For this Purpose I was Born
When I read the line in this week’s Gospel John 18: 33-37 ‘For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world’ I remembered the early 2000s when we got a copy of the book The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren. The book is one of the bestselling nonfiction books in history, with more than 35 million copies sold. Back then if you didn’t have a copy you were missing out big time.
The book resonated deeply with people across all walks of life, highlighting the universal desire to find meaning and direction. Pastor Rick Warren's central message—that we are created by God and for God, with a unique purpose to fulfill—struck a chord with readers searching for clarity amidst the distractions and uncertainties of modern living.
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus makes a profound declaration about His purpose, reminding us that a life rooted in God is a life of intention and fulfillment. Just as Jesus was clear about His purpose, we too are called to seek and live out the purpose for which we were created. The Gospel challenges us to reflect: Are we aligning our lives with the purpose God has set for us?
As a teen, attending a Catholic school, we were encouraged to discern our vocation in life. We were taught that a vocation wasn’t just about choosing a career but about listening for God’s call and responding to it with faith and courage. Whether it was the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single life, we were reminded that each vocation was a unique path to holiness and service.
I remember the many retreats, prayer sessions, and conversations with teachers and priests, all aimed at helping us reflect on our gifts and how we could use them for God’s glory. Those formative years planted the seeds of finding my purpose.
Now as a senior I have come to realize that one’s purpose unfolds with time. It is not a one-time decision but an ongoing journey of aligning our lives with God’s will. Looking back I can see the growing fulfillment of my purpose.
Many anthropologists believe that our ancestors likely had some concept of a person’s purpose, though the specifics of how it was understood would have varied greatly across cultures and time periods.
Some modern theologians suggest that Jesus’ progressive understanding of his purpose reflects the dynamic relationship between God’s eternal plan and human history. His journey mirrors human experiences of discovering one’s vocation in dialogue with God. This week’s Gospel confirms that by the time Jesus was before Pilate he was fully aware of His purpose.
Our purpose unfolds before us we journey through life, aligning our lives with God’s will for us at each stage of the pilgrimage. This week’s Gospel challenges us to reflect: Are we aligning our lives with the purpose God has set for us?