This weekend we welcome our new associate pastor: Fr. Patrick Ryan. As I said last week we are blessed as a parish to have a newly ordained priest here for the summer. Of course, having just come from his courses he will no doubt be a great source of knowledge (more so than me who needed to be sent to summer school after all!). And coming from a community of regular and focused prayer he will have many spiritual insights born from his contemplation. Most importantly, a newly ordained priest is a sign to us from God that he continues to care for you and me by sending us shepherds. Please welcome Fr. Ryan to the parish.
Happy Fourth of July to everyone from the nations capital! I have always watched the fireworks at the capital from a distance, but now I am certainly much closer. The Fourth of July celebrates the Declaration of Independence. On that day, we declared that we were free, independent states, no longer subject to King George III of Britain. Americans hold freedom as one of the highest values. For a Catholic “freedom” has a different and special meaning.
The great Dominican moral theologian Servais Pinckaers compared “freedom for excellence” with “freedom of indifference.” Freedom for excellence is the ability to choose the good or the virtuous act. He uses the example of playing the piano: only someone who has practiced and worked hard has the freedom to play the piano well. “Freedom” here is closely associated with the ability to do what is actually good for a person. In its discussion of man’s freedom, the Catechism stresses this notion of freedom for excellence: “Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude” (CCC 1731).
By contrast, freedom of indifference is the ability to choose anything one wants, without limit or reason. Based on this understanding of freedom, restrictions (of any kind) limit our freedom. Notice one of the consequences of this definition: I can be free even if I choose evil. Another weakness of “freedom of indifference” follows from this reality: it calls us free when we are really not. Let’s go back to the piano example. I would be considered “free” under “freedom of indifference” merely by choosing to play the piano. Yet, my choice does not mean that I can actually play the piano. Simple choice does grant abilities, nor change reality. My choice does not determine whether someone is human or my fundamental self-identity. Let’s explore one more implication of this definition. In heaven we will not be able to do, nor choose evil. “Freedom of indifference” means the ability to choose anything we want, even evil. Hence if our understanding of “freedom” is merely indifference, then in heaven we will not be free. In a word: simply having the ability to choose is not enough for true freedom.
In its definition of freedom the Catechism embraces “freedom for excellence”: “The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to “the slavery of sin” (CCC 1733). A correct understanding of freedom leads to happiness.