Why Are You Doing It

This episode of Daily Rosary Meditations explores the spiritual discipline of purifying one's intentions behind good actions, addressing a common pastoral concern: the fear that recognizing a flawed intention (like pride or attention-seeking) might justify abandoning a good deed altogether. The host, Teresa, reflects on a past conversation with young people who struggled with this paradox—feeling paralyzed by the idea that if their motivation isn't pure, they shouldn't act at all. The episode clarifies that while a bad intention can spoil a good action, we shouldn't let this awareness become an excuse to avoid doing good. Instead, we are called to continue performing virtuous acts—like being kind to difficult relatives, dressing respectfully for Mass, or offering hospitality—even when our motives are mixed or tainted by pride. The key is not to stop doing the good thing, but to actively purify the intention through prayer and self-examination. The discussion emphasizes that spiritual growth comes not from perfection, but from consistent effort to align our hearts with God’s will, even when our feelings or motivations are imperfect.