For What Have I been Created?

Have you ever wondered about the reason of your existence? Why are you here in this planet earth? What is the purpose of your life? Most of us, at some point, have asked ourselves such questions or similar ones. In fact, It is important for each human being to enquire about the goal of one’s life. Finding answers to these questions is just like finding a treasure ... treasure that will make us Happier in this world and in the next.

Friends, our Holy Catholic Church has already given us the answers to these questions through her valuable teachings. As a Mother and Teacher, she always nourishes us with her doctrines. If you turn the pages of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, you can see the fundamental answers for our queries: “God created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him” (CCC no 358) In short, we were created to: know God, love God, and serve God.

We have spent an eternity seeking true happiness. However, we will never be happy if we don’t internalize this basic truth. As the Church teaches in the Catechism, we will experience real gladness when we actually know God who created us; when we reciprocate his love. This blissfulness will be achieved only by serving him and bringing him to others, because for that purpose we were created. Now, let us be honest with ourselves. Do we actually know God? Or did we hear about Him accidently from someone else? Well, the Church offers us numerous opportunities to know Him and to experience an encounter with Him. Faith formation classes, the Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments, Papal encyclicals, Church’s Magisterium and Apostolic Exhortations, various Faith Movements, conversation with a person of faith, a simple invocation of God during our family chores are such means just to name a few. All these are ways to know Him and deepen our intimacy with Him. However, do we get time to think about Him and converse with Him in the hustle and bustle of the modern world? Just imagine how much time we occupy ourselves in texting, chatting, working, watching TV, surfing on the web, doing exercise, listening to music, having food etc. Do we find space for God who “created everything for man “? If time is God’s gifts and if there are 24 hours a day, why don’t we give Him back at least few minutes as prayer time? I strongly believe that knowing God can bring us more faith in hearts and a faith-filled prayer can give us more security and happiness in life even in the midst of turbulence.

The catechism also specifies that we are made to love God. How to love Him? It is just like falling in love with a man or woman. When we get enamored with someone we get so intoxicated with his/ her presence. We constantly think of him/her. We impatiently wait for his/her call or a text message. We always need him/ her by our side. We do not even recognize how the time passes by. We share even the inmost secrets of our hearts to that lover. Human romance is like a fever. It often makes you warmer. It makes you more energetic. It is magical and lovely. We need to show the same fascination in loving our God who loves us unconditionally. We have to converse with Him; listen to Him; to be in his embrace. We have to share our joy and sorrow with Him. Tell Him about our pain and gain of life. How would you listen to God? Well, it is very simple. Just, observe the beautiful nature, the people, and the events around us. God wishes to tell you something through them. Believe it or not! Therefore, stand still!

Listen! He speaks to you ! Do you know that God always talks to you through the Bible which is his Word ? Take and read it. You will begin to listen to His stories of love and salvation. His words would always give you light to your path. Besides reading the Scripture, a sublime way to show Him our intimacy is pray to Him using simple words. We can do this in our room or in a place of worship.

Prayer is a conversation with God. Make Him known the desires of your heart. Ask Him favors. Thank Him. Praise Him. Express your weakness. Friends, now tell me frankly, do we really love God? Do we really share our time with Him? Do you think anybody can save a marriage if a husband and wife have no communication at all for a long time? Absolutely not! Our relationship with God is just same way. We read in the Gospel of John Chapter 14 verse15: If you love me, keep my commandments ". One of the simplest commandments is to observe Sunday as a holiday of obligation and participate in the Holy Mass. Do we respect this sacred Law? Friends, there are 168 hours in a week. If we can’t spare at least an hour for attending Church service on a Sunday, how can we be boastful that we love God? If we are God loving Catholics, we need a serious examination of conscience over this negligence.

Finally, I would like to say what the meaning of serving God is. It has a profound significance. Serving Him means following the Lord, as the disciples did. There are different ways to follow Him especially dedicating ourselves for the service of a church community and helping the people of God by teaching and leading different groups in a parish setting. We can find several examples of service to a community. Organization of a charismatic group is an excellent way of following the Lord very closely. In this field we will have to take some sacrifices by way of preparing a faith community for worship. Another way to do the service to the Lord is by arranging Liturgy for Sunday Masses. This requires spending some quality time in preparing the Reading and learning the parts of the Eucharist. A person who loves the Lord and wants to do service to Him would always find “work “in his “vineyard”. He/she knows that serving the people of God is same as serving Him. Following Him is not an easy thing. It always brings challenges and insults. We always have to keep in mind that those who wish to serve Him would have to be ready to face all sorts of humiliation, rejection, abandonment, loneliness, hatred, profanity, but that is where we can feel the joy of following Him. It is in those circumstances the grace of God abounds. It is in those occasions, the Lord teaches us to detach ourselves from those human emotions of being praised or ridiculed. It is in those moments we grow spiritually and become more like Christ JESUS.