Module Three

Our Authentic Freedom is Bound by Jesus’ Teachings

Lesson 1: Our Authentic Freedom as Proper Exercise for Self-Determination

LESSON THREE – The lesson is ordered to enable the students to:

Morals: exercise authentic freedom in shaping one’s moral life and

achieving one’s future destiny in heaven;

Doctrine: explain that Christ sets us free and that doing evil is contrary to
his will; (Gal 5:1-2)

Worship: exalt the Spirit of the Lord to continuously inspire us to live in

authentic freedom.

Opening Prayer Psalm 1:1-6

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
        but their delight is in the law of the LORD,      
  and on his law they meditate day and night.
        They are like trees planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,   and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
        The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
        Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
        for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Context

“Sow a choice, reap an act;

Sow an act, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a virtue;
Sow a virtue, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

Anonymous

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Sternberg Triarchic

Analytical

Some guide questions to incite reflections and insights from the saying:

How is choice related to forming our being as a person?

How does this dictum, “Think of the consequences of your act,” 1 relate to the saying
above?

Creative

Given the idea above, create a well-designed and well-thought maze. The maze must manifest
series of real-life choices and consequences wherein the goal or end of the maze is to make the
person good, loving and holy.

Practical

Relate the dictum above by elaborating and concretizing this line, “Making a choice is like going
to the ‘Palengke ng Buhay’”. How and why?



Indeed, one’s choices shape and mould one’s being as a person which leads to the
formation of one’s habit which consequently becomes a virtue, then a character and
ultimately one’s destiny. What shall we do then? We are challenged to consistently do good
and avoid evil.
Our freedom is a precious gift from God as his special creature. As a response, our
freedom needs to be nurtured and cultivated responsibly by habitually and consistently make
correct moral choices which are in accordance to the divine will. As the saying goes,
“Practice makes perfect.” The more we do what is good, the more we are inclined to do the
good and the more free we are. Isn’t it that if we are guilty of something, even if nobody
knows, we feel uneasy deep within us, being imprisoned to our own self and thought?


Exposition

1
This line is used in the trailer of the movie “Frankenstein”.

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 A. Sacred Scripture

B. Church Teaching

Gal 5:1,13,16
It was for liberty that Christ freed us. So stand firm, and do not take on yourselves the
yoke of slavery a second time! My brothers, remember that you have been called to live in freedom
—but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh. Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s
service. My point is that you should live in accord with the spirit and you will not yield to the
cravings of the flesh (Gal 5:1,13,16).

1 Pt. 2:16
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cloak for vice. In a word, live as
servants of God.

CFC 693 (cf. CCC 1740) see also 696-697

Authentic freedom is not “the right to say and do anything,” but to “do the good”.

Gaudium et Spes, 17.

Freedom directs man toward goodness. Freedom is a license for doing whatever pleases a
person, even if it is evil.

From the Sacred Scripture and Church Teaching, freedom is a two-edged word like a
sword. Freedom can make or break the person. Freedom may be used toward goodness or
according to one’s caprice even if it is evil. For moral theologians, doing evil is not rightly be
called freedom.2 For authentic freedom is only inclined toward goodness and not to evil.
But what is our basis of what is morally good? CFC 700 cites, “As Christians, we come
to know what is moral good in the light of the Gospel and human experience.” Vatican II also
asserts, “For faith throws a new light on everything and manifests God’s design for our total
vocation, and thus directs the mind to solutions that are fully human” (GS 11). This “new light”,
according to our catechism, is embedded and instilled in our conscience which is “the most
secret core and sanctuary of a man, where he is alone with God, whose voice echoes in his
depths” (GS 16). Through man’s conscience, he/she is capable then of judging what is good and
evil and through man’s freedom, human being is capable of doing what is morally good and just.

Write (Y) if the statement expresses Authentic Freedom and (X) if the statement does not
express Authentic Freedom.
2
“Doing evil is not freedom, nor a part of freedom, but only a sign that we have the capability to choose”. James
Socias, Our Moral Life in Christ: A Complete Course (Midwest Theological Forum, Woodridge, Illinois, 2007), p. 51.

