Liberation

Daniel 3:14-95; Psalm  Glory and praise forever; Jn 8:31-42

Jesus into today's gospel speaks these words, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Pope Benedict reminds us that "the thirst for liberty is inseparably connected to man's inborn need for truth."

It is only in "becoming like God"  can man be free, the Pope continues.  

How is this achieved?  The answer lies in being drawn into the divine life itself in Christ, remaining in his word becomes the place of liberation. 

Pope Benedict points us to the Agony of the Garden.  The garden becomes the place of liberation.  In the person of Jesus we see the liberation of man. 

Jesus, true God and true man, is the one that can give us both truth and liberty.

In the garden, in the agony, the anguish of man is transformed into the strength of obedience and the speech of the servant is transformed into the words of the son and true liberation finds it culmination in the prayer, "let it be your will and not mine." When we remain in his words of prayer we enter into the freedom of life he offers.

Here Pope Benedict states that the liberation of man and the "becoming like God" is set forth in Jesus for all to experience.  Here our way of liberation becomes comprehensible, our sharing in the freedom of the son is not only possible but a mandate. 

The human will of Jesus and the divine will of Jesus are completely united into the one personal will, a free union created by love.

Only when our prayer enters into Jesus' prayer in the garden do we enter into the "laboratory" of freedom.  Here we encounter that profound change in a person that makes the world better because liberty and truth are united and the "truth shall set you free."