For the Greater Glory of God

Let me start by asking a question: Do I think before I act? That is an interesting question. Before I perform any action, do I consider how it will affect my soul or those of others? These questions are what we should ask ourselves before performing any action.

St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote something in his Spiritual Exercises called "Principle and Foundation." In the first paragraph he writes: "Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul."

That is the end of man. In other words, man's final goal is to glorify God in everything he does and by that, he saves his own soul. Well, that is pretty clear then. God put us on this earth to praise and glorify him. What else must we do but that? Nothing else matters. Praising God in everything we do is all that counts. Our life must be spent in glorifying God and everything must be converted into a means for obtaining that end. God gave us life on this earth. The least we can do is love him back by glorifying him in every action we perform. 

Our actions do not just affect God but others around us too. As Charlie O'Rourke said, "We do not know if even one of our tiniest actions can affect someone else." I am paraphrasing of course but I think the point gets across. If we affect others by our actions, then it affects God as well. God is in every single person as he created them and is their father. 

Furthermore, God gave each and every one of us, talents to utilize. Some can write, others can sing, others are intellectually able, others are athletes. God gave you a talent and it is your duty to use it for his glory. If he gave you a good singing voice then I challenge you to use it for his glory and the edification of other people's souls. If God gave you the ability to express thoughts through writing or acting, then I challenge you to use it for Him.

Our actions have infinite consequences. Always ask yourself before you perform any action: Is this going to glorify God? If yes, then proceed. If no, then you better rethink and stop what you're doing. Because of our fallen and weak nature, it is very easy to sin. In fact, in almost all cases, it feels better to sin because it satisfies our inordinate desires. Think of it this way. When you are on your death bed, you will analyze your whole life and every action you performed. Would you not want to think back to that time when you refrained from punching the guy in the face? Would it not be nice to think back and say, "I did the right thing. Thank you God." We finite creatures perform actions constantly throughout the day. If we offend God who is infinite, think of how grave that offense is. Think before you act.

AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM!