Prayer affords an experience of spiritual liberty of which most people are ignorant.  The first sign of emancipation is a disinclination to impose one’s will on others.  The second one is an inner release from the hold of others on oneself.  Mastery over the wish to dominate is an extremely important stage which is closely followed by dislike of constraining our brother.  Man is made in the image of God, Who is humble but at the same time free.  Therefore it is normal and natural that he should be after the likeness of His creator – that he should recoil or retreat from exercising control over others while himself being free and independent by virtue of the presence of the Holy Spirit within him.

Those who are possessed by the lust for power cloud the image of God in themselves.  The light of true life departs, leaving a tormenting void, a distressing tediousness.  Life is bereft of meaning.  When the Holy Spirit by its gentle presence in our soul enables us to master our passions we realize that to look down on others is contrary to the Spirit of love.

Spiritual freedom is a sublime grace.  It is essential that man of his own free will should determine himself for all eternity.  The one true guide in the fight to fulfil this high calling is the commandment of Christ.  It is the love of Christ and the love of man that image and likeness of Christ that is in every man that compels us to obey His commandments to forgive and keep the Spirit of love alive.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.