416. Twenty-eighth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Meditations no. 370 (unofficial computer-aided translation)

Almighty God has created us free.

We have learned with gratitude, because it makes us realize the happiness we are being called to, that all creatures have been created out of nothing by God and for God: both men, who are rational creatures, although we so often act unreasonably, and the irrational beings who roam the surface of the earth, or burrow in its inmost recesses, or sail the azure skies - some soaring so high that they come face to face with the sun. But in all this wonderful variety, it is only we men (I am not referring now to the angels) who can unite ourselves to the Creator by using our freedom. We are in a position to give him, or deny him, the glory that is his due as the Author of everything that exists.

This possibility makes up the light and shade of human freedom. Our Lord invites us, urges us to choose the good, so tenderly does he love us! “See, today I set before you a choice between life and death, good and evil. If you pay heed to the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live… Choose life, that you may live.” God’s plans always take into account and respect our freedom: praedico vobis libertatem - I proclaim to you liberty. God has left us free, which is a very great good and the source of many evils, but it is also the source of holiness and love. Freedom is the source of love, since only free beings can love and be happy. There is no love where there is coercion; we don’t speak about fidelity unless there is a voluntary decision to fulfil specific commitments. But since our freedom is limited, it entails the possibility of rebelling against God, saying “No” to his demands. Our Father said that God has wished to run the risk of our freedom. He so greatly values this gift that, in order to conserve it for our benefit, he continually runs the risk of our offending him.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Christ has freed us from the bondage to decay so that we may obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Ask yourself now (I too am examining my conscience) whether you are holding firmly and unshakeably to your choice of Life. When you hear the most lovable voice of God urging you on to holiness, do you freely answer “Yes”? Let us turn our gaze once more to Jesus, as he speaks to the people in the towns and countryside of Palestine. He doesn’t want to force himself upon us. If you have a mind to be perfect… , he says to the rich young man. The young man refused to take the hint, and the Gospel goes on to say: abiit tristis, he went away forlorn. That is why I have sometimes called him the “sad lad”. He lost his happiness, because he refused to hand over his freedom to God.

Loving and defending freedom is an essential characteristic of the Work.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. . Therefore in the Work we have a great love for freedom. My daughters and sons, we should be great friends of freedom: in love with freedom, defenders of freedom, propagators of freedom. Of the freedom of everyone: first, the freedom of others; then our own. Of personal freedom. But - always! - of freedom with responsibility. They are two things which should always go together.

We have often heard this, and we have practised it since coming to the Work: love of freedom is engraved on the very heart of Opus Dei. Throughout my years as a priest, whenever I have spoken, or rather shouted, about my love for personal freedom, I have noticed some people reacting with distrust, as if they suspected that my defence of freedom could endanger the faith. Such faint-hearted people can rest assured. The only freedom that can assail the faith is a misinterpreted freedom, an aimless freedom, one without objective principles, one that is lawless and irresponsible. In a word, licence. Unfortunately, this is what some people are advocating, and their claim does indeed constitute a threat to the faith.

It is precisely freedom that upholds our perseverance. Our freedom is perfected and attains its deepest meaning by our loving dedication to our Father God. My children, we are a family that grows and develops in libertatem gloriae filiorum Dei, qua libertate Christus nos liberavit: in the freedom and glory of the children of God, with the freedom Christ gained for us. But out of love for this freedom, we want to be firmly bound. The greatest expression of our freedom is to tell our Lord: put iron shackles on me, tie me to you, for all I want is to serve you and love you.

We are utterly free. Nothing, no one, can wrest this crown, this joy from us. My daughters and sons, aren’t you glad to see how in Opus Dei, apart from our specific asceticism, we have no doctrine of our own except that of the Church? In the Work we all have our own different ideas, each and every one has their own way of thinking, their manner of being: a very broad numerator. And for a denominator, besides the Church’s faith and morals, we have our dedication to God. In everything else, we are utterly free! Doesn’t this make you happy? I’ve only found such freedom in the Work.

Our apostolate should be marked by the same exquisite respect for freedom we enjoy in the Work. When encouraging others to draw closer to God, we always respect their freedom of conscience. How determined some people are to concentrate on mass behaviour, to turn unity into amorphous uniformity and to drown freedom.

They seem to know nothing of the remarkable unity of the human body, which presents such a God-given variety in its members. Each one has its own function, yet contributes to the general health of the whole.

God does not want us all to be the same or to walk alike along exactly the same road.

Trust in others and respect for their freedom.

Trust leads us to love and respect other people’s freedom. By doing so, respecting their freedom and trusting in their sense of responsibility, we stir up their desire to respond, to be worthy of the trust placed in them. Without mutual trust, responsibility diminishes and freedom is curtailed. You should have a lot of trust in one another, mutual trust. Let me insist, because our whole life in the Work is based on trust. We never think that anyone could be acting with bad will. I believe blindly whatever my sons tell me. That’s it, I believe: cum fide.

Our Father’s love for mutual confidence was so great that he told us he had more trust in a statement by one of his daughters or sons than in the unanimous consensus of a thousand notaries.

Seeing our freedom respected in this way leads us to complete trust for everyone in the Work and especially the Directors, since they receive particular help from God to ensure our well-being, lead us to the Lord and guide our apostolic work. All government and spiritual direction in the Work should be based on freedom, on trust. Therefore, there are two terrible signs of bad spirit: fear of those in charge in the Work, and being ashamed to speak in the Confidence. If we were ever to see anyone fall prey to these diabolical temptations, we would have to help them by our loyal and sincere affection. For such fear is a terrible temptation that causes disunity and robs anyone who gives in to it of all defence.

Trust is essential in the Work. Government founded on distrust would work badly. On the other hand, a person who trusts works happily and does things gladly. In the Work there are no “proprietary Directors”: government is always collegial and we all strive never to make any important decision without asking for advice. Trust your brothers and sisters. Also trust in the talents God has given them, and their love for God and for the Work. And mistrust your own judgement just a little: it will help you always to take other people’s opinions into account, and will make you more effective.

If we ask our Lord through his Blessed Mother, he will grant us the grace to make holy use of our freedom. We will have a filial trust in our Directors and all our brothers and sisters. Only like that can we go ahead, our Father reminds us. Our work is carried out on the basis of trust: cum fide, with faith.