A Declaration of Dependence on God: A 4th of July Reflection for the Christian Soul

As Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day, waving flags and honoring the birth of our nation, we in the Families in Christ Jesus Community (FCJC) pause to reflect on a deeper truth—that true freedom is not merely a political gift but a spiritual responsibility.

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen once wrote:

“The Declaration of Independence is also a Declaration of Dependence—on God.”

In these words lies a bold and timeless reminder: that the foundation of liberty is not self-will but surrender to the divine will. Freedom, in its truest and deepest sense, is never free. It requires sacrifice—not only the courageous sacrifice of those who fought for national liberty but the interior sacrifice of self-love, pride, and fear so that we may be made free in Christ.

The Paradox of Christian Liberty: Dependence as Freedom

Fulton Sheen reminds us that we are free from tyranny only because we are dependent on God. If we detach liberty from its divine source, we risk losing it altogether. He writes:

“The day we adopt the idea that right and justice depend on convention and the spirit of the times, we shall write the death warrant of our independence.”

Our nation’s founders rightly acknowledged that our rights are not given by the state but endowed by our Creator. Without God, there is no guarantee of human dignity. And without faith, there is no freedom that endures.

This insight is echoed by Fr. Jacques Philippe in his book Interior Freedom, where he draws us deeper into the spiritual nature of true liberty:

“Even in the most unfavorable outward circumstances, we possess within ourselves a space of freedom that nobody can take away because God is its source and guarantee.”

Freedom Always Demands Sacrifice

Today’s culture often sells counterfeit freedom—one that promises happiness without cost, autonomy without virtue, and pleasure without responsibility. But as Catholics, we know the truth: real freedom is costly.

• The cost of moral courage in a relativistic world.

• The cost of virtue in a culture of excess.

• The cost of forgiveness in the face of betrayal.

• The cost of living in truth when lies are more convenient.

Just as Christ purchased our eternal freedom with His own blood, so too must we offer sacrifices if we are to walk in true liberty. Freedom is not the absence of suffering—it is the power to choose love, even when it hurts. As St. Paul teaches:

“For freedom, Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

Interior Freedom in a World Obsessed with Control

According to Fr. Philippe and the Life-Giving Wounds review of Interior Freedom, the truest kind of liberty is not external but interior. It is the freedom to say “yes” to God in all circumstances, even when we cannot change them.

“People who haven’t learned how to love will always feel like victims; they will feel restricted wherever they are.”

Freedom is not having unlimited options—it is the grace to live fully and joyfully within the present moment, trusting God with what we cannot control.

This spiritual freedom requires a sacrifice of control, anxiety, and resentment, choosing instead peace, trust, and surrender.

Freedom and Identity: Accepting the Gift of Ourselves

Many suffer from a distorted self-image—believing they must earn love or hide their true selves behind masks of perfection or control. But Fr. Philippe reminds us:

“Our deficiencies don’t prevent God from loving us—just the opposite!”

True freedom requires the sacrifice of our false self, our wounded ego so that our true identity in Christ can emerge. This is the freedom that allows us to accept others, forgive wrongs, and love without fear.

Forgiveness: The Price of Inner Liberation

Forgiveness is one of the greatest sacrifices love can offer—and one of the greatest paths to freedom. Philippe writes:

“Unless we practice forgiveness, we will never achieve inner freedom but will always be prisoners of our own bitterness.”

To forgive is to suffer the wound—and to refuse to let it define us. It is to say yes to Christ’s mercy, even when our pain tempts us to cling to anger. Only in this spiritual offering do we find the joy of the Resurrection beyond the cross.

A Renewed Declaration for Our Times

This 4th of July, let us raise not only our flags but our faith. Let us proclaim not only political liberty but spiritual and interior freedom rooted in God’s truth. Let us never forget:

• Freedom without God is fragile.

• Freedom without virtue is slavery.

• Freedom without sacrifice is an illusion.

We are called not just to protect freedom but to live it—through love, forgiveness, self-denial, and surrender to God’s will.

As Fulton Sheen reminds us:

“America will save her Stars and Stripes by grounding them on other stars and stripes—namely, the stripes of Christ, by whose stripes we are healed.”

And as Fr. Jacques Philippe teaches:

“To love and be loved freely is the deepest expression of human freedom, and it is only possible when we trust in the One who made us.”

This Independence Day, let us make a bold and holy declaration—not only of independence from tyranny but of dependence on the God who alone can make us truly free. Let us embrace the sacrifices that freedom requires, and let us do so with joy for the sake of Christ, our families, our nation, and our souls.

Viva Cristo Rey!
Long live our True King, Christ the King—our freedom, our sacrifice, our hope.