Freedom and the Spirit

A few thoughts from Mysticism of Everyday Life by Ed Carter, SJ in his chapter on "Life in the Spirit."  As a Jesuit, he uses Ignatian principles and scripture and these three parts of the chapter struck me:

    1. "Spiritual Freedom is the ability to relate to persons, places, things, circumstances, and all else                   according to God's will ...  (it is to) not be attached ... (to anything) which prevents us from following        the lead of the Spirit." (54)

    2. "Flexibility of Will is openness to the Spirit's guidance; a disposition open to legitimate changes,                modifications and adaptations we are called to make at certain junctures of our spiritual journey."(56)

    3. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God,  so that we may                     understand the things freely given us by God."  

*#1: A wise assistant coach used to say to the players at Holy Angels at the end of each Friday night game: "People, places, and things.  Fellas - if you get those three things right you end up in the right place; get any one of them wrong, you end up in trouble."  

That sentiment describes succinctly and simply Carter's description of Spiritual Freedom - choosing the people, places, and things around that leads us to true happiness and contentment.

*#2: It is important to reflect upon in regard to the maturity needed to make decisions not based on holding tight to things out of fear we will lose control, prestige, honor, or habitual comfort; to not stay in a certain place or continue doing a certain thing only because it had become an expected set pattern but because it is the best place for us, our family, our point in life at the present moment to do what is God's will.

*#3 There are two spirits and following the right one helps us grow in wisdom, understanding, and freedom.  The more we can nurture the discernment of these two spirts and more and more choose the Spirit of God/Life ... the more we become truly free.





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