I pray you had a happy Fourth of July! I was thinking about two people in scripture who experienced freedom: Moses and Mary Magdalene. I mention these two together because I heard something interesting about the Exodus, and I love celebrating the feast of Mary Magdalene. On July 22nd, my good friend Fr. Conrad Pecevich (now deceased) would always come up with a special way to celebrate her and the role of women in the Church. We always did something creative and faith-filled.
During the Exodus, the Israelites experienced freedom from the slavery of Pharaoh. When they were led out of Egypt, they experienced external freedom, but internally they grumbled and complained against Moses and God! They did not experience an internal freedom that would have helped them trust in God’s care and concern for them. They couldn’t see how God was blessing them while in the desert. Their grumbling and complaining showed that they had not changed/grown inwardly. Whether in Egypt or the desert, they failed to see God’s plan for them.
Mary Magdalene was also ‘freed!’ The difference with her was her external freedom led to a gratitude that continually changed her heart, helping her internal freedom continue to grow. Growth is part and parcel of change. Without change, we become bound, we lose our freedom, and we go back to the signs of slavery in our lives, like the Israelites.
Have you ever experienced freedom from an external situation, but failed to recognize its gift because you didn’t develop the inner freedom necessary for it to be total Conversion/freedom? Internal growth can be a challenge, but it’s worth the effort. Internal freedom requires the soil of a grateful heart to become totally free. As Gail Sheehy has said, “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” We are not free!
The choice is ours; we can be like the partially free Israelites or the fully free Mary Magdalene. The object is not to be discouraged, but to continue to grow each day and to accept the changes that may come our way, leading to total freedom. Remember, Christian Freedom is not self-centered independence but the grace to become the people God created us to be.
Have a great week,
Sister Theresita
