Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles, the second most followed Catholic leader on social media after Pope Francis, told lawmakers on the eve of the opening of the state Legislature that well-formed laws serve freedom.

Barron had words of encouragement for Honolulu civic leaders Tuesday at the annual Red Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.

The Catholic diocese said about 30 government officials accepted its invitation to attend the annual liturgy for wisdom and guidance for public servants. Among those attending were Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald; Honolulu City Council members Brandon Elefante and Kymberly Pine; state Reps. Henry Aquino, Romy Cachola, Ty Cullen, Matthew LoPresti, Bob McDermott, Angus McKelvey, Andria Tupola, Gene Ward, Joy San Buenaventura, House Speaker Joe Souki and Speaker Emeritus Calvin Say; and Major Gen. Arthur J. Logan, Department of Defense.

In 2015, Barron was selected by the pope to be an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. As a noted theologian, author and scholar, he is best known for his groundbreaking documentary, “Catholicism.” He founded Word on Fire Catholic ministries in 2000, which turns out daily blog posts, weekly articles and video commentaries, audio homilies and podcasts.

“I would like my first word to you today to be one of praise and encouragement: You belong to a noble profession,” he said in his address, titled “The Noble Project: Law, Politics, and the Gospel.” He did admit, however, that lawyers and politicians — along with priests — have come “under a cloud in recent years.”

Citing Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle, he said all positive law was rooted in natural law, which included the precepts of a moral life. Therefore, “all legislation is, finally, the legislation of morality.”

“And the moral law is grounded, furthermore, in the eternal law, which is identical to the mind and purpose of God. This is why decent and well-formulated positive laws, including the simplest regulations, are reflective of the divine mind,” he said.

He said well-formed laws should not merely ensure the freedom of self-expression, but entail “a disciplining of desire. … The law is what instructs us in excellence and what makes real joy possible. One becomes a freer player of golf the more one manages to internalize the laws of the game; one becomes increasingly rangy and free in the articulation of English the more one adapts to the laws of syntax, grammar, correct pronunciation, etc.,” he said.

Most people today tend to see laws as protective, but he said in a more classical, biblical interpretation, laws also should be directive, “meant to teach us what to desire and how to achieve excellence,” and thus, how to lead “a good life.”

“Once the transcendent reference has been lost, law loses its dignity, for it is no longer grounded in a firm moral foundation. Untethered from an ethical and spiritual project, it becomes but a vehicle for the expression of personal desire and inclination.”

Barron concluded, “History has demonstrated, over and again, that when rulers forget that their legal authority comes from God, equality and human rights are lost in short order.”