Quotes about Purpose

The performance of an action is worthless in itself, if it is not done out of charity. Charity must be our motive; then everything we do, however little and insignificant, bears a rich harvest. After all, what God takes into account is not so much the thing we do, as the love that went to the doing of it.

How many perish through empty learning in this world, who care little for serving God.

It is vanity to wish for a long life and to care little about a well-spent life.

A life without a purpose is a languid, drifting thing. Every day we ought to renew our purpose, saying to ourselves: This day let us make a sound beginning, for what we have hitherto done is nought.

To live well is to work well, to show a good activity.

Now in matters of action the reason directs all things in view of the end:

No more does one who is on a journey have to think at every step of his destination.

The Philosopher says (Metaph. ii, 2) that "to suppose a thing to be indefinite is to deny that it is good." But the good is that which has the nature of an end. Therefore it is contrary to the nature of an end to proceed indefinitely. Therefore it is necessary to fix one last end.

Happiness consists in self-application to something higher.

In this being may our treatise find its end and fulfillment.

Agere sequitur esse.

To him who, though by no means near the end, is yet advancing, He is the way; to him who has put off all that is dead He is the life.