The Message
Lesson Three — Purity of Heart and Intention
We all need God's grace as we seek purity of heart and of intention. The holiness of our actions depends on the purity of our intention. Divine Mercy helps purify our intention. It is important for any given action that we analyze our intention, yet this can be difficult. Our intention is known only to ourselves and to God, and we must be able to analyze the deepest recesses of our hearts. Self-love, however, often seeks to hide our ulterior motives, and the ego, fueled by pride, is adept at hiding our true purpose.
Purity of intention means having only God as the object of our love, desires, thoughts, and actions. An intention may have a good primary motive but find itself ruined by poor secondary reasons.
Simplicity is a vital aid to keep our intentions and our hearts aligned, helping us to constantly see with one eye focused on God. Our soul is only at rest and happy with God, Who alone should be the focus of our thoughts and deeds. In all things, we should prefer first to do His Holy Will. All good intentions and actions stem from this. Job, for instance, was called an "upright" man because he focused his life on God. "Upright" is but another word for simplicity and purity of intention.
Moral purity is different entirely from purity of intention, but is perhaps the greatest struggle for many. The sins of the flesh prevail in our permissive society, and these interior battles with the flesh have been a cause for struggle for mankind all throughout history.
Why do we do the things we do? Are our intentions pure, or is there an underlying motive? These are the critical questions.
Saint Faustina understood the importance of purity of intention and its connection with "The Little Way":
When I was apologizing to the Lord Jesus for a certain action of mine which, a little later, turned out to be imperfect, Jesus put me at ease with these words: "My daughter, I reward you for the purity of your intention which you had at the time when you acted. My Heart rejoiced that you had My love under consideration when you acted, and that in so distinct a way; and even now you still derive benefit from this; that is, from the humiliation. Yes, My child, I want you to always have such great purity of intention in the very least things you undertake" (Diary, 1566).
Again, try as best you can to live in His will and do all things out of love for God. But there is one more step to take. We must also ask for God's mercy and grace to give us strength to accomplish these tasks. We, in turn, must be merciful to others. When we fall and sin, as we are wont to do, we must go to the Tribunal of Mercy in the confessional. Here is where the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy. After receiving God's mercy, we must let go of sin, refuse to dwell on the past, get back up, and persevere on. Everyone gets "knocked off the horse" in this life. The important thing is what you do after you've hit the ground? Do you brood and stew over your failings, or do you as our Lord for help, dust yourself, and climb back in the saddle, determined to learn from your mistake?
Questions for Discussion:
Purity of intention is vital to living a Christ-centered life; we must strive to do all things out of love of God. It is the small things done out of love of God, not the magnanimous ones done out of pride, that are most pleasing to God. We should understand the concept of the "Little Way," as espoused and lived by St. Therese of the Little Flower.
1. What is purity of intention?
2. Why is it difficult to achieve?
3. What is "The Little Way"?
Do you have questions about starting a cenacle? Call us at 1-877-380-0727.