freedom Archives – Page 3 of 6

Jesus’ Approach? Trust Over Control

by andyotto | Nov 18, 2024 | Discernment | 0

While institutions often create complex rules to protect “simple” people, Jesus did the opposite: he kept the law simple while honoring human complexity. His radical approach trusted people’s capacity for growth and authentic relationship with God, offering core values rather than elaborate regulations.

The Unapologetic Self: Embracing Authenticity in the Second Half of Life

by andyotto | May 13, 2024 | Awareness | 2

How do we live authentically and in line with our true selves? We accept, unapologetically, that we are loved by God.

Finding God in the Gulag: Discovering Freedom in Captivity

by andyotto | Apr 29, 2024 | Essays, The Lighter Side, The Tough Questions | 0

Walter Ciszek, a Jesuit priest, endured solitary confinement and harsh conditions in Soviet prisons for 23 years. His trust in God’s will and his commitment to living a life of love helped him find hope and inner peace.

Seeking What I Already Have

by andyotto | Feb 20, 2023 | Awareness, The Tough Questions | 0

We are all seekers, longing for inner peace and purpose. What if we already had what we were seeking all along?

Conforming God to My Unfreedoms

by andyotto | Sep 26, 2022 | Discernment, The Tough Questions | 2

We sometimes try to conform God to our decisions, rather than the other way around. In his Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius explains how we often make a means an end in itself. We need both internal and external freedom.

Inner Furniture

by andyotto | Jan 24, 2022 | Awareness | 2

Within each of us is “inner furniture” that inhibits our full life in God. They can be past hurts, stereotypes, bad memories, religious wounds, and even our images of God. We find many examples in the Gospels of people who are blind to the layout of their inner rooms.

Accepting Impermanence and Experiencing Heaven Now

by andyotto | Jun 7, 2021 | Essays | 0

The things in our life are all passing. They are gifts to help us in our journey to a union with God. When we accept impermanence, we discover heaven on earth. When we let go of ‘shoulds’ and illusions and expectations, we find salvation.

In the Flow

by andyotto | Apr 26, 2021 | Discernment | 0

When we listen to the deep desires of our hearts we are in the flow of God’s love and God’s dream for our lives. But how do we know a desire is ‘of God’?

Forgiveness is a Means to Freedom

by andyotto | Mar 8, 2021 | Mercy | 1

Forgiveness is a way that God seeks to lift the burdens from us that prevent us from the freedom to love and live fully.

You Have No Purpose (In the Way that You Think)

by andyotto | Feb 22, 2021 | Discernment | 4

God’s will for us is not some predetermined blueprint that negates our freedom. Let’s examine how the Ignatian tradition understands discernment and purpose. Hint: There’s a bigger Dream for the world. And Disney Pixar’s Soul helps reminds us of this, too.