is everywhere.” — Blaise Pascal
Perhaps happiness is also a decision we make each day. Not because life is always easy or everything is going our way, but because we choose to see beyond our circumstances and find our joy in God.
Uncomplicate Your Life
It’s complicated! Try not to complicate your life by complicating the way you love.
God is the author of true and genuine love. He never intended love to be complex and impossible to understand. In fact, He wants all of us to experience its fullness and greatness in our lives.
Unfortunately, we are often the ones who complicate love, especially when we fall in love for the wrong reasons or look for love in the wrong places.
But God loves us even in our most “complicated” situations, even in our state of sin. He helps us seek the whole truth about love and find ways to live it more and more decisively. We need to remember that life is a process and that, whatever may have happened in the past, we can always make a new beginning with God’s help.
We Are Created Out of Love
We are created out of love, and we have been given the freedom to enjoy this life.
Love is the very essence of our existence. The more we choose what is good, the freer we become.
