M3

Topic 3Topic 3::Freedom and ResponsibilityFreedom and Responsibility

LessonsLessons1: The meaning of freedom1: The meaning of freedom2: Pauline view of freedom2: Pauline view of freedom3:3: Freedom and moral obligationFreedom and moral obligation

Objectives – to lead the students1: to explain the meaning of freedom2: to explain the Pauline view of freedom, and3: to discuss the exercise of responsible freedom

John 14:1-6

For Christians, the norm by For Christians, the norm by which all their thoughts, which all their thoughts,

words, and deeds are words, and deeds are judged and evaluated judged and evaluated

morally is not some law, but morally is not some law, but the person of Jesus Christ. the person of Jesus Christ.

CFC 796CFC 796

Church Church teachingteaching::

Unlike men and women who Unlike men and women who only serve as good examples only serve as good examples

to us, Jesus Christ is our to us, Jesus Christ is our source of inner strength. source of inner strength. His love transforms us and His love transforms us and

empowers us to conversion, empowers us to conversion, allowing us to commit allowing us to commit

ourselves to God and others, ourselves to God and others, through, with, and in Him.through, with, and in Him.

IntegrationIntegration

MoralsMorals: In Christ and through : In Christ and through Christ, we have acquired full Christ, we have acquired full

awareness of our dignity, of the awareness of our dignity, of the heights to which we are raised, heights to which we are raised, of the surpassing worth of our of the surpassing worth of our

humanity, and of the meaning of humanity, and of the meaning of our existence. (CFC 684)our existence. (CFC 684)

IntegrationIntegration

WorshipWorship: Jesus shows us that : Jesus shows us that true worship is obedience to the true worship is obedience to the

Father. Father. (CFC 1498)(CFC 1498)

THE MEANING THE MEANING OF HUMAN OF HUMAN FREEDOMFREEDOM

1.1. When in your life did you When in your life did you feel most free? Describe your feel most free? Describe your

experience.experience.

2. When in your life did you 2. When in your life did you feel most unfree? Describe feel most unfree? Describe

your experience.your experience.

What feelings came with the What feelings came with the experience of freedom? experience of freedom?

… … with the experience of with the experience of unfreedom?unfreedom?

Wrong notion of freedom:Wrong notion of freedom:

• Freedom is simply doing Freedom is simply doing what I want to do, no what I want to do, no matter what.matter what.


• Freedom is the right to Freedom is the right to say or do anything say or do anything anytime I like to do it.anytime I like to do it.


• Freedom is my own Freedom is my own private individual private individual possession.possession.


• Freedom is without Freedom is without authority, law or norm.authority, law or norm.

Church Teaching

GAUDIUM ET SPES 17

Only in freedom can man direct himself toward goodness. Our

contemporaries make much of this freedom and pursue it eagerly;

and rightly so, to be sure. Often, however, they foster it perversely as a license for doing whatever pleases them, even if it is evil.

GAUDIUM ET SPES 17

Only in freedom can man direct himself toward goodness. Our

contemporaries make much of this freedom and pursue it eagerly;

and rightly so, to be sure. Often, however, they foster it perversely as a license for doing whatever pleases them, even if it is evil.

WHAT IS A WRONG NOTION OF FREEDOM?

FREEDOM IS SOCIAL AND RELATIONAL.

This means that because we are created by God as persons-in-

community, our freedom is always social and relational.


• Our true freedom is fostered when people respect the freedom

and dignity of all persons.


• Our true freedom is threatened when people simply do what they want to do without regard for the

good of other members in the community.


What examples inside the classroom can you give to

illustrate the truth that freedom is social and relational?

TRUE FREEDOM IS “DOING THE GOOD.”

• True freedom is not the capacity “to do anything we want” but the

capacity “to do what we should as persons-in-community.” In short, true freedom is “doing the good.”

Church Teaching

GAUDIUM ET SPES 17

For its part, authentic freedom is an exceptional sign of the divine image

within man… Man achieves such dignity when, emancipating himself from all

captivity to passion, he pursues his goal in a spontaneous choice of what is good

and procures for himself, through effective and skillful action, apt means to

that end.

GAUDIUM ET SPES 17


within man… Man achieves such dignity when, emancipating himself

from all captivity to passion, he pursues his goal in a spontaneous

choice of what is good and procures for himself, through effective and

skillful action, apt means to that end.

HOW ARE FREEDOM AND HUMAN NATURE RELATED?

IN EXERCISING TRUE FREEDOM, HUMAN PERSONS ARE BEING IMAGE OF GOD.

• By using our intellect and will to choose what is good and do it, we

achieve the true dignity of our freedom as God’s image.

GAUDIUM ET SPES 17


within man… Man achieves such dignity when, emancipating himself

from all captivity to passion, he pursues his goal in a spontaneous

choice of what is good and procures for himself, through effective and

skillful action, apt means to that end.

HOW DOES MAN ACHIEVE DIGNITY OF FREEDOM?

WE ARE RATIONAL BEINGS CREATED WITH INTELLECT

AND WILL, THUS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR

OWN FREE ACTS.

• We cannot blame others and/or situations for the choices that we make.

THE LEVELS THE LEVELS OF FREEDOMOF FREEDOM

(CFC 697)(CFC 697)

Authentic freedom is Authentic freedom is freedom fromfreedom from obstacles obstacles that opposes our true that opposes our true

self-becoming with self-becoming with others in community.others in community.

What exterior obstacles hinder you from becoming

a good …?

Some exterior obstacles:Some exterior obstacles:

BiologicalBiologicalPsychologicalPsychological

SocialSocial

What interior obstacles hinder you from becoming

a good …?

Some interior obstacles:Some interior obstacles:IgnoranceIgnorance

Disordered passionsDisordered passionsFearsFears

Personality defectsPersonality defectsBad habitsBad habitsPrejudicesPrejudices

Psychological disturbancesPsychological disturbances

The greatest single obstacle to authentic

freedom is SIN.

Authentic freedom does Authentic freedom does not mean merely the not mean merely the

absence of obstacles. absence of obstacles.

Authentic freedom Authentic freedom has a purpose.has a purpose.

This This freedom fromfreedom from is directed towards is directed towards the more important the more important

freedom for.freedom for.

FREEDOM FORFREEDOM FOR growing as full persons growing as full persons

and children of God, and children of God, sharing in the life of Christ sharing in the life of Christ

through his Spirit.through his Spirit.

Two levels of “Two levels of “freedom forfreedom for”:”:

• fundamental option fundamental option of freedomof freedom

• freedom of choicefreedom of choice

FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMFUNDAMENTAL FREEDOM

- This freedom is fundamental - This freedom is fundamental because it is the person’s because it is the person’s basic option underlying all basic option underlying all

his particular moral choices. his particular moral choices.

FREEDOM OF CHOICEFREEDOM OF CHOICE

- particular choices - particular choices we make from many we make from many

different options different options in our everyday lifein our everyday life

- moral choices- moral choices

How are the two levels How are the two levels related?related?

By consistently choosingBy consistently choosingto do the good, to do the good,

we gradually become we gradually become loving persons.loving persons.

INTEGRATION

Morals: Human freedom is authentically exercised in choosing what is morally good.

Doctrine: Doing the good means acting it according to our human nature as created by God.

Worship: Authentic freedom is fully realized in Jesus Christ, through the grace and power of His Spirit.

M3

Spiritual

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