Indeed, freedom from oppressive rule enables us to attain and enjoy some of the most basic goods of human existence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

While freedom is revered in our nation as one of the greatest goods, it is also important to remember that it takes work. This means not only the great sacrifices of men and women in our armed forces to maintain that freedom, but also that we exercise our freedom with responsibility. To put it bluntly, there are some people who are more free than others. This may come as a surprise to some, but that is likely because they are operating from a limited notion of freedom. Specifically, individuals who only think of “freedom from” an oppressive or limiting force are apt to think that one man is just as free as any other so long as they are free from that same oppressive force.

In addition to “freedom from” oppression and undue restriction, however, there is also a “freedom for.” Many Catholics call this “freedom for excellence,” which is our ability to grow in freedom to do good and to become who God calls us to be. A common example is to consider a musical instrument. Currently, I am not free to play the trumpet since I have never taken lessons or practiced. Only those who practice learning how to play the trumpet become free to play it. Freedom to play the trumpet takes work.

Freedom to be a good, virtuous human being also takes work — painstaking hours of lessons and practice. Moreover, like the Israelites who were freed from Egypt and still often wanted to return there, we can forsake our freedom and return to a place of slavery to sin. “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand fast, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

True freedom is not only the hard-won blessing of freedom from oppression, it is also the opportunity to become excellent and virtuous. It is the saint who enjoys the greatest freedom to speak the truth and to do the good. Saints are those who are most free to be and become who God calls them to be: “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire,” says St. Catherine of Siena.

As we celebrate and enjoy our independence, may we learn yet to depend more fully on the grace and goodness of Jesus Christ, who, for freedom, has set us free.

Father Conor Sullivan is currently in residence at Immacolata Parish as he works for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Vocations Office and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as a provisionally licensed psychologist.