Happy are those whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow. – Psalm 146:5-9

1. Desire

I ask the Spirit for Freedom.

I hold a key, symbol of the freedom from imprisonment of any kind. I consider how all humans are born with equal freedom and dignity. I imagine all the ways the right to freedom is abused around the world – from unlawful detention to violence and genocide. I imagine myself in one of them, and open myself to the Spirit of Freedom.

I ask the Spirit for my right to equal freedom.

2. Relish

Today I live in the Freeing Trinity.

I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity of Freedom. Father, Jesus and Spirit, address me by name, saying, ‘For Freedom, I have set you free.’

If I am denied my basic human rights, detained or imprisoned in any way, separated from family, and suffer slavery or indignity, I cannot imagine how I could be set free. So I sit humbly, awhile, with my desire in the mystery of the Trinity whose love frees.

I relish being free.

3. Freedom

I breathe in the Spirit of Freedom.

I imagine and feel the Spirit of Freedom breathing freedom into me.

I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to flow through my need, or the plight of others for freedom, or those who deny freedom to us. I imagine faith working through love to ensure it. I repeat as desired – breathing, freed, released.

I conclude giving thanks, looking forward to living with greater freedom.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

Download the Prayer of Improving Freedom.