I. GOD'S PLAN AND HUMAN MATURITY
John Powell (1976), a very popular spiritual writer of our times, begins his book, Fully Human Fully Alive with these words:
My brothers and sisters: I am sure that the most persistent and restless desire of my life is to be fully human and fully alive. On the other side of the coin, my deepest and most haunting fear is the possibility of wasting the glorious opportunity of life. My personal prayers vary according to the experience and needs of each day, but one prayer is never omitted: 'Oh God, my Father (and Mother), don't let me die without having really lived and really loved.' (p. 2)
When we make something we have a purpose in mind. If we make a kite, for example, our purpose for it is that it be flown by someone. If we make a car, our plan for it is that it be used by someone for travelling. Only the one who makes a thing knows for what it is made. If I give you a piece of paper, you will not know why I gave it to you until I tell you what I want you to do with it. Further, a thing's significance, meaning, perfection consists in doing well what it has been made for. Ihus, the significance and perfection of a knife consists in cutting things well.
We did not create ourselves. So by ourselves we cannot know why and for what we have been created. Only God who created us can tell us that. And only by doing that for which God made us we will fulfil our purpose, reach perfection, and