INTERIOR FREEDOM - RC Spirituality
INTERIOR FREEDOMBY JACQUES PHILIPPEPrepared by Donna GarrettRCSpirituality.orgProduced by Coronationcoronationmedia.com
OVERVIEWINTERIOR FREEDOMSUMMARYThis Study Circle Guide is designed to accompany thesmall book by Fr. Jacques Philippe, Interior Freedom.This book has become a kind of modern classic,translating age-old Catholic wisdom about spiritualgrowth into language and concepts applicable to ourcontemporary lives.this book will tend to be very personal. Participants willhave to share personal comments in order for this StudyCircle to work well in a small group.The “Living the Doctrine” session of questions fordiscussion utilizes quotations from the Regnum ChristiMember’s Handbook. These may not be of muchinterest to non-RC members.CATEGORIES OF INTERESTHOW MUCH HOMEWORK?Prayer and Spiritual GrowthThe moderator should read each chapter and therelevant section of the Study Guide before eachsession.RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF SESSIONSThe book is divided into five short chapters, so themost logically plan would be to have one sessiondevoted to each chapter – a total of five sessions. Butthe first chapter is sub-divided into four sections. ThisGuide provides a summary and questions for discussionfor each of the four sections. So if a group wants togo slowly through this resource, this Guide providesmaterial for as many as nine sessions.MATERIALS NEEDED Each participant should have a copy of this StudyCircle Guide. Ideally, each participant should also have a copy ofthe book, Interior Freedom. It may be handy to have present at least one copyof the Catechism and, for groups made up ofRegnum Christi members, a copy of the RegnumChristi Member’s Handbook (RCMH).WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?Anyone. The book is written in a very simple style anddoes not require advanced knowledge of the Catholicfaith. Because its focus is on the day-to-day living of thefaith, the discussions that happen in a Study Circle aboutRCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomThe amount of homework required from otherparticipants will depend on how much time they haveavailable to invest. There are basically three modalities:1. Individually, it can be used for personal study todiscover and maintain the interior freedom thateach human person has deep within them that noexternal power can take away.The other two modalities are for group study.2. The moderator may assign sections of the textand subsequent study questions to be read priorto the scheduled meeting. Each participant then isencouraged to share as much or as little as theyfeel comfortable doing.3. A small group could read excerpts together andthen spontaneously choose the study questionsthey would like to use. The page numbers aftereach question correspond to the excerpts of thetext. Give the group time to read the excerptsand look for the answer, then members can offertheir answer and discuss it. Move on to anotherquestion when you are ready. Members of thegroups can choose questions that interest themthe most. This method requires little preparationexcept on the part of the moderator; therefore itmay not achieve the same depth of understandingof the resource. For busy people, however, thismay be the best option.OverviewPAGE 1
GETTING STARTEDINTERIOR FREEDOMPURPOSE OF THE BOOKCHAPTER FOUR ,Written in a simple and inviting style this book seeks toliberate the heart and mind to enable it to live the truefreedom to which God calls each one.CHAPTER FIVEThis book is about a basic theme of Christian life:interior freedom. Its purpose is simple. Every Christianneeds to discover that even in the most unfavorableoutward circumstances we possess within ourselves aspace of freedom that nobody can take away, becauseGod is its source and guarantee. Without this discoverywe will always be restricted in some way, and will nevertaste true happiness. But if we learn to let this innerspace of freedom unfold, then even though many thingsmay well cause us to suffer, nothing will really be ableto oppress or crush us. (Page 9)From Law to Grace, expounds on loveas a free gift.concludes with a section on spiritualpoverty and freedom.NOTESSUMMARY OF THE BOOKThe thesis to be developed is a simple but veryimportant one: we gain possession of our interiorfreedom in exact proportion to our growth in faith,hope, and love. (Page 10)Introduction: Despite the most difficult situations thatcan restrain our physical movement, each person hasdeep inside a place of freedom that no external powercan take away, because God himself is its source.A person wins inner freedom to the extent that heconnects to its source – God himself – by practicingthe virtues of faith, hope, and charity. These theologicalvirtues are the center of the spiritual life. As the basisfor interior growth, they become the source of theglorious freedom of the children of God.CHAPTER ONE ,Freedom and Acceptance, offers anextensive discussion on the search for freedom; theacceptance of ourselves, the acceptance of otherpeople, and the acceptance of suffering.explores the freedom found in living inthe present moment.CHAPTER TWOexplains how interior freedom isfound in direct proportion to our growth in faith, hopeand charity.CHAPTER THREERCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomGETTING STARTEDPAGE 2
