Episode 2445: Knowing God and Fulfilling Our Purpose - Nightly Episode

“O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints in heaven, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory. Amen”
Knowing God and Fulfilling Our Purpose
Welcome to today’s episode of our podcast, where we explore the depths of faith and the calling to love as God loves. We live in a world where love is often misunderstood, and our purpose in life can seem elusive. However, Scripture and the teachings of the Church give us profound insights into both.
In this episode, we will reflect on the words from 1 John 4:8: “He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.” We will also draw wisdom from the book Christian Self-Mastery, which reminds us that there is infinite inspiration in striving to use our powers for the very purpose for which they were created.

Together, these reflections will help us understand how knowing God through love leads us to fulfill our true purpose in life. From a traditional Catholic perspective, we will see how our vocation to love and the pursuit of holiness is the ultimate calling for every Christian soul.
God Is Love: The Foundation of Our Faith
The powerful statement from 1 John 4:8—“He who does not love does not know God; for God is love”—reveals the very essence of who God is. Love is not just an attribute of God; it is His very nature. This verse challenges us to examine our relationship with God, for to truly know Him is to live in love.
From the beginning, God’s love is evident in creation, where He brought everything into existence out of nothing, purely out of love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us:
"God, who is love, created man and woman out of love and called them to love. This is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being" (CCC 1604).

Our vocation, therefore, is to love—both God and neighbor. This love is not a fleeting emotion but an act of the will, a choice to seek the good of the other. Christ Himself, in the Gospels, commands us to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). This love is sacrificial, pure, and self-giving, mirroring the love that Christ showed on the cross.
St. Augustine, one of the greatest minds of the Church, famously said:
"You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
This restlessness that St. Augustine speaks of is the soul’s yearning for God, who is love. Without love, we remain distant from God, and our souls remain restless. But when we live in love, we live in God, and God lives in us (1 John 4:16).
Christian Self-Mastery: Fulfilling Our Purpose
The quote from Christian Self-Mastery—“There is infinite inspiration in the thought that you are striving to use your powers for the very purpose for which they were created” reminds us of the importance of aligning our lives with God’s will and purpose. As human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, we are endowed with powers, both natural and supernatural, that are meant to be used for His glory.
God has given each of us unique talents, abilities, and graces, all of which are to be directed towards our ultimate purpose: union with Him. This is the essence of Christian self-mastery—disciplining ourselves, through grace, to use our gifts in the service of God and neighbor.
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents, illustrating how we are called to make the most of what God has entrusted to us. The servant who multiplied his talents was praised by the master:
"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21)
This parable teaches us that we are responsible for using our God-given powers to fulfill the purpose for which we were created. When we strive to do this, we find inspiration and joy, knowing that we are living out our calling in a way that pleases God. The saints, who exemplified Christian self-mastery, are our models in this endeavor. They understood that their purpose was to love God above all things and to serve Him with every fiber of their being.
St. Therese of Lisieux, in her “Little Way,” shows us that even the smallest acts, done with great love, fulfill our purpose and lead us closer to God. She said:
"I will spend my Heaven doing good on Earth."
Her life teaches us that holiness is found in doing ordinary things with extraordinary love, always with our eyes fixed on God’s purpose for us.
Conclusion:
In today’s episode, we reflected on the powerful call to love and how it leads us to know God and fulfill our purpose. 1 John 4:8 reminds us that without love, we do not truly know God, for He is love. Christian Self-Mastery inspires us to use our God-given powers for the very purpose for which they were created, urging us to align our lives with God’s will and to pursue holiness in all that we do.
As Catholics, our purpose is clear: to know, love, and serve God in this life so that we may be happy with Him forever in the next. This is the call to love that transforms our lives and brings us into deeper union with God.

Let us continue to seek God in love, striving daily to use our talents and gifts for His glory, and trusting that, through His grace, we will fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
Closing Prayer:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your love, which You pour into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Help us to love as You love, and to grow in our knowledge of You through the practice of charity. Guide us as we strive to use the talents and gifts You have entrusted to us for the very purpose for which we were created. Grant us the grace of self-mastery, that we may align our lives with Your holy will and fulfill our calling as Your faithful children.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen