Surrendering our
liberty
Hedwig Lewis SJ
The Ignatian Suscipe is similar to the Fifth Annotation, which instructs the
retreatant to enter the Exercises “with
greater magnanimity and liberality, towards his Creator and Lord, offering him all
his desire and liberty so that the divine majesty may make use of this person… according
to His own most holy will” (SE 5).
What is significant is that we are in full
possession of our liberty all through the retreat. God created us with freedom – his
greatest gift. Why the Almighty does so remains a profound mystery. But I truly
possess MY liberty! I do not suppress but surrender it by the very power given
me.
To take away ones liberty is to destroy what is
most basic to human nature. Satan tends to do that [SE 23]. Through freedom of
choice we fulfil our desires, and have command over all faculties of
body, mind and soul. The Exercises enable us to use our
freedom in detecting and
discarding our “unfreedoms” (attachments), so as to be completely disposed “the
better to serve God”.
When we surrender
our human liberty, God graces us with: “spiritual freedom” – which empowers us to
think and act without external or internal compulsions.
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