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_______1. Mario helps his friend by letting him copy his answers.
_______2. Peter is always absent in his class because of his addiction to computer games.
_______3. Joey refuses to join the fraternity which practices hazing.
_______4. Michael throws his garbage anywhere.
_______5. Gloria always participates in the institutional and Sunday masses.
_______6. Budoy reminds his friend to attend classes.
_______7. Shirley makes an effort to improve her study habits.
_______8. Kim goes to class and other school activities on time.
_______9. Simon prefers to go to internet cafe rather than attend school activities
______10. Joseph abides the rules and regulations especially wearing I.D. and proper uniform.

Similar to the examples above, formulate two statements of man’s Authentic Freedom
and two statements which do not express man’s Authentic Freedom.

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Integration

Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. Christ,
who is the Truth, liberates us by helping us to see the truth more clearly and thus consistently do
what is morally good.
Hence, in our prayer life, we exalt the Spirit of the Lord to continuously inspire us to live
in authentic freedom because we learn that, “Where the spirit of the Lord, there is freedom” (2
Cor. 3:17).

Assignment: Choose only one.

1. Make a collage on the abuses and misuses of man’s freedom which destroys man’s being
and surrounding circumstances.

2. Make a collage of a person’s choices which portrays the formation of one’s being and
character in imitation of Christ and consequently attaining one’s eternal destiny.

Lesson 2: Our Moral Obligation Supports Authentic Freedom

LESSON OBJECTIVES – The lesson is ordered to enable the students to:

Morals: research the relationship between moral obligation, authentic

freedom and the Ten Commandments; 29

Doctrine: explain in a debate that God gave the Ten Commandments for
them to exercise authentic freedom;
Opening Song Pananagutan

Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay, para sa sarili lamang.

Walang sinuman ang namamatay, para sa sarili lamang.

Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa’t –isa.

Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos na kapiling N’ya.

Context

Debate / Reaction Panel

Divide the class into three. Group 1 is the affirmative side. Group 2 is the negative side.
Group 3 is the Reaction Panel. The members of the Reaction Panel will take down notes during
the debate and will present both sides and present the synthesis after the debate. They will debate
on the following question issue/s.

Main Issue:

Are you free when you are morally obliged to follow and obey the Ten Commandments?

Supporting Issues:

Does our freedom connote responsibility?

Do the Ten Commandments violate or enhance the exercise of our freedom?

Exposition

A. Sacred Scripture Deuteronomy 5:1-22

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B. Church Teaching

CFC 702 (cf. GS 17)

The Ten Commandments

Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and decrees
which I proclaim in your hearing this day, that you may learn them and take care to observe them. 
The Lord, our God, made a covenant with us at Horeb; not with our fathers did he make
this covenant, but with us, all of us who are alive here this day. The Lord spoke with you face to
face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. Since you were afraid of the fire and would not go
up the mountain, I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to announce to you these words
of the Lord:
‘I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. 
You shall not have other gods besides me. …
‘You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. For the Lord will not leave unpunished
him who takes his name in vain.
‘Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the Lord, your God, commanded you. 
‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord, your God, has commanded you, that you may
have a long life and prosperity in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you.
‘You shall not kill.
‘You shall not commit adultery.
‘You shall not steal.
‘You shall not bear dishonest witness against your neighbour.
‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. ‘You shall not desire your neighbour’s house or field,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything that belongs to him.’
“These words, and nothing more, the Lord spoke with a loud voice to your entire assembly on the
mountain from the midst of the fire and the dense cloud. He wrote them upon two tablets of
stone and gave them to me…. 
Go closer, you, and hear all that the Lord, our God, will say, and then tell us what the Lord, our
God, tells you; we will listen and obey.’

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 How can I be free if I am “bound,” morally obliged, to follow the moral law and dictates
of conscience?

