The purpose of our existence as human beings is one of the most profound questions of our lives. From the beginning of time, people have pondered the deeper meaning and ultimate end towards which our lives are oriented. The Christian faith offers a unique and sublime perspective that speaks to the deepest longing of the human soul.
At the heart of Christianity lies the reality of the Triune God – a communion of eternal love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is into this very love and life of the Trinity that we are invited to participate through the gift of divine grace.
The Church proposes several ways by which we can respond to this calling and glorify God, leading to the fulfillment of our existence. Let us now explore these paths to glorifying the Lord and attaining our destiny of everlasting communion with Him.
Worship and Veneration: We are called to devote our minds, souls, and lips to the honor and worship of God, celebrating His greatness, glory, and holiness both interiorly and exteriorly. As the Catechism of the Council of Trent states, we should “glorify Him with all veneration both interior and exterior.” (Catechism of the Council of Trent, The Lord’s prayer)
Living for God’s Glory: In our daily work and affairs, we should recognize that we are serving humanity and doing God’s will, giving glory to Him. As Pope John XXIII wrote, we should conduct our temporal affairs “in intimate union with God through Christ, and to God’s greater glory.” (Mater et Magistra 256)
Attaining Perfection: By developing our God-given capacities to their fullest, we can manifest the glory of God and attain the perfection He has prescribed for us. The Vatican II Council states that “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” (LG 40)
Loving others: Just as the three divine Persons mutually love one another, we are called to live in communion and relationship with others. By loving and serving others, especially the poor and suffering, we recognize Christ’s presence in them and bring glory to God. Loving others is not merely a moral duty, but a joyful response to the love God has first shown us.
Proclaiming the Good News : Bringing people to Jesus the ultimate act of giving glory to God, as it fulfills the divine command to make God’s love known to all people and leads them to salvation. This is the Church’s “deepest identity” and “grace and vocation”, as it participates in the eternal love of God who desires all people to be saved.
Eternal Life: Ultimately, the fullest glorification of God will be achieved in eternal life, where we will have a direct, intuitive perception of the Divine nature and be transformed into the image of the Son.
Glorifying God and attaining communion with Him is our highest calling. It is an exquisite invitation to participate in the very life and love of the Trinity through worship, loving others, and ultimately experiencing the beatific vision in eternal life.
Though difficult amid the cares of this world, this is the path to true fulfillment and everlasting joy. Let us then respond wholeheartedly to this calling, keeping our eyes fixed on the glory that will be revealed. As Saint Paul exhorts “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrew 12:1-2).
Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- From Near-Death to New Life: A Rural Church’s Revitalization Journey
- Evangelization simply: “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8)
- Revitalization of Rural Churches
- Attracting Converts to the Catholic Faith
- Addressing Low Attendance in Churches
- Fostering a Sacred Atmosphere during the Sunday Mass
- Prayer to be baptized in the Holy Spirit
- Jesus is Thirsty for Souls
- Praying And Sharing The Good News With God’s Redemptive Names
- Embracing the Call to Evangelize
- What is Most Pleasing to God? Bringing Souls to Christ
- The Growth of the Church of the Nativity (Fr. Michael White)
- Deliverance Prayer, by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti (AUDIO – mp3)
- The Growth of Saint Benedict Parish (Fr. James Mallon)
- Five Pillars of the Christian Life
- Encountering Christ: The Path to Transformation
- What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?
- Unleashing The Evangelization Potential of Your Parish
- The Ultimate Goal of Evangelization
- God’s Longing for Love and our Mission to Make it Known
- A prayer for those whom we wish to encounter Christ
- Memorable Sundays
- Fr. Bedard’s Three-Step Blueprint for Evangelisation
- Guide for The Missionary Transformation of Parishes
- Divine Encounters: A Practical Guide for Small Evangelization Groups
- The Missionary Transformation of Sant’Eustorgio Parish
- Creating Vibrant Faith Communities: Insights from ‘Excellent Catholic Parishes’
- Sharing The Gospel According to People’s Needs And Receptivity
- A Prayer for Inviting Others to Evangelization Meetings and Services
- Welcoming Church Guests and Visitors: Dos and Don’ts
- Various Dimensions of Evangelization
- The True Measure of Success
- Pope Francis on Evangelization
- Revitalizing the Rural Parish for Mission
- Factors Leading to Christian Conversion
- Evangelizing Through Random Acts of Kindness
- Questions To Start Spiritual Conversations
- Three Feet From Gold
- Spreading the Gospel One Act at a Time
- Gather, Witness and Invite
- Prayer to Receive the Spiritual Gifts of The Holy Spirit
- The Language of Evangelization
- Key Factors for Parish Growth According to Rich Birch
- How to defeat Satan?
- Bringing Love, Hope and Healing Through the Gospel
- Love: Our Fundamental Vocation
- Touched by the Master
- A Man, a Dog, and the Ultimate Love
- The essence of evangelization: Loving God and our neighbours
- Loving Our Enemies and Reconciling with Others
- A Powerful Prayer for Healing: You Are The LORD Who Heals Me
- Living a Life of Love: Mother Teresa’s Legacy
- Living a Life of Love: Lessons from the New Testament
- In The Shadows Of Darkness, A Powerful Force Is At Work
- 19 Pastoral Orientations for Parish Renewal and Growth
- The Missionary Renewal of Catechesis
- Characteristics of missionary parishes
- Powerful healing prayer attributed to St. Padre Pio
- We are called to share our faith with others
- Should we seek to grow the Church?
- Find a Need and Fill It – Revealing God’s Heart in the Community
- 15 Habits to Evangelize on a Daily Basis
- The Church’s Mission
- Three Barriers to Building An Invitational Culture In Your Parish
- The Relational Evangelizer
- Doing Church at Home
- The Blind Girl
- A Group of Frogs
- The Elephant Rope
- A Shared Faith is a Growing Faith
- In The Shoes Of The Unchurched
- Parish Evangelizing Cells
- Six Unique Features of Missional Parishes
- Steps Towards Becoming A Missional Parish
- What Is Evangelization, And How Should It Be Carried Out?
- Discussion And Self-Assessment Questions For Parish Evangelization
- A Missional Church Is A Church That Prays
- The Jesus Prayer: A Method To Pray At All Times
- What can help children raised Catholic continue practicing the faith as adults?
- An Example of a Missionary Parish: Phoenix First Assembly of God
- Satan’s Tactics
- Learning to Be a Missionary
- When we cry out to God, he answers
- Presence and Proclamation
- Saving those who are lost
- Saint-Nazaire Parish: The story of a missionary transformation
- Small Groups and Evangelization
- Evangelizing By Inviting People To Receive Jesus As Lord And Saviour
- You Will Receive Power…
- Have You Heard About the Law of Three Hearings and Seven Touches?
- Three Habits of a Fruitful Christian Life
