Recently, there has been a lot of talk in the youth and young adult world about American Sniper, the new movie starring Bradley Cooper, which is currently out in theaters. As a disclaimer, it should be known that the Church obviously never promotes violence in and of itself, and our world could also do without some of the “colorful” language depicted in the film! Nevertheless, this movie has caused many people to reflect once again on America’s role in the world and the moral obligations that guide military personnel.
The idea of military service is an attractive thought for many people, men and women alike. In a special way, America’s military (one of the slogan’s of the U.S Navy is “a global force for good”) appeals to many people because of its promise of becoming part something greater than oneself for a good cause–namely, freedom. America has always championed freedom, both inside and outside its borders. The idea of joining the military to defend the freedom and liberty of our country, and many others, can be very exciting!
At the same time, this movie got me thinking about a different interpretation of the word freedom — an interpretation that seems to be used less and less in our society — the way, we might say, the apostles would have understood freedom. The freedom these men would talk about is a deep, spiritual freedom from a wound that has been hurting mankind from the beginning. If you were to ask St. Paul about his idea of freedom, for example, he probably would have responded with something like “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 1:5)
This slavery, this wound, which St. Paul knew all too well, is sin. When we do not fill our inner selves with good things like prayer, the Sacraments, and even the right friends and relationships, we end up searching for other things to fill our hearts. It starts off with small distractions to kill time, but all too often these distractions become more serious sins that can really injure our soul and our connection with God. If these more serious hurtful behaviors go unchecked, they can soon become addictions that will eventually bring lack of inner peace, lack of motivation in life, hopelessness, and even despair.
The good news–no, great news–however, is that God knows how we’re wired, and offers us reconciliation and freedom in Jesus Christ! Christ has the power to forgive our past errors and, through His grace, gives us the hope and courage to overcome our sinful desires and truly live a good life, in service to God and others. When someone decides to accept Christ’s forgiveness and grace in order to turn their life around, He can bring incredible happiness and deep peace into his or her heart. Christ is the true freedom that every human being searches for.
Despite this amazing reality, however, our society continues to move away from God and authentic love, and towards sin and distraction. The result? More and more people are suffering from a lack of peace, happiness, love, and motivation in life. They need God’s healing power. God knows this, and He’s established a real institution whose goal to save the world–the Church! The Church is God’s military, and its mission is to save souls, heal wounds of division through love, and free humankind from its slavery to sin. It’s strength and might comes totally from the grace of Christ, and every single baptized person has access to these graces in order to help the Church fulfill its mission. God wants to use each and every one of us to enter this battle and help bring the world out of the darkness in which it has fallen, one soul at a time. Through His grace, we can be a source of healing, freedom, hope, and happiness to those who have none. The question is, are we brave enough to join this fight?
[blockquote name=”Psalm 119: 30-32″]“I bind myself to do your will; Lord, do not disappoint me. I will run the way of your commands; you give freedom to my heart.” – Psalm 119: 30-32[/blockquote]
Daniel Palmieri
Latest posts by Daniel Palmieri (see all)
- A Shift in Priorities - October 27, 2015
- A Broken and Contrite Heart, O God, You Will Not Despise - June 11, 2015
- You Give Freedom To My Heart - January 26, 2015