SESSION 1CHAPTER ONE: FREEDOM AND ACCEPTANCEFIRST SECTION: THE SEARCH FOR FREEDOMHuman beings were not created for slavery, but to bethe lords of creation. This is explicitly stated in the Bookof Genesis. We were not created to lead drab, narrow,or constricted lives, but to live in the wide-open spaces.We find confinement unbearable, simply because wewere created in the image of God, and we have within usan unquenchable need for the absolute and the infinite.Our most fundamental aspiration is for happiness; andwe sense that there is no happiness without love, and nolove without freedom. Freedom gives value to love, andlove is the precondition of happiness. (Page 13)When we feel stifled or trapped in some way bycircumstances, we resent the institutions or people thatseem to be there cause.The desire for freedom is often misunderstood andbecomes a desperate attempt to overcome limitationswhen in fact the limitations are found in the humanheart. (Page 16)There is a difference between choosing and consenting;being free also means consenting to what we did notchoose. The difference between accepting what we didnot choose by resignation or consenting to that whichwe cannot control is an attitude of the heart. (Pages 25–30)“The soul cannot live without love, it always needssomething to love: for it is made of love and it is for love thatI created it.” —Dialogues St. Catherine Sienna Ch. 51“Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truthand goodness; it attains its perfection when directed towardsGod, our beatitude.” —CCC 1731STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS3. For modern man, freedom means being boundby nothing. For the Christian, true freedomis different. How does the Christian find truefreedom? (Page 14)4. Contemplate a time in your life when you feltstifled or trapped. What needed to change,outward circumstances or your internalperspective, or both? What was your relationshipwith God at this time?5. St. Therese exemplifies interior freedom. Whatimpacted you when you read this section?(Page 18–20)6. What does the author say our lack of freedomstems from? (Page 26)7. What is the difference between choosing andconsenting?8. We show the greatness of our freedom whenwe transform reality, but also when we accept ittrustingly as it is given to us day after day. Whatdoes the author believe is the paradoxical law ofhuman life? (Page 28)9. What are the three attitudes the authordiscusses regarding our response to this paradox?Contemplate a time in your life when youexperienced these attitudes. What was beingasked of you? Did you ever reach the attitude ofconsent?10. What does the author state must change before wecan move from resignation to consent?NOTES1. Why does the author believe we find confinementunbearable? (Page 13)2. What does he believe our most fundamentalaspiration is? (Page 13)RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 1PAGE 3
SECOND SECTION: ACCEPTING OURSELVESThe most important thing in our lives is not so muchwhat we can do, as leaving room for what God can do.The person God wants to transform and touch withhis love is not the person we want to be, but ratherthe person that we are. The great secret of all spiritualfruitfulness and growth is learning to let God act.What often blocks the action of God’s grace in ourlives is our inability to accept our own weaknesses. TheHoly Spirit never acts unless we freely cooperate. Wemust accept ourselves just as we are, if the Holy Spiritis to change us for the better. We must recognize thatwe cannot change ourselves by our own efforts butthat all progress in the spiritual life, every victory overourselves, is a gift of God’s grace. (Pages 32–35)Only under the gaze of God can we fully and trulyaccept ourselves. The greatest gift given those whoseek God’s face by persevering in prayer may be thatone day they will perceive something of this divine lookupon themselves and they will feel themselves loved sotenderly that they will receive the grace of acceptingthemselves in depth. God knows our weaknesses andinfirmities, but he is not scandalized by them and doesn’tcondemn us. (Pages 35–36)“As tenderly as a father treats his children, so Yahweh treatsthose who fear him; he knows what we are made of, heremembers that we are dust.” —Psalm 103Sometimes subconsciously we deny ourselves happinessout of a sense of guilt. God sometimes calls us to makesacrifices but he also sets us free from fears and a falsesense of imprisoning guilt. He restores to us the freedomto welcome the gifts he wishes to give us.If we understand holiness properly, as the possibility ofgrowing indefinitely in love for God and our brothersand sisters, we can be certain that nothing will bebeyond our reach.We don’t all have in us the stuff of sages or heroes. Butby God’s grace we do have the stuff of Saints.(Pages 38–43)RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 2PAGE 4
STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONSNOTES1. What blocks the action of God’s grace in our lives?(Page 33)2. What does all progress in the spiritual life resultfrom? (Page 35)3. The Church is full of powerful stories of sinnerswho became Saints. Share your favorite story withthe group. What part of this story appeals to you?4. The author points out a deep two-way connectionbetween accepting ourselves, and accepting otherpeople. What do you think of when you read, ifwe fail to accept others as they are, we ourselves“will become perpetual victims in our own narrowmindedness?” (Page 44)QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION ORSMALL GROUP DISCUSSION1. Contemplate what aspect of your person you findmost difficult to accept. What steps can you taketo move toward greater acceptance? When is thelast time you gave that part of yourself up to God?2. Reflect silently on a past prayer experiencethat really brought you to the heart of God sointimately that you knew he loved you just as youare, sinful and weak.3. How often in your prayer life do you set limits onyour relationship with God because you imaginethat your own deficiencies make you unlovable?4. Is there a part of yourself you hide from Godbecause you think it to be unclean, too ugly forhim? Make a resolution to bring it to the Lordduring your next confession and leave it there.LIVING THE DOCTRINEThe first Core Conviction of a Regnum Christi memberis: God, my Father, loves me with an everlasting love.God created us out of love and for love. Only throughthe acceptance of ourselves will we be able to grow inthis conviction.RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 2PAGE 5
THIRD SECTION: ACCEPTANCE OF SUFFERINGSTUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONSHaving looked at self-acceptance, we now turn ourattention to the acceptance of events. We rarely havedifficulty in accepting something that brings us joy,but in reality many times what we are faced with areday-to-day events we did not choose that bring usinconvenience and suffering. The basic principle is thesame: we cannot change our lives effectively until wecan move from an attitude of resignation to an attitudeof embracing even those situations we did not choose.This is an absolute fundamental truth: God can drawgood out of everything.1. What is the distinction the author makes betweenpassive acceptance of suffering, and freely choosingto embrace suffering? (Page 46)It is not a matter of becoming passive and learning toendure everything without reacting. The natural thingto do in the face of suffering is to remedy it as much aswe can. But there will always be sufferings that have noremedies, and these we must make an effort to acceptpeacefully. The most painful suffering is the suffering wereject and often it is not so much the suffering as it isthe fear of suffering that causes us pain. (Pages 44–46)Suffering makes us grow. It matures us, purifies us, teachesus to love unselfishly, makes us poor in heart, humble,gentle, and compassionate toward our neighbor. Fear ofsuffering hardens us in self-protective, often defensiveattitudes that can lead us to make poor choices. (Page 47)The only true security in this life lies in the certaintythat God is faithful and can never abandon us becausehis fatherly tenderness is irrevocable. Full innerfreedom comes from progressively freeing ourselvesfrom the need for human security to the realizationthat God alone is all we need. (Pages 52–54)It is certain that we will pass through phases in our liveswhere we cannot understand the reasons for what ishappening. It is here we must turn to prayer, reflection,spiritual direction, and ultimately trust in God. Jesusremained completely free in his death, because hemade it into an offering of love. By his free and lovingconsent, the life that was taken became a life given.Our freedom always has the power to make what istaken from us into something offered. (Pages 56–57)The most important and fruitful acts of our freedomare not those by which we transform the outside worldas those by which we change our inner attitude in lightof the faith that God can bring good out of everythingwithout exception. Even when externally there isnothing to be done, we still have inner freedom tocontinue to love. (Page 58)RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior Freedom2. What are the virtues one stands to gain by freelychoosing the suffering they are given? What lightdoes the author shed on your inner attitudestoward suffering? (Page 47)3. Where does full inner freedom come from? (Page 53)4. What can you do when God’s will for your lifeseems elusive? (Page 54)5. Sometimes suffering comes in the form ofsomething or someone that is taken from you. Howcan this suffering offer incredible power to yourspiritual growth? (Page 56)6. What freedom does the author say all people stillhave in the deepest pit of helplessness? (Page 59)QUESTION FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION ORSMALL GROUP DISCUSSION1. The author writes of “Helplessness in trials and thetrials of Helplessness” As parents, spouses, familymembers, we all experience first hand both of thesetrials. Reflect on past times of helplessness in yourlife; which trial was it? How did you get past it?LIVING THE DOCTRINELoving our neighbors, even in the midst of suffering,unites us more fully with Christ. Regnum Christi is anecclesial Movement centered in Christ. Although Christdid not ask to suffer, he willingly embraced his cross forour salvation.Saint John Paul II in Salvifici Doloris says; “Christ doesnot answer directly the meaning of suffering, instead, Hesays ‘Follow Me!’. Come take part through your suffering inthis work of saving the world, a salvation achieved throughmy suffering, through my cross. Gradually, as the individualtakes up his cross, spiritually uniting himself to the cross ofChrist, the salvific meaning of suffering is revealed beforehim.” —Par. 26SESSION 3PAGE 6
NOTESRCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 3PAGE 7
