A rebel without a cause:
Stop fighting against others and God

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Beth Czarnecki

I consider myself a fairly easy-going person. Not many things bother me and I usually go with the flow of things.

Now, I cannot really explain why, but sometimes I rebel just for the sake of it - a rebel without a cause. When shopping with friends, one might suggest I try on a shirt she thinks would be cute on me. I might like it and even secretly agree with her, but despite this, I will still say "no."

Why? I couldn't tell you. Maybe I want to prove that I can make my own decisions. That's about the only reasoning I can come up with.

This ability for each of us to make our own decisions - our own free will - is important to us. Beginning as children we want to choose our own clothes for the day, or what color cup to drink from during lunch.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sept. 25, 2005) Ez 18:25-28 Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14 Phil 2:1-11 or Phil 2:1-5 Mt 21:28-32

Making one's own choice is an important aspect in defining oneself. The decisions we make give others a peek into who we are on the inside.

When other people make a decision for me, or even suggest which decision I should make, I often immediately choose the opposite.

For example, my grandmother has very strong political views. The look she gave me the day I told her I would be voting opposite her in the presidential election was priceless. I voted for the same party as she did, but I was not about to let her think she could influence the independence of my decision.

This thinking, though, can cause problems. There are many times when it is much better to allow someone else to make a decision or give a suggestion. Sometimes letting go and giving someone else the control of a situation brings much more freedom.

With my job, I have often had to hand over a project to someone else and let them make all the decisions for it - a tough thing to do. But, you know, after I give over the decision-making tasks, and accept that I cannot make any suggestions about it, I really feel better: no more stress and I have more time to devote to other duties.

	Reflection questions • In what areas in my life can I give someone else control? • How can I begin to unite others through God's love?

The same holds true throughout our lives, especially in our relationship with God. When I stop fighting against what God seems to want, things really get a lot easier. God wants us all to be "of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing" (Phil 2:2).

To do this, we only have to freely follow God's will for us - to love all people the same as He loves us. Once we are united in God's love, we will begin to form the faith communities that He intended.

Beth Czarnecki, from New Berlin, Wis., is a junior at UW-Madison, majoring in accounting. She has been a student office manager at St. Paul University Catholic Center for two years.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

In a Nutshell With religious freedom a person can choose to make a real commitment to God and take responsibility for that choice. Religious freedom also allows us to contribute to society by expressing our religious values in the public square and political realm. Vatican Council II in the 1960s dealt with the issue of religious freedom, issuing a declaration on the topic titled "Dignitatis Humanae." Catholic News Service 3211 Fourth St NE Washington DC 20017 202.541.3250 cns@catholicnews.com	Food for Thought   What makes my own religious freedom so important? I've talked previously about why the religious freedom of others -- members of other world religions, for example -- matters and why church leaders emphasize it so frequently today. Now I want to talk about my own religious freedom. A big reason why my religious freedom is important is that faith has such far-reaching implications for my life. Faith shapes how I think, what I do, even where I go and the values I express in my relationships and conversations. Imagine if powerful social forces endeavored to block me in a whole assortment of ways from living and expressing my faith! In an adult's life, faith is clearly a choice. Once it is chosen, however, one wants to act upon it, live it out. In effect, I need to honor -- respect -- my own choice of faith, to recall the choice I've made. full story   Why religious freedom is an awesome gift By Father W. Thomas Faucher Catholic News Service I was in London July 7, 2005, when terrorists set off bombs on the underground trains and on a bus. Within hours the prime minister, Tony Blair, said it was the work of Islamic terrorists and then added that it should not be blamed on all Muslims. The next day I had the chance to speak with a London Muslim, a cab driver, who was worried that despite the prime minister's words, many people in Britain would blame all Muslims for the work of a few people. He had been born in London; he was English through and through. full story  What possibilities freedom can create! By Father Herbert Weber Catholic News Service During a discussion with Death Row inmates, the topic turned to freedom, and a prisoner, Larry, said, "I'm incarcerated, but I may be freer in here than I was outside." He said, "Out there I thought I was free, but I wasn't because of my way of life. Here I have learned to be free; they can't control my spirit." Religious freedom is more than being able to practice one's faith. It is also the freedom that flows from the practice of that faith. For Larry, whom I visited for five years, weekly celebration of Eucharist was central. He often expressed thanks that he was allowed to practice his faith, which gave him an internal freedom. full story  The choice that is yours By Daniel S. Mulhall Catholic News Service I was asked to attend a meeting hosted by a national Islamic organization a decade or so ago. Except for a few publishers' representatives and me, everyone at the meeting was Muslim. It was conducted according to Islamic customs. The meeting began early, starting with Islamic prayer: The Muslims entered a room with rugs on the floor. Those who weren't Muslim weren't invited or expected to join in the prayer, but we could watch. After taking off their shoes, the Muslims began their prayer ritual. full story
	Faith in the Marketplace   This Week's Discussion Point: Why do you think freedom of religion is an important right today?     Selected Response From Readers:
Copyright © 2005 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops