WILD FREEDOM

THE FREEDOM OF CHRIST

In his book, Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldridge describes Jesus as having a wild freedom born of profound holiness.  In his book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Phillip Yancey says that Jesus did not teach us how to be God but how to be human. 

When I read those words, wild freedom, I couldn’t help remembering a children’s movie I saw with my grandchildren called “Jimmy Neutron”.  In the film, all the adults were abducted by aliens. The children, instead of thinking of themselves as abandoned, could only think of the freedom they now had.  My favorite part was when a little boy stood outside on Main Street and said in a singsong voice; “I’m out in public and my clothes don’t match!” That is wild freedom.

As regards Jesus, however, the author means that Jesus is not bound by any of the chains that make true freedom impossible.  Those are the chains of prejudice, fear, anger, insecurity, grudges, tribal influence, egotism and regret.  Jesus was unchained.  Imagine it, no prejudices, no grudges, no regrets, no suspicions, no judgments, no fear of anyone!  That is true freedom. That is what Jesus was telling us, that such a life is possible. The freedom from any of those issues is worth working toward. According to Eldridge, Jesus freedom sprang from profound holiness. 

When I was a youngster, our neighbor’s home was a veritable museum of religious art, statues and prayer cards.  She even had an enormous Rosary hung on the living wall.  I told my Mom that lady was really holy.  My Mom said, “No, that is not necessarily holiness.  Holiness is being close to God.  It’s trying to think like God and see the world as he sees it.”  I admit that then I didn’t get it, seemed like a tall order, but as time passed I began to understand the simple beauty of it. That describes the holiness of Jesus perfectly.  He was as close to God as is possible which enabled his freedom.

Elsewhere in Scripture we find an angel saying, “All things are possible for God.”  So, it is possible for us to throw off the chains if, and only if, we enlist the help of God.  It is as though we are holding our breath and Christ keeps telling us to let go.  Try it now, hold your breath, then let it go and know the relief that brings.  Of course, we have to do it one chain at a time and some will be extremely resistant but, when we truly find ourselves in partnership with God we will find the power within us to attain that freedom.

May God be with you throughout the New Year and keep you safe.

Carol Lemelin OPA