Purity of Intention

Paragraph 140 of St. Faustina’s Diary says, “Pure love is capable of great deeds, and it is not broken by difficulty or adversity.” Only in pure love can you have purity of intention. What is purity of intention though? It is action which requires no re-action. In other words, it is something done for another without expecting anything in return.

When I go to work and complete my work, I turn in a time card and expect a paycheck in return. In giving me a paycheck, my employer expects me to work. It is an arrangement which benefits both of us. This logic applies to many normal day to day situations. What I’m talking about here is different.

A friend of mine called and asked for a ride to church and I did gave her one without expecting anything in return from her, but I did benefit from giving her the ride.

First, I was able to enjoy her company for the short drive to church. Second, I was able to be a driver for Christ. As He has no hands or feet but ours, we must be willing to use our hands and feet for Him. This was a very small act of kindness, done in the name of Jesus.

There are probably millions of examples of actions done with purity of intention and hopefully, they outnumber the actions done without purity of intention. I’ve often wondered what our world would be like if every single person on earth did an act of charity for someone else, without expecting anything in return.

Remember the movie, “Pay it Forward?” Kevin Spacey played a teacher who challenged his students to do a project to make a difference in the world. His student, played by Haley Joel Osment, does a good deed for a homeless guy. That homeless guy in turn does a good deed for someone else and the projects takes off, with beautiful results. All these good deeds done for others without anyone expecting or wanting anything in return.

I think of all the missionaries in the world who travel the globe to help people they have never met. To help others who can never repay them. Why? Because it is what their hearts tell them to do. They are compelled to help others.

Conversely, I think of all the politicians in the world, especially in our own country, who do whatever they can to help themselves, usually at the cost of others. Some of them believe they are doing us a favor by “serving” in government and therefore they are “entitled” to whatever they think they “need.”

Have you ever met anyone who just exuded love? Their actions or deeds are done in the spirit of Christ and they love doing for others and are always willing to do more. These people are an absolute joy to be around. Giving, giving and giving and rarely taking.

In a society where everyone wants what they want when they want it, it is refreshing to be around people who love purely, not themselves, but those around them.

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