Since this is our first study, it makes sense to ask that most basic question of man - why am I here?

One Line Summary
God made man to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven. - The Baltimore Catechism #2

Important Scripture Passages
If you do not own a Bible, there is one available online at Catechetics Online under the "Resources" tab.

Genesis 1:1 - God created all that is.
Genesis 1:26 - Man is made in the image of God.
Deuteronomy 11:13 - Man is made to have a relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 30:6 - Man is meant to love and serve God.
Matthew 22:34-39 - The greatest commandment is to love God.

Discussion Points

Every day we make decisions. We decide what to have for breakfast, what clothes to wear, what to watch on TV at night. In life we decide who we will marry, what career we will pursue. One of the most important decisions we have to make is to decide what are we here for. I have a rational mind, a will to make decisions, I naturally know that there is a right and a wrong, but why? Where did this knowledge, even this ability to have reason come from?

The Christian faith states that there is a natural order to the universe and that this order, all things in fact, comes from God. That God created man in His image out of love. Genesis 1:26 states that every person has a special dignity because he is created by God, and in God's image. God has created us to have a relationship with Him and with others.

The book of Deuteronomy states that the true meaning of all God did in the Old Testament is so that we may have a relationship with God and be intimately united with him. Next time we will talk more about the fact that mankind rebelled against our God who loves us, but that God still wants a relationship with us.

Jesus teaches us that the greatest commandment is to love God with everything in us. This means not only giving God an hour on Sunday morning, but truly using our whole lives and all we have for God's glory.

Application: A man named St Josemarie Escriva was a Catholic priest (and now is a saint in heaven) who taught that we could make holy our everyday actions. We don't have to become a priest or a religious sister to live our lives in service to God. Simple things, like cooking a meal for our family, giving a little extra time to help the poor, and raising our children right, simply showing them our love and God?s love for them all are a part of our purpose in life.

So then the meaning of life, the answer to the question of why am I here is to love, serve, and obey God, who created us and loves us so much.

Common Misunderstandings

Some religions see God as a ruthless dictator whom we must obey out of fear of retaliation and punishment. God truly is not a dictator, but has given us free will. God, who loves us so much allows us, if we chose, to go our own way and to not love Him or live our lives in conformity to His will. His will for us though is always in our best interest as a parents will for their child should always be in the child?s best interest.

A religion called "secularism" states that the meaning of life is simply to find happiness or to have friends, or even to own as many material things as possible. This is contrary though to the truth that God is sufficient for all of our needs and will provide for us what we need, and that the highest good in life is not friendship (as Aristotle taught), but unity with our Creator and Savior.

"Our hearts are restless, until they rest in you, O God!" - St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions

By: Adam Janke, Catechist. All rights reserved. You may print copies for personal use only.