The Heroic Minute Challenge:Day 12: Purity of Motive

As we get to the last few days of 14 Day “Heroic Minute” Challenge, I got to thinking about what my motives are for taking this challenge.  Here’s what I have come up with:I am hoping that by living out the “Heroic Minute” I will grow in the virtue of self-discipline.The early morning hours before my children and husband are awake is, on most days, the probably the only time I have to be alone and I really enjoy that first peaceful cup of coffee. Rising before everyone else gives me a chance to pray and study. I love getting a head start on some daily chores – can anyone else appreciate just how good it feels to have the first load of laundry washed and in the dryer before 7AM? These are all good reasons. However, as I started reading a little more of St. Escriva’s writings, I realize that my good motives are, quite frankly, not good enough. It seems that my hopes for completing this challenge are quite human and very much centered on what the Heroic Minute will do for me. St. Escriva cautions against this saying:”Purity of intention. The suggestions of pride and the impulses of the flesh are not difficult to recognize… and you fight and, with grace, you conquer.But the motives that inspire you, even in the holiest actions, do not seem clear; and deep down inside you hear a voice which makes you see human reasons in such a subtle way that your soul is invaded by the disturbing thought that you don’t act as you should — for pure Love, solely and exclusively to give God all his glory.” – The Way 788So how do we turn around our less-than-perfect motives? How do we live so that everything we do, including the Heroic Minute, is done with