Freedom

Let us pray (in silence) [that the God who has set us free may help us use our liberty for the sake of others]

pause

Almighty God,
you have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
and set us free from bondage to sin;
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all people may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen.

NZPB p.608

A strong biblical model of spirituality is that of being set free - most strongly drawn around the story of the exodus. Too quickly we tend to think of freedom from, but Christian spirituality seeks to highlight it is freedom for.

The Church of England Liturgical Commission wrote a new collect for the ASB Pentecost 4 based on the New Testament reading for its Year 1 cycle: Galatians 3:23-4:7 - and its model of the law being our pedagogue until we are mature enough to do what the pedagogue demanded of us but now by our own free will. "For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Gal 5:1).

The original ASB collect continues to be in the Common Worship proper for the same Sunday (now called Trinity 3). "all mankind" has become "we and all creation" and "sons" has become "children":

Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.