Actions of Perfect Virtue Which Will Be Eternally Rewarded

St. Klemens Maria Hofbauer (1751-1820) ^ | 11/21/2025 | CharlesOconnell

[CharlesOConnell]

St. Klemens Maria Hofbauer (1751-1820)

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Let my ob-ject e__-ver be, To give glor-y Lord to Thee. If I work or if I__ rest, May God’s Ho-ly Name__ be blest.

Grant me grace my all__ to give, Un-to Him by Whom I live. Je-sus for Thy help I__ plead, Mary for me in__-ter-cede. A__-men.

“All the works of the scribes and the Pharisees they do to be seen by men.” (Matthew 23:5) Rather than venal actions performed for the sake of garnering prestige from others; or even naturally ethical actions which in themselves are not selfish but are virtuous in merely a worldly sense, but which are not dedicated to giving glory to God and are not specifically done out of love for God, but merely because they are good–in contrast, actions of even the most modest accomplishment which are done to give Glory to God, and out of love for God, are considered to be exercises of perfect virtue and can help us qualify to receive an eternal reward from God. This comports with the verse “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31)

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Strewing Roses at the Crucifix of Jesus, out of pure love

The name of good works is given to such voluntary actions on the part of man as are in conformity with the will of God, are performed for the love of God, and consequently will be rewarded by God. No action, however excellent, is to be called a good work unless it is voluntary. The compulsory fast of a criminal in prison is not a good work; nor in fact is any action which is not in accordance with the will of God. To spend one’s time in reciting long prayers, instead of accomplishing the duties of one’s station, is not a good work, but a sin. Nor do works which fail in any one particular to correspond to the will of God deserve to be called good works, or to receive a reward. Those actions again, which are not performed for the love of God are not good works. God requires a pure motive on our part. For instance, to give an alms to an importunate beggar merely to get rid of him is not wrong, but it is not a perfect good work. It is an imperfect or natural good work, because it is done from natural motives. But an action performed for God’s sake, because it is the will of God, for love of Christ, in view of an eternal reward or for fear of everlasting punishment, is a perfect, or supernatural good work, and will bear fruit, because it is done in union with Christ (as the branch bears fruit that abides in the vine, John 15:4), and participates in His merits. A plain woolen cloth has a certain worth, but if it be dyed a rich purple color, its value is greatly enhanced. So the good works we perform are of little worth unless they are done for God’s sake. Then they are crimsoned with the blood of Christ, precious in God’s sight, and deserving of a celestial recompense. Actions, although good, if performed for merely natural motives, are worthless in God’s sight. The Pharisees in Christ’s time are a striking instance of this, for they did good works to be seen of men and praised by men. Our Lord blames them for this, and says: “They have received their reward” (Matt. 6:2). If a man subscribes to some charitable object, in order to get his name into the papers, or to get some office of trust, he does not perform a good work, or one deserving of reward. Such works are like a great, empty package which, when put into the balance at the Judgment Day, will have no weight at all. “Man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart” (1 Kings 16:7). It is the intention to which one must look, not the external act; this may appear to be good, but if it is not done in some way in view of our final end, it is worse than useless. He who seeks his own glory in what he does is a thief, for he robs God of what is His due. Some people say we ought to do good for its own sake. They are mistaken, for the act itself is not our highest aim, but a means towards the attainment of that end. We ought to do good for God’s sake. A good work has all the more value in God’s sight, the less it is done in hope of earthly reward. He who does good to the poor who cannot requite him, does a work which is great in God’s eyes, however contemptible it may be in the eyes of the world, because it is done for God. Good works which cost us a great sacrifice are more valuable than others. For this reason Abraham’s obedience in promptly offering his only son at God’s command was so highly praised. Therefore what we do in spite of outward contradiction or inward opposition has more worth before God. Thus the value of our works depends entirely upon whether they are or are not done for the love of God. He does not consider the magnitude of the work, but the amount of love wherewith it is performed. — The Catechism Explained by Fr. Francis Spirago, 1899. “Good Works“.

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Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, all our actions by Thy holy inspiration; carry them on by Thy gracious assistance;
that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee,
and by Thee be happily ended. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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TOPICS: Catholic; Prayer; Religion & Culture; Worship
KEYWORDS: intention

[CharlesOConnell]

I thought I was being the busiest of busy bees, always bustling about doing do-gooder things. But I was not doing them for God's glory or for the love of God. So I was wasting my life away.

[Big Red Badger]

Been easy on yourself Chuck,
Life is a Highway.

[Dr. Sivana]

I went to college with Michael Hofbauer, the Saint’s great-great=grand nephew. He was the resident assistant who checked for curfew in the guy’s dorm. Solid guy.