I had a friend who used to be an important guide for me in matters of faith back when I was only starting to open my heart to The Lord. He had been in the seminary discerning his vocation, but eventually decided that God wasn’t calling him to be a priest. However, the time he spent preparing for ministry made him very knowledgeable, and thus he was someone that I considered to be somewhat of a mentor in matters of the faith.
We became even closer when we did the Exodus 90 challenge together a few years ago. As part of the challenge, we were called to have weekly fraternity meetings to discuss our struggles and victories, and share the insights we had gathered through practicing asceticism.
In one of those meetings, I mentioned how I was a bit concerned about the new direction this project was taking. At that point I was starting to really take my faith seriously and felt called to be more open about Christianity in the content I produced. I was on the verge of deciding to give up my income in order to do what I felt in my heart was what I was truly called to do: write. And more specifically, write about Christian masculinity.
You can understand why I was concerned. It’s never easy to give up a stable income to pursue what you feel in your heart God is calling you towards.
So I mentioned this to my friend. How I was concerned about losing my income. How I didn’t know if people would appreciate the new direction of the page. How I didn’t know if anyone would pay for the subscription that I hoped would replace the income I was ceasing to receive.
What Guides Your Decisions?
And he simply asked me: “What do you think the Lord is calling you to do?”
I told him that deep in my heart I felt a calling to write about Christian masculinity, and to try, again, as I did when I first launched this project, to just help as many young men as I possibly could find their way in this sometimes hostile world. But I also wanted —and needed— to earn some sort of income, I said.
His answer provided me with clarity, and what he said gave me a framework I have returned to ever since.
You see, I had become somewhat disenchanted with the content I was putting out and with what my project had become. And the reason for that is that I had let myself lose sight of the true intention of Ad Aeternum (back then called Simple Men) and had let it become just a job, just a source of income. And that’s when you feel disconnected from what you’re doing. The main thing guiding our choices cannot be simply to make money.
My friend suggested that I should do what I felt God was calling me to do, and to ask Him for the grace of purity of intention. That a man ought to do things for the right reasons, and trust God to take care of the rest. After all, that is what we pray every day: “give us this day our daily bread.” God provides.
This reminded me of Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
Purity of intention. That resonated with me. It was a virtue I had never explicitly asked for, but it was definitely something that I didn’t always have. I’m too human, and that means that sometimes I do things, even seemingly good things, for the wrong reasons.
Do Things for The Right Reasons
This is not a new concept. St. Ignatius of Loyola built the Spiritual Exercises around what he called the First Principle and Foundation, which states that “man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God, and by this means to save his soul, and that everything else on the face of the earth is created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created”.
From this foundation stems the Jesuit motto Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (for the greater glory of God) which points again to purity of intention, as it reminds us to ask before any action "does this serve the glory of God?", not “will this succeed?” or “will this be recognized?”
To have purity of intention means to do things for the right reasons, and not let yourself be motivated or seduced by the temptations of worldly success. It means that when it’s time to act, you shouldn’t think mainly about what will increase your reputation, gain you the most praise, or fulfill the desire to be seen as virtuous, but rather consider simply what pleases God the most.
This means placing God at the very center, and letting everything you do in your life honor Him first and foremost. It also means following the path He wants you to follow, and not the one your human mind thinks will bring the most success.
As Saint Paul says:
“Whatever you do, work at it from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”
— Colossians 3:23-24
I’m still human. I still fail and make mistakes. But more and more I’m praying to God before I act: “Lord, go before me, take my hands, and help me make sure that what I do and say is done with purity of intention, for the right reasons.”
And it’s been working so far. To ask for something with an honest heart is to start receiving it, and as I ask, I am noticing greater peace, and a clarity I had not experienced before. And interestingly enough, business-wise, it’s working too. Not only am I once again finding it a joy to sit down and write, but the financial aspect is also picking up speed too.
It’s not always easy to follow God, but being conscious of the motivations behind your actions, and remembering to act with purity of intention makes it considerably easier, as when you do, God usually shows you clearly what the right path is.
Ask today for purity of intention. Pray to God to give you wisdom and discernment to see your own blindspots and false idols, and to free you from them so you can surrender your life and actions to the service of The Lord. Not only is this right, but it is freeing too, as we are all created for this purpose, and only when we accept this fact will we find the elusive peace that all men long for.
Ad Maiora Nati Sumus,
Juan
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Thank you for this inspiring post.
Thank you for writing this. It was really helpful for me as I’m in the same position.