What does the word freedom mean to you? Most of us use the word to describe some level of political freedom. How do you use the word freedom? Maybe you think about freedom of the open road, the freedom to worship and believe what you want, and some believe financial freedom is the only true freedom. The dictionary definition has several variations, “the quality or state of being free: such as a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another c: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous.” When thinking of freedom, most of us focus on the earthly definitions without considering what it means to be absolutely free.

Freedom from fear of what is to be, is the only true freedom. Every one of us is on the path toward the unknown and many of us when confronted with the reality of our mortality, find ourselves burdened by thoughts of what we will find, if anything, when death arrives at our door. I have come to the realization that the only true freedom comes from accepting the truth that this life is merely a journey, and that each moment is our opportunity to move in a positive way toward our permanent home. The purpose of this journey is for us to move closer toward God or to make the choice to move away from God.

We each have a clear understanding of what is expected of us in this life. God sent us a savior to guide us in our journey but even then, we made the decision that His guidance was not needed and so we put our Savior on a cross. God did not stop us because Christ’s death was necessary to conquer death. True freedom comes from understanding how much God loves each of us and accepting Jesus as the key to paradise. True freedom comes from accepting that our journey with God, regardless of the trials and tribulations along the way prepares us for an eternal life in the dwelling prepared by our Heavenly Father. Let Freedom Ring!

God Bless. 

Andrej N. Lah

Director of Cemeteries