Man’s Perfect Actions Bring Greater Glory to God
I will try to remember often at the beginning and during the course of my actions that greater the perfection with which I perform them, so much the greater is the glory God receives. (OOCC, X, p. 32; STA, 47)
One of the predominant goals of the life of St. Vincent Pallotti was bringing infinite glory to God. His wish was that God be glorified at all times and in every circumstance and he longed for glorifying God infinitely. In his lifetime on earth, he constantly looked for ways and means to praise and honor God. One important way in which he attempted to bring glory to God was his own actions. He believed that good and perfect actions resulted in earning more glory to God. The greater the perfection a person achieves in the actions he performs, the greater the glory he brings to God. A person’s good and perfect actions serve as the means in and through which the goodness of God is manifested to others. When they see the good works a person manifests in the name of God, they would glorify God in the midst of others. Thus, the good works a person performs truly can become a means to glorify God. Hence, St. Vincent Pallotti was concerned about doing every action of his life with the greatest perfection, so as to bring the greatest glory to God. Therefore, before he performed any action, and while performing it he allowed himself to be guided by the thought of glorifying God. When such a pure motive guides the action, the net result is the glorification of God, through his actions.
Is the glorification of God an important goal of my everyday living? Do I make an attempt to use the actions that I perform daily to bring glory to God? Do I seek God or myself in the many good actions I carry out every day?
Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works. (I Pet. 2:12)