WHO AM I AND WHAT IS WHO AM I AND WHAT IS THE MEANING AND THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF LIFE?PURPOSE OF LIFE?

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A reminder… some A reminder… some things you heard last things you heard last week…week… Called by nameCalled by name A journeyA journey Jesus ChristJesus Christ From head to heartFrom head to heart From knowing to lovingFrom knowing to loving ConversionConversion ““Enquirers”Enquirers”

What Padre said…What Padre said…

At the end of nine months you At the end of nine months you say “If all this is true, then why say “If all this is true, then why am I not a Christian yet?”am I not a Christian yet?”

In this period of talking In this period of talking about the Catholic faith about the Catholic faith and about life, there and about life, there will be no attempt will be no attempt anywhere to prove the anywhere to prove the truth of what is said, but truth of what is said, but only to state what, only to state what, according to the Church according to the Church He founded God He founded God hashas said. said.

Write these questions and your Write these questions and your answers to them in your journalanswers to them in your journal

Your name? What do you do in life?Your name? What do you do in life? Why are you here?Why are you here? Where are you now in your life?Where are you now in your life?

“It is a time when….”“It is a time when….” Who are the significant people in Who are the significant people in

your life? Why?your life? Why? What is going on in society right What is going on in society right

now that is important to you?now that is important to you? What is the joy in your life? The What is the joy in your life? The

pain in your life?pain in your life?

SharingSharing

Read out any of your Read out any of your reflections that you feel reflections that you feel comfortable to share with comfortable to share with others. others.

I am a human beingI am a human being

A curiousityA curiousity I live in two worldsI live in two worlds Spirit and matterSpirit and matter In me alone are spirit and matter In me alone are spirit and matter

united: by my soul I am spirit, by united: by my soul I am spirit, by my body I am part of the material my body I am part of the material universe. universe.

How we define How we define ourselvesourselves What I doWhat I do What I haveWhat I have What people think of meWhat people think of me

How we are defined by How we are defined by GodGod Child Child BelovedBeloved Made in God’s image and likenessMade in God’s image and likeness St Augustine of HippoSt Augustine of Hippo

“The glory of God is the person “The glory of God is the person fully alive.”fully alive.”

There is no deep knowing of GodThere is no deep knowing of GodApart from knowing of selfApart from knowing of selfAnd no deep knowing of self,And no deep knowing of self,

Apart from knowing of God.Apart from knowing of God.

John CalvinJohn Calvin

All my existence, my peace, my All my existence, my peace, my happiness depends on this – happiness depends on this – to discover myself in to discover myself in discovering God.discovering God.

If I find him I find myselfIf I find him I find myselfAnd if I find my true selfAnd if I find my true self

I find him.I find him.

Thomas Merton.Thomas Merton.

The only way we can really see The only way we can really see ouselves is when we see ouselves is when we see ourselves reflected back to us ourselves reflected back to us from the eyes of someone who from the eyes of someone who truly loves us. truly loves us.

But the only one who can reflect But the only one who can reflect back to us the fullness of our back to us the fullness of our beauty is God, for we are made in beauty is God, for we are made in the very image of God.the very image of God.

This is what we experience when This is what we experience when we come to experience God.we come to experience God.

What according to you is What according to you is the purpose of life?the purpose of life?How do you know?How do you know?

The purpose of life?The purpose of life?

To love God and to love one another. To love God and to love one another. This life is a preparation for This life is a preparation for eternity. We were not made to last eternity. We were not made to last forever and God wants us to be forever and God wants us to be with him in Heaven.with him in Heaven.

Therefore,Therefore,God himself is the complete response God himself is the complete response

to all our questions about the to all our questions about the meaning and purpose of life.meaning and purpose of life.

How do we know?How do we know?

It was revealed to us by the It was revealed to us by the One who made us – God. One who made us – God.

Rick Warren author of “A Purpose Rick Warren author of “A Purpose Driven Life”Driven Life” We were made by God and for God and We were made by God and for God and

until you figure that out, life isn’t going until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make much sense.to make much sense.

When I get up in the morning I sit on When I get up in the morning I sit on the edge of my bed and say “the edge of my bed and say “God if I God if I don’t get anything else done today,I don’t get anything else done today,I want to know you more and love you want to know you more and love you better.”better.”

God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He’s more interested in a to-do list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do.what I am than what I do.

That’s why we are called That’s why we are called human human beings not human doings.beings not human doings.

FIRSTFIRST– IT IS A JOURNEYIT IS A JOURNEY

SECONDSECOND– YOU HAVE YOU HAVE

EMBARKED ON EMBARKED ON THE JOURNEYTHE JOURNEY

THIRDTHIRD– IT IS A LIFELONG IT IS A LIFELONG

JOURNEYJOURNEY

Happy moments, PRAISE GODHappy moments, PRAISE GOD

Difficult moments, SEEK GODDifficult moments, SEEK GOD

Quiet moments, WORSHIP GODQuiet moments, WORSHIP GOD

Painful moments, TRUST GODPainful moments, TRUST GOD

Every moment, THANK GODEvery moment, THANK GOD

(If you do not pass this on, nothing will happen)(If you do not pass this on, nothing will happen)

WE ARE LOVED, WE ARE LOVED, FORGIVEN, SAVED. FORGIVEN, SAVED.