Fr. Dwight LongeneckerIndeed, true freedom is getting to the point where it is impossible to sin.
Therefore, true freedom is being liberated from sin–from all that holds us back–from all that makes us angry, frustrated, lustful, wrathful, gluttonous and slothful. True freedom is not just not doing those things through a combination of grace and will power.
True freedom is not even not wanting to do them anymore. True freedom is getting to the point where we can’t do them anymore because it is just as much beyond us as perfection used to be.
America’s malaise is that we have forgotten this higher concept of freedom, and allowed ourselves to drift into the debased and distorted understanding of freedom which means “I should be able to do whatever I want with whoever I want whenever I want and what are you gonna do about it?”
When a culture descends to this level it is not difficult to see that bondage and tyranny is right around the corner. Why? Because when everybody is doing whatever they please they are going to bump into others who also want to do whatever they want to do whenever and with whomever.
When a society gets to that place, then there is anarchy. There is theft, rape, promiscuity, abortion and all sorts of violence. When that violence spills out into the streets then a leader arises who promises to get things done, to restore law and order, to make people safe, to confine the anarchy and to restrain the excesses.
This leader does not need to impose his will. The people ask him, yea plead with him to restore order and bring peace.
And for “law, order, peace, stability and safety” they will willingly lay down their freedom.
False freedom therefore destroys freedom.
And this is the way with every lie. Eventually it kills the very truth is is mimicking.
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