FOURTH SECTION: ACCEPTING OTHER PEOPLEWe need to accept other people just as they are,understand that their approach and values are not thesame as ours, and to broaden our minds and softenour hearts toward them. We must renounce the pridewe take in being right, which often prevents us fromentering into the other person’s thoughts; and thatrenunciation sometimes requires a dying to ourselvesthat is extremely hard. (Pages 60–62)Freedom can be diminished by an overly strongattachment to another, but the refusal to forgive alsobinds us to the person we resent. True forgivenessis vital to living interior freedom, The real humanharm is not outside us, but within us. Harm to ourinterior freedom does not come to us from externalcircumstances but, from the way we react to theminteriorly.Sometimes we think that forgiving someone whohas wronged us means pretending they have donenothing wrong – calling bad good, or condoning an actof injustice. Forgiving is not the same as condoninga wrong. The Gospel of Luke chapter 6 says: “Loveyour enemies, do good to those who hate you Lendexpecting nothing in return and your reward will begreat.” God has loved us humanly, so as to render ourhearts capable of loving divinely. (Pages 65–67)QUESTION FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION ORSMALL GROUP DISCUSSION1. Knowing what you do about your owntemperament, where are you more inclined tobe judgmental towards others? Think of someonein your life who is still waiting for your freeacceptance of who they are. Pray for the grace toaccept them as they are.LIVING THE DOCTRINEThe exercise of charity (Christ-like love) is of vitalimportance to very Regnum Christi member. It involvesthe generous and constant practice of a wide range ofvirtues. It requires us to bear our brothers burdens,praise his talents and virtues, share in his success andfailures and when necessary, prudently, nobly and firmlydefend him. And since our heart is the true source ofour intentions and actions, we must seek to have a kindheart in order always to think and speak positively ofothers. (RCMH 93)NOTESOther people’s faults do not deprive us of anything.We have no valid reason for resenting them or theiractions. Rather than wasting time thinking about howthey have deprived us, we should be concentratingon acquiring spiritual autonomy by deepening ourrelationship with God. That others are sinners cannotprevent us from becoming saints. (Pages 71–72)STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Forgiving is not the same as condoning. What is thedifference? (Page 64)2. What happens to you when you live bound toanother through resentment? (Page 66)3. “He made me do it” is a frequent excuse made toexplain one’s faults. Does another person have thepower to force you to sin?4. What does the author say is the reason people feelresentment and bitterness? (Page 71)RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 3PAGE 8
RCSPIRITUALITY.ORG : STUDY CIRCLE GUIDEInterior FreedomSESSION 4PAGE 9
SESSION 2CHAPTER TWO: THE PRESENT MOMENTSUMMARYOne of the essential conditions in interior freedom isthe ability to live in the present moment. The only freeact we can make in regard to the past is to accept itjust as it was and leave it trustingly in God’s hands. Godis in the eternal present, every moment, whatever itbrings, is filled with God’s presence. We should learnto live each moment as sufficient to itself for God isthere, and if God is there, we lack nothing. (Pages 81–82)God is eternally present, eternally young, is eternal andnew, and our past and future are his. He can forgiveeverything, purify everything, renew everything. Inthe present moment, because of his infinitely mercifullove, we always have the possibility of starting again,not impeded by the past or tormented by the future.Living in the present permits our hearts to
Interior Freedom OVERVIEW INTERIOR FREEDOM SUMMARY This Study Circle Guide is designed to accompany the small book by Fr. Jacques Philippe, Interior Freedom. This book has become a kind of modern classic, translating age-old Catholic wisdom about spiritual growth into language and concepts applicable to our contemporary lives. CATEGORIES OF .
Kapic and Randall Gleason and Evangelical Spirituality by James Gordon. The former represents Puritan piety, whereas the latter, Evangelical spirituality.2 Before comparing 1 Joel Beeke, in his book Puritan Reformed Spirituality (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2004), approaches Reformed and Puritan spiritualities as single entity.
2 FOCUS CE COURSE Spirituality and Social Work Originally printed December 2010 DEFINITIONS Spiritual / Spirituality Spirituality is an aspect of religious traditions, and also of existential value systems. Elkins (1988) gives this definition: “Spirituality, which comes from the Latin, spiritus, meaning breath of life,” is a
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Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Ways of Understanding All individuals possess the capacity for Spirituality Spirituality aids individuals in coping with stress, and can be the source of stress Spirituality can be the source of good behavior or bad behavior Spiritual distress goes hand in hand with psychological distress while spiritual
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Religiousness and Spirituality in College Students - 2 - I. Measuring Religiousness and Spirituality Definitions of Religion and Spirituality The question of measurement is a central one in science. In order to measure any concept, such as length or intelligence, one must start with some idea of how one is going to define that construct.
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