Why did God Make Us?

In my youth, I was introduced to the Catholic faith via the Baltimore Catechism.  It answered seemingly complex questions with simple straightforward answers.  For example, for the question “Who is God?” the simple answer was “God is the Supreme Being who made all things.”  Or to the question “What is a sacrament?” the simple answer was “A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.”  That was back in the late fifties and early sixties.  Nowadays, things don’t seem to be so simple.  How I would like to get my hands on my old Baltimore Catechism again.  My copy of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (copyright 1994) has almost 1000 pages and presents facts in great detail.  Maybe things are much more complicated today and maybe today’s questions demand more thoughtful and comprehensive answers.  Questions about the abuse scandal that recently rocked our beloved Church or statements from non-Catholics concerning their belief that the early Church lost its way soon after the last of the apostles passed away are two things that come to mind.

I believe that some pointed questions can still be answered with brevity.  I am currently reading a book by Pope Benedict titled “The Apostles.”  Concerning the abuse scandal and other past sins, he says “The Church, despite all the human frailties that mark her historical profile, is revealed as a marvelous creation of love, brought into being to bring Christ close to every man and every woman who truly desire to meet him, until the end of time.”  Pope Benedict also reminds us of a passage from the Acts of the Apostles about life in the newborn Church:  "And they held steadfastly to the apostles' teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and to the prayers."  I believe that Christ, as promised, sent us the Holy Spirit to keep his Church on the straight and narrow.  The Holy Spirit came to the apostles at Pentecost and, if Christ's promise was truly a divine promise, the Holy Spirit remains with us to the end of time.  

And so I'm thinking today that it is important to stay focused on why we are here on this earth.  The question in the Baltimore Catechism was “Why did God make us?”  The concise, but profound answer was “God made us to know him, to love him, to serve him, and to be happy with him in heaven.”  

My prayer today is "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.  Amen."