What is the purpose of life?

The million-dollar question everyone seeks at one point or another.

As Catholics, we are taught to say what we learned from the Baltimore Catechism:

“God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.”

That sounds really good.  Doesn’t it?

However, according to Pew Study, The Catholic Church in America has had the greatest loss of members than any other religion.  6.5 Catholics leave the Church for every convert.  WOW. That is mind-blowing. 

Take a look around next time you are at Holy Mass at any Catholic Church in Sonoma County, CA.  How many people are there below the age of 40?  How about the ratio of men to women?

I’m sure you know someone that has fallen from the faith.  Maybe in your family, a friend or a co-worker.

Why are so many leaving the Church?  My hunch is that they walk away from an institution.  If they had a relationship with the real, living God, I think that we wouldn’t hear things like, “Mass is boring”.  “I don’t get anything out of Mass”. 

That is one of the things I really applaud protestants, their passion for that personal one on one encounter with Christ.

That’s right.  A relationship with Jesus. To know Him like we know our spouse, our kids, friends or a parent.  

“Jesus is your friend. The Friend. With a human heart, like yours. With loving eyes that wept for Lazarus.  And he loves you as much as he loved Lazarus.”  The Way, 422  

Jesus loved us into existence and has a plan for us.  Each one of us can continue our path of a personal relationship and encounter with our God each and every day by how we spend our time.  Is it with Him or watching sports, Netflix or playing on Social Media?

You can strengthen your relationship with Christ by spending time with Him.  It’s that simple.  Whether it is reading scripture, going to Mass or spending a few minutes in quiet mental prayer.  That is how you get to know the King of the Universe.  

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Mathew 7:7

Invite a family member, friend or coworker and Join us for our next Holy Hour Evening Retreat at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cotati, CA.