FREEDOM, FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP
A talented teacher used to start his class
by stating a story and raising a query to arouse in the students an interest in
the subject of study. The students of the school admired his style of teaching
and listened to him with ardent attention. They answered his questions with
innocence and he listened to them with patience.
Once he had to teach
them about the struggle for freedom led by the leaders of the nation. He
narrated a story to introduce the concept of freedom, liberation and
independence. “A prisoner had to spend several years in prison. After years of
painful confinement within the prison bars, he was released. Returning to his
native village, he saw a man selling caged birds to customers passing along the
road. He saw the scene and rushed to the man. He purchased the caged birds by
paying all the money he had with him. Then he opened the cages and let the
birds fly high in the sky and return to their natural nests.”
After
telling this story, the teacher asked the children, “Now tell me, why did he
buy the caged birds and let the birds free to fly in the air?” The students
thought deeply. One of them replied innocently, “Sir, it was because he needed
only the empty cages!” The teacher was lost for words.
A train is free only so long as it stays
on its track. Once it is derailed, it loses its freedom for a meaningful
movement. Voluntary sacrifice of personal rights is the basis of true freedom
and a peaceful social life. In his epic poem, ‘Paradise Lost’, John Milton
(1608-1674) depicts the devil’s distorted vision of liberty through the words
of Lucifer after he is cast from heaven to hell, “Better to reign in Hell, than
serve in Heaven.”
But in the Christian concept, true freedom is
a kind of voluntary bondage. It is obtained only in outright obedience to Almighty
God and the filial fellowship with His children. The Psalmist declares, “In my
distress I called to the Lord; He answered me and set me free” {Psalms 118: 5}.
Jesus
said to those who believed in Him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my
disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” {John 8: 31, 32}. “If the Son sets you free,
then you will be really free” {John 8:
36}.
St.
Peter advises, “Live as free people; do not, however use your freedom to cover
up any evil, but live as God’s slaves” {1
Peter 2: 16}. St. Paul identifies
true freedom as a generous gift of God - liberation from the clutches of sin
and Satan. “But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your
gain is a life fully dedicated to Him, and the result is eternal life” {Romans 6: 22}.
St. Paul exhorts us to preserve our
freedom: “Freedom is what we have – Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as
free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again” {Galatians 5: 1}. He adds that the gift of freedom
should promote the spirit of love, service and charity, “You were called to be
free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical
desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another” {Galatians 5: 13}.
…………………………………………………………………….
© By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip,
Darsana Academy, Kottayam-686001, Kerala, India ( Former Professor, Cochin
University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala,
India), Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St.
Dominic's College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St.
Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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