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Healthy and Holy Relationship Concept: Freedom

Freedom 101 According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, freedom is defined as: 1.the state of being free: such as A. the power to do what you want to do; the ability to move or act freely [the state of being free] B. the state of not being a slave, prisoner, etc. [ability to move or act freely] C. the state of not having or being affected by [or being released from] something unpleasant, painful, or unwanted D. the right to use something or go somewhere without being controlled [use without restriction] 2. a political right * an important freedom * basic human freedoms

This may be the way society looks at freedom, valuing independence; but as Catholics, freedom entails more. Looking at the Catechism of the Catholic Church, freedom is defined as: 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 (CCC 1731). [dependence on God]. We go on to learn: 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. 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.” (CCC 1732-1733). In reading more, it is emphasized that freedom is exer-cised in relationships: Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement

of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order. (CCC 1738). We may now have a better understanding of God’s desire for our freedom and what threats society may place in this path. Threats to freedom. The exercise of freedom does not imply a right to say or do everything. It is false to maintain that man, “the subject of this freedom,” is “an individual who is fully self-sufficient and whose finality is the satisfaction of his own interests in the enjoyment of earthly goods.” Moreover, the economic, social, political, and cultural conditions that are needed for a just exercise of freedom are too often disregarded or violated. Such situations of blindness and injustice injure the moral life and involve the strong as well as the weak in the temptation to sin against charity. By deviating from the moral law man violates his own freedom, becomes imprisoned within himself, disrupts neighborly fellow- ship, and rebels against divine truth. (CCC 1740). Perhaps a way to summarize is to reflect on the concept that man tries so hard in our culture to be independent (not influenced by the thought or action of others; thinking or acting for oneself) believing that gives him freedom; whereas, created in God’s image, man does not have freedom until he is truly dependent upon God. We are given tools through the Church’s tradition, liturgy and sacraments, prayer and scriptures to show us the way. Some resources to consider are: The Ten Commandments; The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy; the seven tenets of Catholic Social Teachings; and the Beatitudes. Not “Freedom from …..,” but rather “Freedom for … .” How does one know? Look to Love— Is my ability to love as Christ loves enhanced with a freedom from . . . ? Love is enhanced with a freedom for . . . . Our dependence on God frees us to love as He loves—for others!

Catechist Reflection Page

With safe environment, we consider how we keep all our children, youth and teens safe. Adults are responsible for protecting young people, yet young people can at the same time be empowered and encouraged to learn ways to avoid unfavorable situations, to stop when feeling unsafe, and tell a parent or a trusted adult so they can help. To build positive, healthy relationships, we need to develop an understanding of freedom – with God, with ourselves, with others, and with all of creation,

Vol. 5 Issue 1

Grades 3—5

Reflection for Catechist ~~ Reflect on the relationships in your own life. How can you apply “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1) in each area? What will be your first step?

• With God...

• With yourself...

• With others...

• With the world of creation…

I. Opening Prayer If students are not familiar with this prayer, recite it as an “echo” style (you say a phrase/line and they repeat it).

Angel of God

Angel of God, my guardian dear,

To whom God’s love

commits me here.

Ever this day/night, be at my side;

To light and guard, to rule and guide.

Amen.

• The Our Father may be used as the closing prayer to remind us of our dependence on God.

Healthy and Holy Relationship Concept: Freedom

Session Objectives:

• God wants his people to be free for love.

• Freedom does not mean being selfish— “doing

whatever I want” or being exploited by others.

• True freedom includes both rights and responsibilities.

• In a “Right Relationship” freedom means being free to

share our thoughts, feelings, and time with others.

• If we are in a relationship where we are being exploited

or are not free to share our thoughts, feelings and time

with others, we need to get help.

II. What Are God’s Rules?

A Reference for the Lesson, as needed.

Share with the class: “God gave Moses the 10 Commandments to help guide our lives and how to show our love to God and others. (Give an example of one or two commandments.) In following the 10 Commandments, we learn to grow in Christian Freedom.

