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The End of Man: The Foundation of Our Vocations
by Brian
What Is Man's End?
St. Ignatius of Loyola kicks off his Spiritual Exercises with the question "what is man's end?" In other words Ignatius is asking why we were created and what our final destination is. Ignatius answers this question by stating that man's end is to "praise, reverence and serve the Lord" in order to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
The same question Ignatius asked was also asked in the old Baltimore Catechism. The Catechism stated it this way, "Why did God create you?" The answer, "God created you to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven."
Foundation of Our Vocations
To know God, to love Him and to serve Him is the very foundation of our vocation as baptized Catholics. These three ingredients are linked together, meaning you cannot take one out of the equation and substitute it for something else. In order for us to live out our mission, our calling and vocation, all three ingredients must play an equal part in our spiritual life.
There is a natural progression as we move from one ingredient in our mission formula to another. For instance, by really knowing Jesus we are led to love Him. And by loving Him we will be led to wanting to serve Him. The question that remains is simple- how then can we come to know, love and serve Him?
Knowing God
How do we come to know God? The best way to come to know God is through reading the Scriptures, prayer and the Sacraments. As St. Jerome said, to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ. By reading the Gospel daily, by praying regularly and by receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist we can come to know God better.
Loving God
By knowing God better we will naturally come to love Him more. Normally before people fall in love with one another they first get to know each other. The same sort of thing goes on in our relationship with God. As we get to know Him over time our love for Him will grow and we will come to understand that "God is love" (1 Jn. 4). The more we recognize God's love for us the more we will love Him in return.
Serving God
Through this love we will want to serve Him. As St. John continues to write in his first letter, "If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 Jn. 4) And how can we love one another? As Jesus said "…as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." (Matt. 25) By helping others, whether its in a big way or small way, we are serving God.
Our Personal Mission
If every Catholic understood that through their Baptism God has given them a personal mission to fulfill we would live in a completely different world. No Catholic would ever question why they exist or question the meaning of life. They would know within their heart and soul that the meaning of life is to know, love and serve God.
God bless!