The lives of the early Christians provide a powerful witness to their character and the depth of their conviction. Their standard of conduct was never about choosing the easiest path, the most comfortable option, or the popular decision; instead, they sought entirely to fulfill the will of God. They looked past the threat of death, their own small numbers, and the formidable power of their enemies, relying completely on the power of Christ who died and rose again. Because they kept their eyes fixed on the Lord rather than seeking personal glory or the applause of their fellow citizens, they maintained a pure intention in all they did. This single-minded focus is what allowed Saint Stephen to pray for his executioners even at the moment of his martyrdom. Our own intention is right when Christ becomes the ultimate purpose and motive of all our actions. Purity of intention is essentially the practice of the presence of God, bringing true freedom to our hearts and clarity to our vision when Jesus reigns over our plans and purposes.
By contrast, when we constantly seek the approval and applause of others, we risk deforming our conscience by replacing the will of God with the fluctuating opinions of those around us. Concern for what people think easily turns into a fear of our environment, which can neutralize our apostolic initiative and lead us to compromise our principles. In an effort to avoid standing out, we might gravitate toward the side that offers approving smiles or settle into comfortable mediocrity. This was the failure of the Pharisees, whose vanity led them away from God because they chose to fight only the battles their spectators wanted to see. Those who truly follow Christ must accept that their conduct will sometimes be unpopular and criticized, especially in environments that do not share their faith. As Saint Paul reminded the Galatians and the Corinthians, our primary aim is to please Christ, and human tribunals matter little since the Lord alone is our true judge.
Human judgments are frequently mistaken, and only God can accurately weigh the true motives behind our actions. On the day of judgment, we may be surprised by the silence with which Our Lord greets actions that earned us worldly applause, while He highly values deeds that drew criticism from others. We must regularly ask ourselves whether we are seeking the glory of God or merely trying to ensure that people like us, allowing this sincerity to bring the light needed to rectify our intentions. A wrong motive can destroy the value of even the most beneficial deeds, corrupting them at the source and stripping them of their merit in the eyes of God. While receiving praise can sometimes serve as a helpful sign of friendship, we must direct it toward God in simplicity rather than actively seeking it out. Saint Gregory the Great warned that our souls easily go astray when we find more delight in being praised than in actually living virtuously, turning what should be a reason to praise God into a cause of separation from Him.
In the Gospel, Our Lord observes that those who perform good deeds merely to be seen and admired have already received their reward in the form of fleeting applause that quickly turns to dust. On the other hand, God accepts our smallest efforts when they are offered with a pure intention, much like the two small coins the poor widow placed in the Temple offering box, which became a great treasure in heaven. Because subtle human reasons can easily invade our holiest actions, we must react immediately to any self-seeking thoughts with the aspiration to want nothing for ourselves, but all for God’s glory and love. To maintain this rectitude, we need to examine our motives in the presence of God, identifying any vanity or cowardice that might cause us to omit our apostolic duties or blend too easily into secular surroundings. Our Lord instructs us to act without sounding a trumpet, avoiding the temptation to over-analyze our good acts, knowing that God the Father sees everything and is Himself our sufficient recompense.
This purity of intention must also extend to our daily work, where an anxious desire to climb the professional ladder can sometimes mask self-love under the appearance of serving souls. It is deceptive to justify a lack of obedience or a desire to abandon our current duties by claiming we cannot miss favorable opportunities for advancement. We should look to the example of Jesus during His hidden years; even after demonstrating His wisdom among the doctors of the law at age twelve, He chose to fulfill the will of His Father by waiting and obeying. God asks us to remain watchful so that we do not slip into cowardice or the habit of seeking earthly rewards. Saint John Chrysostom compared a person who gives in to the temptation of seeking praise after a long life of good works to a ship that survives many storms only to run aground and lose its treasure right in the harbor. Acting solely for God frees us from dependence on the fragile nature of human gratitude, pointing us toward true interior freedom and making our apostolate fruitful in every circumstance.
By The Via Virtutis Team
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