Other guides that Christ has given us through Scriptures and our Catholic Teachings include:

The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy Catholic Social Teachings The Beatitudes

Overview

This lesson is designed for use during a class session in January/February. It presents information on some ways that our faith life can help us build qualities of right relationships. Freedom is a quality of Right Relationships—the kind of relationships God desires for us. Some people in society think freedom is about having no limitations—free to do whatever we want—free to disregard rules and throw caution to the wind. On the contrary—with freedom comes responsibility. In the lesson’s quote from 1 Peter 2:16 we learn that true Christian freedom is the result of being servants of God. It includes reverence for God, esteem for every individual, and committed love for all people. God created each person in His own image; therefore, our dignity is grounded in God and must be respected by all. God tells us to treat each other with respect, especially in our unique, individual differences. The Ten Commandments and The Catholic Social Teachings are guides for us to help us to show respect to God and others. As we learn and mature in building healthy relationships with others, we experience how freedom is essential in all friendships and relationships. We need help if we are in a relationship where we are being exploited or are not free to express our thoughts, feelings, and time with others. An environment of open communication encourages youth to communicate their thoughts and feelings appropriately and seek help from parents and other trusted adults when they feel others are hurting them or pressuring them to break the rules.

Session Outline

• Opening Prayer (5 min)

• “Rights and Responsibilities” lesson focus (30 min)

• Activity sheet “The Path to Freedom in Relationships” with follow-up questions (22 min)

• Closing Prayer (3 min)

Supplies

• Pencil or marker or crayon for each

Activities / Hand Outs - for each person Activity Sheet: “The Path to Freedom in Relationships”

Goal: Although society may stress that freedom from...many things or undesired actions may help to make us independent, we learn it is our dependence on a loving and merciful God that gives us freedom for...our loving actions toward others in our relationships.

Some materials created by Diocese of Grand Island. Used with permission. Additional materials developed by Diocese of Rapid City. Resources: The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1730-1748; “Life in the Spirit Based on True Freedom—St. John Paul II,” https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb52.htm; “John Paul II and the Truth About Freedom,” Avery Cardinal Dulles, https://www.firstthings.com/article/1995/08/004-john-paul-ii-and-the-truth-about-freedom

“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil. ...show proper respect for everyone...” 1Peter 2:16

Grades 3—5 Vol. 5, Issue 1

“The truly free person is one who does what is good out of love for goodness itself.” ~ St. John Paul

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Page 3 III. LESSON - Freedom

Introduction Opening Activity (7 minutes): Write the word “freedom” on the board. Ask the children to share their definition of “freedom.” As they tell you, list the “key points” in their definition on the board. If another person states the same concept as one already presented, just add a checkmark after the written concept. Ask: What does the definition of freedom end up saying? Is this what you want? Is this what you want every other person to have as well? Where do we get this definition—from society or our Catholic faith? If every-one used this definition of freedom, what do you think would happen with our relationships to one another? In our communities? In the world? Is this what we want? Is this what God wants for us?

Lesson Development

Discussion (23 minutes): “Rights and Responsibilities” The Bible tells us many stories of God freeing his people from slavery and mistreatment. God wants his people to be free. But does freedom mean doing whatever we want? Not when we are talking about right relationships—the kind of relationships God desires for us. Freedom in relationships includes a balance of rights and responsibilities. We have the right to be free from harm, to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect. We have the right to have meaningful relationships with others (friends, family), and to share our thoughts and feelings. This is the kind of relationship God desires for us so we can grow in his love. In the same way, we are responsible to respect those same rights for others. God wants us to treat each person in that same way. We also have the responsibility to treat others with the same dignity and respect, to listen to and to respect their thoughts and feelings. Ask: What are ways we can show these responsibilities? (What would it look like? “sound like?”) This is a way others can experience our love for God by the way we treat each other. Our rights and responsibilities belong to us whether we have done anything to deserve them or not. They are not dependent on our behavior or the actions of others. If we are responsible and make good choices in our relationships with others we may also have some privileges. These are things we have earned through our own hard work and behaviors. Privileges include things like earning a paycheck or allowance for chores done, going to a movie you want to see, riding your bike somewhere, etc. Ask: Can you name other privileges that you may receive? (Example: staying up late, going somewhere special with friends, sleepovers, parties, going to games, special time 1:1 with mom/dad, etc.). If we make bad choices we may lose our privileges (consequences). Ask: Have you ever lost a privilege? Why? Did you get it back? How; what did you do? It can be easy to get so focused on our rights and our privileges that we forget our responsibilities—to God, others, and our self. Think of rights and responsibilities as the two sides of a scale—are they balanced or is one side weighted down? Which side do you maybe need to work on to improve the balance? If you are in a relationship where your rights are not being respected — or if you are struggling with your own responsibilities – let someone know. Tell a trusted adult. They can make sure you are safe and help you decide what you need to do.

