« Ce petit livre veut aborder un thème fondamental de l’existence chrétienne, celui de la liberté intérieure. Le but est simple : il me paraît essentiel que chaque chrétien découvre que, même dans les circonstances extérieures les plus défavorables, il dispose en lui-même d’un espace de liberté que personne ne peut lui ravir, car c’est Dieu qui en est la source et le garant. Sans cette découverte, nous serons toujours à l’étroit dans la vie et nous ne goûterons jamais un vrai bonheur. Au contraire, si nous avons su déployer en nous cet espace intérieur de liberté, bien des choses sans doute nous ferons souffrir, mais rien ne pourra véritablement nous opprimer ni nous étouffer. » L’affirmation fondamentale de l’auteur est simple, mais d’une très grande portée : l’homme conquiert sa liberté intérieure dans l’exacte mesure où la foi, l’espérance et l’amour se fortifient en lui. Il met en lumière combien le dynamisme des « vertus théologales » est le cœur de la vie spirituelle, et manifest
Jacques Philippe was born into a Christian family on March 12, 1947 in Lorraine, France. After studying mathematics in college, he spent several years teaching and doing scientific research. In 1976, he met the then recently-founded Community of the Beatitudes and answered the Lord’s call to follow Him through this vocation (see below for more information on the Community of the Beatitudes). He then spent several years in Jerusalem and Nazareth immersing himself in the study of Hebrew and the Jewish roots of Christianity. In 1981, he traveled to Rome to study theology and canon law and also began his work as a spiritual director, working in the formation of priests and seminarians of the Community. In 1994, he returned to France, where he assumed various responsibilities including spiritual direction, the development of training in the Community, and participation in its General Council. He has also preached retreats regularly in France and abroad and has consolidated his principal retreat themes into five books on spirituality. In recent years, he has devoted himself primarily to spiritual direction, preaching retreats, and working for the development of the Community in Asia and Oceania, where he travels frequently.
I have 57 highlights in this small book. The central idea of this book is consenting to God’s will with faith and hope rather than resignation. This is the path to love.
Truly life-giving book written by a Catholic author but for a catholic (small c) church audience.
2024 Review: I have been urging my dear daughter to read Fr. Philippe’s other book, Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart and it reminded me that it has been a while since I have read/listened to any of his books myself. I met the author (a while ago, 10 years maybe?) and had him autograph my copy of his book, Time for God, which was the topic of his conference*. I had the feeling I was in the presence of a living saint. He has a quiet, peaceful aura which radiates from him. It is hard to describe, but you can feel it and it draws you to him. Ever since meeting him, I make it a point to read his books on a regular basis because they are the Gospel-explained. This time I listened to Interior Freedom as I was exercising and finished it in just a few days. It was a nourishing mini retreat. Most highly recommended!
2011 Review: How to describe this book? Modern spiritual classic? Essence of the Gospel? Everything you've always wanted to know—and maybe even read somewhere else—encapsulated and explained in 134 pages on how to live a happy, holy life in God. I could have (did!) highlight most of the book!
It’s going to take me awhile to go back through the book and type in all my favorites, so I expect to just add in a few each day.
“You were within me, and I was outside myself, and sought you outside myself!” ~St. Augustine (p.15)
“Man’s greatest illusion is to want to have mastery over his life . . . . But life is a gift that by its very nature escapes every attempt to master it.” ~Jean-Claude Sagne (p.29)
“The person God loves with the tenderness of a Father, the person he wants to touch and to transform with his love, is not the person we’d have liked to be or ought to be. It’s the person we are. God doesn’t love “ideal persons” or “virtual beings.” He loves actual, real people. He is not interested in saintly figures in stained glass windows, but in us sinners.”
“Above all, never despise yourself. It is difficult to despise ourselves without offending God in us.” ~George Bernanos from Dialogues of the Carmelites (p. 36)
“What really hurts is not so much suffering itself as the fear of suffering.” (p. 47)
“The only true security in this life lies in the certainty that God is faithful and can never abandon us, because his fatherly tenderness is irrevocable.” (pp. 52-53)
“If there is one area where nothing will ever be forbidden to us, it is holiness, provided it isn’t confused with external perfection, extraordinary feats, or a permanent inability to sin. If we understand holiness properly, as the possibility of growing indefinitely in love for God and our brothers and sisters, we can be certain that nothing will be beyond our reach.”
Quotable quotes aside, this is the second book by Father Philippe I’ve read and I plan to read everything else he’s written as well. I’d get him as my spiritual director if I could. I had been reading Interior Freedom, but then left it for awhile. Then I experienced a rather severe personal setback. This book literally picked me up and put me back on my feet. I want to always keep a copy of it close at hand for just such occasions.
*He does not speak English, but he traveled with a sister who translated what he said. He would deliver a few sentences in French and then she would translate them for us into English.
Just the basics we need to be reminded of. Lots of little gems which expound upon familiar Scriptures.
"People who haven't learned to love will always feel like victims. They will feel restricted wherever they are. But people who love will never feel restricted."
