363. What is freedom? (part 1)
(Comp 363) Freedom is the power given by God to act or not to act, to do this or to
do that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility.
Freedom characterizes properly human acts. The more one does what is good, the
freer one becomes. Freedom attains its proper perfection when it is directed
toward God, the highest good and our beatitude. Freedom implies also the
possibility of choosing between good and evil. The choice of evil is an abuse
of freedom and leads to the slavery of sin.
“In brief”
(CCC 1743)
"God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel (cf.
Sir 15:14), so that he might of his own accord seek his creator and freely
attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him" (GS 17 § 1).
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1730) God created man a rational being, conferring on
him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions.
"God willed that man should be 'left in the hand of his own counsel,' so
that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and
blessed perfection by cleaving to him" (GS 17; Sir 15:14). Man is rational
and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master over his
acts (St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4,
4, 3: PG 7/1, 983).
Reflection
(CCC 1731) Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will,
to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions
on one's own responsibility. By free will one shapes one's own life. Human
freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains
its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude. beatitude. Freedom implies also the
possibility of choosing between good and evil. The choice of evil is an abuse
of freedom and leads to the slavery of sin. [IT CONTINUES]
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