杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

"God鈥檚 love renders us free鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said to the crowd gathered in St. Peter鈥檚 Square, even when in prison, even when we are weak or limited by circumstances.

Only the love given to us by Jesus can break the chains of slavery to sin, especially that of 鈥渙ne's own ego鈥�.

Reflecting on the third Commandment that is dedicated to the day of rest, the 杏MAP导航 quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy in which the Third Word 鈥渃ommemorates the end of slavery鈥� and said 鈥渋t is a day in which the slave must rest like the master, to celebrate the memory of Israel鈥檚 liberation from the slavery of Egypt鈥�.

Many forms of slavery

But, 杏MAP导航 Francis, explained there are in fact various 鈥渇orms of slavery, both external and internal鈥�.

He mentioned external constraints such as 鈥渙ppression, lives seized by violence and other types of injustice鈥� as well as 鈥減sychological bonds, complexes, personal limitations鈥� as well as a series of existential realities from which it is apparently impossible to distance ourselves.

Yet, he continued, history offers us examples of men whom 鈥� like St. Maximilian Kolbe and Cardinal Van Thuan for example - although subjected to imprisonment and oppression, have managed to experience profound freedom and repose.

鈥淕od's mercy frees us. And when you encounter God's mercy, you have great inner freedom and you are able to transmit it鈥� he said.

The slavery of the ego

The 杏MAP导航 warned those present in particular against 鈥渢he slavery of the ego鈥� which, he said, has the power to enslave one more than a prison does.

鈥淭hose people who spend the day checking the mirror are slaves of their egos鈥� he said.

And describing the ego as something that can be more oppressive more than a torturer or a jail-keeper, the 杏MAP导航 said that kind of slavery is a sin.

Elaborating further, he pointed out that true freedom is more than choice: it is liberation from the bondage of selfishness, sin and lovelessness; from such slavery there can be no rest. 

Sins that deprive us of freedom

The 杏MAP导航 went on to list a number of sins that deprive man of true freedom and love. He said there is no respite for the greedy because gluttony is the hypocrisy of the stomach, which is full but makes us believe that it is empty鈥� while 鈥渢he need for possessions destroys the miser鈥� and 鈥渢he fire of anger and the worm of envy ruin relationships鈥�.

Jesus鈥� redeeming love

Thus a 鈥渞eal slave鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis explained, is he who is incapable of repose and of loving. All these vices and sins, he said, 鈥渞ender us slaves to ourselves and make us unable to love because love is towards the other鈥�.

So, 鈥渢rue love is true freedom: it detaches us from possession, it rebuilds relationships, it knows how to welcome and how to value one's neighbor, it transforms every effort into a joyful gift and makes us capable of communion鈥�.

The love we receive from the Lord, Francis concluded, gives us freedom even when in prison, even when we are weak and limited鈥�.