Homer Simpson once had this exchange with “God”:
Homer: God, I’ve gotta ask you something.
What’s the meaning of life?
God: Homer, I can’t tell you that.
Homer: C’mon!
God: You’ll find out when you die.
Homer: I can’t wait that long!
God: You can’t wait six months?
Homer: No, tell me now!
God: Well, OK. The meaning of life is…[The theme song and ending credits interrupt before we hear the answer.]
So what is the meaning of life? Why are we here, for what purpose do we exist?
Philosophers and TV writers may balk at the answer, but for Christians this is not an unanswerable riddle. Jesus Christ tells us what we are meant to do on earth (and likewise, in Heaven): first, to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and second, to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31, & Luke 10:27-28)
Nothing is more important than this. This is what the Law, the Gospels, the prophets, and the saints are all about. Loving relationship with God and each other is the meaning of our lives. Of what enduring value is anything else if separated from this?
Blessed with knowing this precious knowledge, how are you going to live?
Parishable Items 
June 9, 2015 at 11:35 am |
Funny you should post this today–our Bible study today was just getting into the first 3 commandments–on what it *looks like* to love God! :)
June 9, 2015 at 11:46 am |
This was on my mind today because, yesterday, a show on Canadian Public Radio played this Simpson’s audio clip to introduce point/counter-point interviews between a Canadian Anglican who wanted to use female designations for God and another Canadian Anglican who suggested caution but was not really opposed to the idea. I may have missed it (in the carwash,) but I do not recall any of them quoting Jesus, as in Luke 11:2, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father…'”