The Purpose of Life

"Let me go to my Father's house."
Pope John Paul II

The date was April 2, 2005. Tens of thousands had gathered in Vatican City as the pope lay on his death bed. It was only a few days after Easter. Pope John Paul II had courageously leaned on the balcony railing, propping himself up to deliver a short Easter address to the adoring crowd. But now his days on earth were over. As he was literally breathing his last, he spoke these words to his two faithful assistants. Life was over, the battle done, the victory won. It was time to go to his Father's house.
    When I think about these words, emotions overwhelm me. This was a man who had devoted his entire life in the service of his Father. Though millions would call him father, he knew who his Father was. The God and Father of us all was awaiting him. God had prepared a place especially for him and it was time to enter in. The man who had led millions of Catholics here on earth was about to bow before his Father in heaven.
    I am emotional because what the pope experienced on that day is the entire purpose of life. He had lived a long life. Everything he had done, everything he had accomplished, boiled down to this one moment. It was time to meet the Father. All of us are appointed to be born and to die. In between those times, we live for God as best we can. We accomplish his will, listen to the Holy Spirit, raise families, help others, and seek his kingdom with all our hearts. But all of this is done for only one reason: We long to meet our Father face to face. When we simplify our thoughts and take a reckoning of our lives, this is the only thing that will be important. The pope knew that he would meet his Father because he had walked the way offered by Jesus himself. He received the forgiveness of sin and he had already been reconciled to his Father. And so it is with everyone who has ever walked the earth. Eternity for each one has been determined, not by our loving God, but by the decisions of each man and woman. God has offered us life, he has offered us a place in his house. But the choice to take it has been fully placed with us.
    As we enter a new year, we should reflect on the true meaning and purpose of our lives. It is not to gain eternal points with God. It is not to live a religious life. It is not to collect earthly wealth. Our lives are meant to be lived so that on the day appointed for us to move on, we will also say, "Let me go to my Father's house." Our lives are important. The time we spend on this earth is of eternal significance. God is intimately interested in what we do here. Our relationship with him is established as we walk the sometimes difficult road of life. He longs to deliver his Kingdom to us here. He is relentless in his pursuit of our hearts. This year, may we understand that God is for us. As we run the race of life with strength and perseverance, we are running toward a goal. The goal is the complete and overwhelming presence of the Lord, the time when we see him face to face. This is the one and only true purpose of life.