(Excerpts from Fr. Joseph Roche’s article on “Freedom and Moral Obligation”)

Introduction

A relatively widespread confusion seems to exist among college students regarding the nature
of human freedom. Indicative of this confusion is the “feeling,” often not articulated, that to be
free means “not being obliged.” This “feeling” seems to be based on two assumptions: (1)
one’s freedom should be absolute, ideally unlimited by others, conditions, or God; (2) moral
obligation is identified with force and coercion. Hence moral commandments/laws have to be
reduced to “guidelines” which do not oblige, because otherwise they would unjustifiably restrict
one’s freedom.

Clarifications

Actually, moral obligation refers only to free persons, precisely in their free acts. It not
only does NOT destroy freedom, but is essential for becoming authentically free. Just
laws are NOT opposed to freedom, but are themselves free creations of free persons dealing
precisely with free human acts in community. Both moral obligation and its articulation in just
laws are based on fundamental values (e.g. human life, sexuality, truth), and are ordered
toward fostering authentic human freedom. They are NEEDED in our human condition to
promote true freedom.

Human freedom, then, like the human person, is not absolute, but created, limited, and
relational. Our finite, conditioned human situated, with its basic “relational” nature, is the
condition of possibility for our freedom, not its unjustifiably restriction. We grow up to become
actual free persons only through family and community through whom we are drawn into
language, culture and destiny. Thus our freedom cannot mean “doing what I alone want,” but
rather the capacity to do the good.

Freedom and Moral Obligation

The 5th Commandment, “Thou shall not kill,” obliges us not to kill. This obligation is a moral
force, not a physical power – not coercion, compulsion, etc. The moral force of this
commandment is based on the intrinsic dignity and value of human life. It fosters and promotes
authentic human freedom by guarding human life, and by directing free acts away from self-
destructive evil (murder).

So with the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Commandments: they foster freedom precisely by
commanding – not “guiding.” The difference between the two is precisely in moral obligation:
commandments oblige, guidelines do not. The commandments mean no one can rightfully claim
the “freedom” to murder, rape, steal, and lie. Such acts are abuses against authentic moral
obligation – theologically called sin – injures the true freedom of both the agent as well as others
in the community....

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Finally, Fr. Roche asserted that, “Authentic human freedom is FOR LOVE; moral obligation
serves to clarify how we are to respond to our universal vocation to LOVE.”

Integration

1. “Authentic human freedom is FOR LOVE; moral obligation serves to clarify how we are to respond to
our universal vocation to LOVE.” What is the relationship between AUTHENTIC FREEDOM
and MORAL OBLIGATION?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. How will you exercise stewardship over all creation as your moral obligation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

3. How does the Sacrament of Confirmation empower us to do our moral obligation to others,
environment and God?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 3: Our Authentic Freedom is Free Exercise as Children of God

LESSON OBJECTIVES – The lesson is ordered to enable the students to:

Morals: exhibit mastery in making right choices amidst life’s dilemma in

order to attain freedom for excellence; 33

Doctrine: elucidate Mary’s fiat as her expression of her self-mastery in

doing God’s will;
Opening Prayer

Almighty and Loving Father,

we gratefully praise You for giving as the gift of freedom.
We deeply appreciate your Son’s great example
that to live in authentic freedom is to follow Your will
and to make a loving sacrifice on the cross.
Help us, through our free choices,
to strive to overcome the obstacles
from within and from without.

Context

Our previous lesson on freedom which cites CFC mentions about the two levels of the
human person’s Freedom For namely: freedom of choice3 and fundamental freedom4. The first
level, freedom of choice, refers to our freedom to choose between contraries, to do good or evil.
“But by consistently choosing to do the good, we gradually become free loving persons, the
second level” (CFC 697 cf. VS 65-68). Hence, it is referred to by the moral theologians as
freedom for excellence which is “the power to act freely with excellence and perfection”.5
The book, Our Moral Life in Christ: A Complete Course, presents a simple yet powerful
example to differentiate the above-mentioned levels of human persons’ freedom for. The
example is about learning music.

