Where are we, and where are we going?

A science fiction novel once claimed that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything was 42. Of course, several characters were left wondering what exactly the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything was. Was it something incredibly complex, or was it a question as simple as "What do you get when you multiply six times seven?"

I do not intend to make the claim that I have discovered what this ultimate question is. However, there is one question (or perhaps two deeply interrelated questions) that seems to be overlooked more and more, and yet is of vital importance: "Where are we, and where are we going?"

The first half of this question is undoubtedly complicated. Religion, history, physics, astronomy, biology, sociology, philosophy, and a great deal of other disciplines all present different parts of the answer to this question. Yet, assuming the universe is intelligible in any meaningful way, these parts must all be compiled into a single, unified picture of where we are today - a daunting task, to say the least.

Though I do not question the necessity of studying the first part of this dual-edged question, I suspect that we have not given proper attention to the second half of it: Where are we going?

What is the purpose of our life? What are our goals? How should we achieve them?

I would suggest that one of our goals (which may or may not be an ultimate goal) is to work to make this world a better place. This is a goal that a great deal of people can hold, be they atheists or fundamentalists.

For the atheist or agnostic, this arises out of mere common sense. If everyone is better off, this world will be a better place to spend what time we have here. While this holds true for religious believers as well, the Christian has another reason to hold this belief. It arises from the command that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength combined with the command to love our neighbor as ourself. (See Mk 12:28-31). Religious believers have the added question of how actions in this life will affect their status in the next.

The question of "where are we going" is undoubtedly the harder part, and it is also much easier to lose sight of. I would suggest that a paradigm shift (or at least a modification to the current one) is necessary. We must always keep the future in mind, for if we do not, we are lost. As we look to the past to figure out where we are and how we got here, we must also look to the future. We must turn our eyes to the eschaton.