by Father Matthew Attia

For the Christian person life has its value and meaning and is directed towards a supreme aim because it was created by God.  God, who being all wise and the Creator, all Merciful, Providence, created all things beautiful and good: he has made all things beautiful in its time (Eccl 3:1).  Similarly, St Paul says that every creature of God is good (1 Tim 4:4).

Having been made in God’s image, man is a rational being.  The Christian person therefore finds the meaning of human life and the supreme aim of human activity in the person and teachings of the Lord and in spiritual communion with him.

Listening to the innermost emotions of life and striving to fulfil its meaning, the Christian finds no complete satisfaction in the short-lived earthly existence but craves for eternal life.  “You human being” says Bassilious the Great, “have another concern that becomes you: to set your heart on what pertains to higher realms where Christ is seated (Col 3:1) and to be in your thoughts above earthly things”.

Not only the words of eternal life (Jn 6:68).  In the Eucharist, the faithful one feeds spiritually on the living bread (Jn 6:54).  According to St Gregory of Nyssa (the brother of St Bassilious as mentioned above), whoever wants eternal life would as soon as he has discovered God’s only begotten son, find in him all things he had looked for, because he himself is life and has in himself life.

In recent decades, the problem of the meaning and aim of Life has often been considered irrelevant and it was rather the quality of life which has been more the subject of discussion.

The Kingdom of God

The aim and meaning of Christian life are realised in their fullness in the kingdom of God which is the good news proclaimed by Christ (Lk 8:1) the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of justice, peace and the joy that is given by the Holy spirit (Rm 14:17), it means being helpful and pleasant to others, living in piety and cherishing deeply the hope that we, as a result of our good deeds which exemplify our faith, shall be granted the kingdom of God.  The virtuous life, writes St Bassilious the Great, leads to the Heavenly Jerusalem.

The virtuous life is nurtured through the love of God and the love of man.  It is sown in the love of truth, peace, justice, compassion and selflessness.  It requires zeal in promoting God’s cause in the world ad in striving to build a socially just and perfect human life.  The emphasis will not be quality of life but rather the value of life which will lead to a better quality of life.

Peace for example is often the focus of discussion and debate particularly in ecumenical circles where the emphasis is on the quality of life.  Peace must come from God.  He is the source of peace.  Jesus imparted this peace to his disciples: “My peace I give to you” St John Chrysostom said that peace is the mother of all blessings.  Peace on a social level can only be achieved if each member of society works towards abandoning self-love for the love of God and neighbour.  This paves the way for the eradication of such vices as envy, jealousy and destructive criticism.  It is better, urges St Augustine of Hippo, to achieve peace by means of peace, not war.

The Sacramental Life of the Church

The Church is Christ’s body.  (Eph 1:22-23) The Members of that body are both mystically and really the sharers of the second Adam – Christ (Rm 5:12-13).  The Lord has commissioned the sacramental Priesthood to officiate, teach and direct (Matt 28:19-20), to bring souls to God and bring the Lord to the people.  Both clergy and laity receive in fullness the life of Christ by way of the Eucharist and other sacraments.  In the Holy Eucharist it is Christ who offers Himself, it is He who gives life to the world and hence the Eucharist is a guarantee of immortality.