The source of our freedom is the love of God

As we approach the Fourth of July, I would like to reflect a bit on the notion of freedom.  It seems to me that there are some very faulty understandings of what freedom is, what the source of freedom is, and why we were given freedom by our creator.
As I look at how our culture defines freedom, I would roughly surmise the culture’s definition essentially as this, “freedom is doing whatever I feel like doing.”  Some in the culture may see that this is way too broad and would add this caveat, “as long as what I do does not infringe on your freedom.”  So, the only constraint or limitation on freedom is to not limit others' freedom when exercising yours.
This is a very impoverished understanding of freedom and ignores the source of our freedom and the purpose for our freedom.  The source of our freedom is the love of God.  When God freely created humanity, He chose to make us free to accept or reject a relationship with Him.  He gave us this freedom precisely because He does not want slaves or servants.  Rather, He wants sons and daughters.  He made us free so that we could choose Him and choose the good, true and beautiful.  Our freedom then is not a freedom FROM something or someone.  Rather, our freedom is a freedom FOR something, or someone.  For us to love God, this was necessary.  
The more we understand the true nature of our freedom and we exercise true, free choices that lead us toward the source of our freedom, the more free we become.  The more we choose to reject God and relationship with Him, the more enslaved and less free we become.   We see this in many ways.  On a physical plane, is it not the case that the more I give in to a particular food that I want to avoid; the more that “forbidden fruit” is desired by me.  If I see Krispy Kreme doughnuts, I want one.  If I eat one, my desire for those actually grow.
True freedom consists in being unconstrained and truly capable of choosing the good.  As we prepare for and celebrate the birth of our nation let us contemplate who our freedom is from and why it was given to us.
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected] For more information concerning the events of this office, visit us at mobilefaithformation.org