“FIVE SCORE YEARS ago, a great American … signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. … I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘… truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” This quote, from Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 I Have a Dream speech refers to President Abraham Lincoln as the ‘great American’ and signer of the Proclamation of 1863. May the memory and example of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. endure wherever anyone is not treated with the inherent dignity due a child of God.
While the famous I Have a Dream speech was proclaimed over 60 years ago, there was another dream well before the dawn of recorded history. The Holy Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, created our magnificent world and everything in it with the dream of providing a wondrous home for the pinnacle of creation, human beings created in the image and likeness of God. However, when Adam and Eve freely chose to commit Original Sin, that dream was shattered, although not negated. It continued in another form, with God the Father sending His beloved and only Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior.
We recently celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus who is truly human and truly divine. He came into our world as one of us, willingly accepting our human condition, like us in everything but sin. In the eyes of the neighbors, Mary was single, unwed and pregnant, since the Annunciation occurred after Mary and Joseph were betrothed but before they could live together as husband and wife. Jesus experienced poverty, born in a stable; became a refugee when Joseph had to flee with him and Mary to Egypt to avoid his murder due to the jealousy of King Herod; and was a laborer, known as the ‘carpenter’s son.’
Why go through all of this?
To continue fulfilling God’s dream, initially thwarted, of sharing eternal life, love and happiness with each of us.At Easter we will see the fulfillment of this dream through Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. In appearing to the apostles on Easter Sunday, Jesus gave them authority to forgive sins in His name, and this gift of freedom is available to us in an outstanding way through the Sacrament of Penance. While governments, organizations or people can endeavor to destroy our liberty, Jesus offers us the greatest freedom, freedom from sin and eternal death. At times we may be enslaved by external circumstances, while often our enslavement occurs through our own poor choices, bad habits and/or addictions.
We might need medical help for addictions or legal help when our rights are violated, but the truest and greatest source of freedom is Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
FOR YOUR FAMILY:
■ Have a conversation with the Holy Trinity, asking light to see how and where you might be enslaved by sin in its many forms and help to be freed from those bonds.
■ Pray: Are there ways you might be enslaving others emotionally, materially, mentally, physically or spiritually? If so, what steps will you take to end this now?
■ Read the Scripture accounts of the birth, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus and share how He offers us freedom through these events.