“Refusing to suffer means refusing to live… Suffering should be remedied whenever possible, but it is part of life and attempting to get rid of it completely means suppressing life, refusing to live, and ultimately rejecting the beauty and goodness that life can bring us.”
"Hearts anxious about tomorrow can't be open to the grace of the present moment. Like the manna that fed the Hebrew people in the desert, grace can't be stockpiled. We can't build up reserves of grace, but only receive it moment by moment as part of the daily bread we pray for..."
“Spiritual poverty, utter dependence on God and his mercy is the condition for interior freedom. We need to become children and consent to expect everything as a gift from God our Father: absolutely everything” (132). St. Therese understood this so well: a great recognition of smallness and complete reliance.
“I am what I am in God’s eyes: a poor child who possesses absolutely nothing, who receives everything, infinitely loved and totally free. I have received everything in advance from the freely bestowed love of my Father who said to me ‘All that is mine is yours’” (124).
When I lay my eyes on my baby brother and Godson Louis I see tremendous beauty. When I hold him he takes comfort in my arms. When I smile at him he knows nothing more than to smile back and laugh. When I sing to him his face lights up with such immense joy. This baby looks towards the world with such awe and wonder: staring intently at his surroundings and observing goodness.
It makes so much sense why Christ tells us to be like the children. Oh Good and Merciful Father, do You look on me with the same delight as when I see a child? Just as I smile and am overflown with joy at the sight of my Godson, do You— O God—experience the same joy at the sight of Your son?
In the words of Etty Hillesum, “They can’t do anything to us, they really can’t… I find life beautiful and I feel free” (23).
Confession: I wouldn't have picked this book up if I wasn't part of the Catholic Spiritual Direction book club. And oh! What I would have missed!
Fr. Philippe hits a whole box of nails right on the head, puts the house together, and then roofs and sides it. (OK, I took the metaphor too far. But...that's what it felt like, reading it.) While he's dealing with some complicated matters of the spiritual life (ahem, the title says it all), he does so with language that my ten-year-old would understand. He's straightforward, tangible, and relevant.
Don't be fooled by the slim size of this book. It packs a punch that's well worth the time you'll take to read, re-read, and share it.
can not recommend enough. this book is short and simple but extremely deep and insightful and healing. the quote at the end perfectly and beautifully encapsulates the richness of the book and will stick with me for a long long time:
“Don’t be afraid of yourselves! Don’t be afraid of all that you are, in your human reality, where God pitches his tent to dwell with you. God is incarnation. God’s new name is Emmanuel, God with us: God with your reality. Open yourself to it without fear. Only in the measure you discover yourself will you discover the depths of his love. In the depths of what you are, you will experience that you are not alone. Someone, lovingly and mercifully, has entered into the mystery of your humanity, not as spectator, not as judge, but as someone who loves you, who offers himself to you, who espouses you to free you, save you, and heal you … To stay with you forever, loving you, loving you!”
This little book is a treasure. Philippe supports each point by many scripture quotes with chapter and verse. There was so much in here that was just perfect. Some of my favorites: 1. When painful stuff happens, we can respond in one of three ways - rebellion, resignation, or consent. Only by consent can we be at peace. 2. We need to stay in the moment because only in the here and now does grace work with us. Dwelling on the failings of the past and/or worrying about the future simply make us miserable. 3. God loves us. It's his gift to us. If we try to earn that by prayer or fasting or whatever, that leads to pride and misery. This is a book that I need to read again and again.
De momento éste es mi libro favorito de Jacques Philippe. Lo encuentro muy útil para fortalecer la voluntad. También para ensanchar el corazón con esperanza. Estas cualidades te hacen fuerte ante las adversidades. Me ha ayudado a entender mejor el trinomio: fe, esperanza y caridad. En mi opinión, los pilares del amor verdadero. Ya sea en una relación afectiva o con el prójimo.
O autor é, aparentemente, um experiente director espiritual. E isso notou-se bem durante a leitura, pois que parecia que era directamente para mim que ele falava.
Este livro é absolutamente extraordinário. É de uma clareza e profundidade como vi poucas vezes (vale o que vale, claro).
Interior Freedom is a gold mine, especially if you are faced with difficulties in life. It brought me peace and acceptance when things were out of my control and not what I would have liked them to be.
4th times the charm? Always need a good refresher on freedom ¨̮
“Human beings are more than the sum of the good they can accomplish… Humility is truth. I am what I am in God’s eyes: a poor child who possesses absolutely nothing, who receives everything, infinitely loved and totally free. I have received everything in advance from the freely bestowed love of my Father, who said to definitely ‘All that is mine is yours’ ”
Wow he really puts words to both our thoughts and feelings we’re too afraid to recognize and in that we’re invited to grow closer to God. I love how simple and direct this book is, but yet it requires deep and profound reflection at the same time. My favorite part about this book is that there’s a section at the end that talks about the theological virtues but throughout the sections prior it embodies them all very well. Overall this is a beautifully written book!
