363. What is freedom? (part 2 continuation)
(Comp 363 repetition) 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 1744) Freedom is the power to
act or not to act, and so to perform deliberate acts of one's own. Freedom
attains perfection in its acts when directed toward God, the sovereign Good.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1732) As long as freedom has not bound itself
definitively to its ultimate good which is God, there is the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus
of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning. This freedom characterizes
properly human acts. It is the basis of praise or blame, merit or reproach.
Reflection
(CCC 1733) The more one does what is good, the freer one
becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and
just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to
"the slavery of sin" (Cf. Rom 6:17). [END]
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