§ 3. Let God be the End of our Actions.

Whatsoever thou doest or omittest, let it be done or omitted for the honour and glory of God: so that in all things thou mayest look simply to God by a pure intention, and be bound to Him by the glorious bond of good will, never knowingly or willingly seeking thyself. The moment thou discoverest in thyself any inordinate self-seeking, repudiate it, and deny thyself; for self-seeking and self-will corrupt and spoil our good works. True self-denial assuredly sounds sweetly in the ear of God, and marvellously delights His Majesty. If thou sayest only one Hail Mary to the perpetual praise of God, with self-denial, it will be more pleasing to God, and of more advantage to thyself, than if thou wert often to recite the whole Psalter of thy own accord or out of self-will.

There is no action so insignificant that it may not be of great advantage to the soul if it be purely referred to God. Wherefore, he who for the sake of God places even one little flower on the altar, or adorns the image of any Saint with a sincere and devout intention, will doubtless receive a great reward. 138Moreover, he will not lose his reward who only bows the head or bends the knee in honour of God. Seek and ask of God, that the utmost praise of the Creator may result from each of thy words, from each step of thy feet, from every movement of thy body, and from every morsel that thou eatest; seek and ask that every breath thou takest day and night may honour and glorify God, and show thy love of Him; then, indeed, will come to pass what thou rightly and piously desirest and seekest.