In determining the morality of our human acts, the intention plays a very crucial role. Together with the matter or object, and the circumstances surrounding our acts, our intention can referee whether they are good or bad.
With our intention, we can direct our acts to God, following what was once indicated by St. Paul, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.†(1 Cor 10,31) That's how our acts become good, or moral. Otherwise, they are bad, or at least dangerous.
This is so, since God, being the Creator, is the standard for everything. And more than the standard, he is, in fact, the very substance of what is good, true and beautiful, what is fair and just, what is perfection itself.
Nothing is good, true and beautiful, nothing is fair and just, nothing is perfect if it is not done with God and for God. In short, we need to refer all our acts to God. We have to make this affirmation very clear in our mind and do everything to make that ideal a reality.
And so, a lot depends on our intention, because our intention is the very expression of who and where in the end we want to be. Do we choose God, or do we simply choose ourselves, or the world, in general? It's actually a choice between good and evil.
Even if we are not aware, or refuse to be aware, of this choice, the choice between God and us, between good and evil is always made with every human act we do.
We need to realize then that we have to take care of our intention, making it as explicit as possible, and honing it to get engaged with its proper and ultimate object who is God. We should try our best to shun being simply casual or cavalier about this responsibility.
This need and duty is what may be called as the purity or rectitude of intention. This is dramatized very vividly in the gospel when Christ told his disciples to do their almsgiving, praying and fasting sincerely, that is to say, doing them for God and not because they want only to be seen and admired by men. (cfr. Mt 6,1-6)
It may not be very easy to carry out this duty, since as men we always have the possibility and the capacity to play around with sincerity. We can easily fall into hypocrisy and deception, doing what can appear good externally but with the intention of not giving glory to God, but rather feeding and stirring our vanity, pride, greed, etc.
That is why we have to pay serious attention to where our intention tilts, to who or what actually holds our heart, for it is the heart, the home of our intention, where we determine the morality of our acts and ultimately where we find our true identity.
Christ himself said it quite clearly: “Where your treasure is, there is your heart also.†(Mt 6,21) We need to ground our heart firmly on God, filling it with love and goodness even if heroic effort is needed.
We need to insist on this because the heart can easily be swayed by anything if it is not solidly grounded on God. That is why Christ encouraged us to be determined in looking for him. “Ask, and it shall be given to you,†he said. “Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.†(Mt 7,7)
In another instance, he assured us that we can also receive our legitimate human requests and wishes if all these are done through God. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.†(Mt 6,33)
In other words, we need to see to it that our piety is working well and consistently. It is should be marked by a clear and strong hunger for God, expressed in relating and offering everything we are and we do to God.
Is God always the prime motive of our actions, or do we just get contented with achieving some degree of effectiveness or practicality, comfort and convenience, power or fame in pursuing our plans?
Not only should we purify and rectify our intention. Ideally, we should enrich and rev up our intention, filling it with ardent desires to do everything for love of God and of souls no matter what the cost. It might be good to check our intention before, during and after an act.