“Human beings were not created for slavery, but to be the Lords of creation”
Interior Freedom is truly a must read. For those seeking peace and freedom in their day to day as well as growth in their spiritual life, this is a book that will succeed in highlighting the areas in which we do not allow ourselves to be free. Jacques Philippe so adequately expresses the areas in which we need to be set free and reveals the path in which this freedom can be won. Although the idea of being set free is beautiful and can be achieved through this book, I feel the true strength and beauty of Philippe’s work is that he proves freedom not only can be something we gain from breaking free of what chains us but also can be curated and a truly fulfilling adventure that brings not only freedom but peace, joy, and purpose. God’s gift to man to take part in creation and his ultimate belief and confidence in us to achieve this is where our ultimate freedom lies, our interior freedom, to truly believe who the Lord says we are, to live out of that space until we are fully united with him in Heaven. This book is truly salvific for those on the journey of Christianity and it continues to shape my life and free my heart each time I read it. For anyone who happens to pick this little book up, you just stumbled into a roadmap of the beautiful life our Lord has made for us and how to beat all the evils and fears that get in the way. A true 10/10 read and a book that truly defines what a spiritual read means.
Get convicted of something new every time I revisit this— this time it’s humility and the fact that God’s will deserves alllll my attention and not my own
soothing. a salve for the tender wounds of my heart. I need to look no further than the Father who gives of Himself so freely and without reserve! interior freedom can be achieved right here, right now. also, shoutout to the Solzhenitsyn mention at the end! Wholeheartedly recommend this book to every Christian.
“El amor es lo que queda cuando ya no queda nada más. En lo más hondo de nosotros, todos lo recordamos cuando —más allá de nuestros fracasos, de nuestras separaciones, de las palabras a las que sobrevivimos— desde la oscuridad de la noche se eleva, como un canto apenas audible, la seguridad de que, por encima de los desastres de nuestras biografías, más allá incluso de la alegría, de la pena, del nacimiento, de la muerte, existe un espacio que nadie amenaza, que nadie ha amenazado nunca y que no corre ningún peligro de ser destruido: un espacio intacto que es el del amor que ha creado nuestro ser”.
Absolute banger. Fr. Jacques Philippe has such a simple yet profound writing style that cuts to the heart, makes me laugh, and shows incredible spiritual insights. Unfortunately I related more to his description of someone lacking interior freedom than of someone filled with faith, hope, and love. Rather than tearing me down, though, he provided hope - the virtue which I would argue is the center of this book.
I read this book as my Totus Tuus spiritual reading, forcing myself to take my time with it, just reading a couple pages every day.
A lot of really good material for reflection here on how the world's idea of freedom is opposed to true interior freedom and how to work to achieve interior freedom. So much depends on total reliance on God, realizing that your identity is not in what you have or what you can do, but in that you are created in the image of God.
All in all, more good content here from Jacques Philippe, just not as life changing as Searching for and Maintaining Peace.
"We gain possession of our interior freedom in exact proportion to our growth in faith, hope, and love."
"True freedom is not so much something man wins for himself; it is a free gift from God, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, received in the measure in which we place ourselves in a relationship of loving dependence on our Creator and Savior."
"The situations that really make us grow are precisely those we do not control."
"The most important thing in our lives is not so much what we can do as leaving room for what God can do."
Gran libro del padre Jacques Philippe, que toca uno de los temas más importantes para el hombre, la libertad interior. Es verdad que al principio, al menos a mí me lo ha parecido, tiene un comienzo un poco de libro de autoayuda, pero enseguida coge altura y centra el tiro en la mirada sobrenatural del tema. Dedica tiempo en ir desactivando todo el entramado moderno en que el hombre está instalado en cuanto a control, seguridad, ansia de poder, orgullo, soberbia... y se centra en una mirada realista y sobrenatural sobre la vida del hombre. Y es que lejos de la vida perfecta, hay muchas situaciones que no controlamos, consecuencias negativas que sufrimos, errores y flaquezas, incertidumbre, miedo... que nos generan falta de libertad interior. Y la respuesta está en la confianza en Dios poniendo en práctica la fe, la esperanza y la caridad, en nuestro día a día. Son realmente luminosos los extractos que el autor va incluyendo de los diarios de la autora judía Etty Hillesum que se convirtió al cristianismo y murió en un campo de concentración. El siguiente párrafo, a partir de la traición de Pedro en la Pasión, resume bastante bien la idea general del libro: “Al encontrarse con la mirada de Jesús, conmovido hasta las lágrimas, Pedro ha hecho el primer auténtico acto de esperanza de su existencia: lo que yo no soy capaz de hacer por mis propias fuerzas, lo espero de Ti, Dios mío, y no en virtud de mis méritos, ya que no poseo ninguno, sino en virtud de Tu sola misericordia.” Un libro muy recomendable, eso sí, con una visión claramente religiosa sobre la libertad interior.
Just as good as everyone says it is. As a chronic overthinker, there is so much to learn in here about cherishing the present moment, sharing love with others, and facing suffering. A short read but overflowing with wisdom.