Exposition

A. Sacred Scripture
3
Nominalists calls this level “freedom of indifference”. Fr. Roche refers this level as “psychological freedom” which
we all experience in our daily acts.

4
In the writings of the Church Fathers and St. Thomas Aquinas, this level is referred to as freedom for excellence.
The Catechism for Filipino Catholics adapts St. Paul’s term as “Freedom of the Children of God”.

5
James Socias, Our Moral Life in Christ: A Complete Course (Midwest Theological Forum, Woodridge, Illinois,
2007), p. 45.

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 Does the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a human person, exercise her freedom? Mary’s fiat is
her expression of freedom. Her consistent yes to God’s will is an epitome of the freedom of the
children of God. Mary has mastered herself and the exercise of her freedom. Like any other
normal human beings, she has the choice but since she has self-mastery she habitually chooses to
do the good and the will of God, that is, to love others and God.

Rom 8:21

To be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of
the children of God.

Gal 6:9

Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest,
if we do not give up.

B. Church Teaching

GS 17

It is, however, only in freedom that man can turn himself towards what is good....
For God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel so that he
might of his own accord seek his creator and freely attain his full and blessed
perfection by cleaving to him.

Activity 1 & 2:

Answer Activity 1 & 2 personal questions and form a group of 5 members each. Assign
a member to serve as facilitator, secretary, time keeper, and reporter.

Activity 1

VALUES OF JESUS: A SELF-CHECK

Jesus is our guide and role model on how to live morally. Below are four important values of Jesus with a
scriptural quote to highlight each. Evaluate how your life reflects them now by checking the statements
that apply to you.

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1. Each individual has worth.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your
Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more
than many sparrows.” (Mt 10:29-31)
When I meet others,
____ I try to see our Lord in them.
____ I see a brother or sister, a person of worth.
____ I see a stranger.
____ I don’t notice others.

2. Doing God’s will is high priority.

“But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let
me say farewell to my family at home.” [To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and
looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:60-62)
____ Helping others ranks at or near the top of my list of personal goals.
____ The pursuit of money or possessions is my top priority.
____ Popularity is more important to me than anything else.

3. We should deny ourselves as we sacrifice for others.

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must
follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” (Jn
12:24-26)
____ I sometimes deny myself some pleasure to help develop self-discipline.
____ I try to think of fulfilling the needs of others rather than always immediately taking care of my own.
____ I often defer to others, believing Jesus when he says the first will be last, and the last will be first.
____ I think it is important to look after myself. If I don’t make sure I have what I need, who will?

4. Love everyone, even your enemies.

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse
you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Lk 6:27-28)
____ I am able and willing to forgive those who hurt me.
____ I usually offer my help if I can get something out of it.
____ I make a special effort to help those who are tough for me to love.
____ I pray for those who have hurt me.
____ I love my friends and family, but if people don’t like me I don’t waste my time on them.

• Which of the above teachings of Jesus do you find the toughest to put into action? Why?

Activity 2

ARE YOU A BEATITUDE PERSON?

Answer yes (Y), no (N), or unsure (U) to the following questions.
Poor in Spirit ____
Do I recognize God as the source of everything in my life? Do I share my gifts with others?

Mourn ____
Do I empathize with others? Do I do anything to help those less fortunate than I am?

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Gentle ____
Am I a gentleman or a gentlewoman? Do I respect others?

Righteous ____
Do I really want to be Christ-like? Do I do anything to grow in holiness?

Merciful ____
Do I forgive others when they hurt me?

Clean in heart ____

Am I an authentic, trustworthy, and trusting person?

Peacemaker _____
Do I go out of my way to solve conflicts?

Persecuted _____
If it were a crime to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?

1. Which is the toughest Beatitude for you to put into action? Why?
2. Discuss ways you have “suffered” for your Christian or Catholic beliefs.

Integration

The truth will set you free. Hence, if we consistently choose what is true and good, we
become authentically free.

Religious conversion is falling in love with God. A religiously converted person is an

authentically free person whose motive in one’s action is the love of God.

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