FREEDOM

Recently, in my Religion & Literature class, I found myself untangling a very difficult subject: "The Grand Inquisitor" chapter from Dostoyevsky's "Brothers Karamazov." I have wanted to read this book ever since I first heard about it-- and I cannot even recall when that was... Perhaps when I read "Walking on Water" during my semester abroad in 2003... At any rate, here, six years later, Dostoyesky is with me again-- as well as "Walking on Water." Both authors tell us to consider anew the NOTION OF FREEDOM-- and the meat of the subject, theologically, is that the freedom Christ offers us is everything. Now, when we are talking about freedom, we don't mean the kind of freedom that is often spoke of-- the freedom of individual rights, etc., etc. This freedom is more monastic-- like the innate heart-freedom of responding to God's call... Christ gave up the ability to take our freedom... We even have the freedom not to respond to him. This is sooo much more gutsy than I have ever seen or known.


Dear God, give us the courage and grace to live out from what we have learned and been told. Amen.