Rights Responsibilities Privileges

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The Path to Freedom In Relationships

Grades 3 - 5 IV. Activity

What kind of freedom does God desire for our relationships with one another?

• Freedom from harm and exploitation. • Freedom for sharing our time, thoughts

and feelings with others.

Follow the path to Freedom in Relationships.

Help the individual above find the open pathway to the others. Read the clues along the way that remind us how we are to be treated and to treat others. Mark your path.

* When all are done, check which path they went. As time allows, ask why some of the other comments would not be a good way to move. Can you think of a way to turn each of those into a positive way to be treated?

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This week we discussed the Right Relationship concept of freedom. We are created in God’s image; therefore, we have a divine dignity that must be respected by ourselves and by others. Freedom is directed to this end. Free for love and respect; free from exploitation.

Younger grade levels (PreK-2) learned that freedom doesn’t mean “doing whatever I want.” Children were reminded that God gave us parents to care for us and protect us. Part of that care and protection includes rules and direction. They were encouraged to view freedom as “freedom from harm,” as well as “freedom to share our thoughts, feelings and time with others.” They were encouraged to tell you if they are unsafe, or if they are in a relationship where they feel afraid to share their thoughts and feelings or spend time with others.

Grades 3-5 discussed the concepts of “rights” and “responsibilities” as important components of freedom. They were encouraged to be respectful of others and to view them-selves as worthy of dignity and respect. They were encouraged to seek help if they are being treated disrespectfully by peers or adults in their lives.

Grades 6-8 discussed ways to be a good friend. The freedom God wants us to have is based in the love he has for us and our dependence on God. They identified signs of freedom in relationships and practiced determining in relationships our rights, responsibilities, and privileges. They were reminded if they are involved in a friendship that does not allow basic freedoms, to talk to someone they trust.

At the high school level (Grades 9-12), students discussed freedom as an essential quality of right and loving relationships. While we may feel flattered when a friend or dating partner is possessive of our time and attention, it is important to recognize that possessiveness can be a form of control and is often considered a “red flag” for abuse. As quoted by St. John Paul II, “The truly free person is one who does what is good out of love for goodness itself.”

“Freedom is limited by the ability to respond to a right or privilege. We want to assure success for our children. To be responsible we need to help our children learn to ‘respond with ability.’ As we observe our children developing abilities, we can offer corresponding freedoms.” (Maren Schmidt, Freedom Within Limits of Responsibility) Our children also need our guidance with the growth of their faith life. They need to understand that true Christian freedom is the result of being servants of God. It includes reverence for God, esteem for every individual, and a committed love for each person. May our children’s watchful eyes see this mentored in us.

If your child reports concerns about a relationship with an adult or peer, or if you would like more information about right relationships, please contact the Diocesan Safe Environment Office (605)343-3541 or cverhey@diorc.org.

A Note to Parents Freedom

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and

where the spirit of the Lord is, there is

Freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

“Live as free men, but do not use your

freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect for everyone.”

1Peter 2:16

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,

then, and do not let yourselves be

burdened again by the yolk of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1