Our society and individuals expects rewards. These rewards may be accepted in wealth, privileges, points towards travel or gifts or even just a “feel good” reward. We want and expect something, anything. We are conditioned from childhood to expect something good from doing good and not for simply doing what is right for the sake of itself.

Today as well, we do what is right because we should. We know this and try to make this a daily reality. But just as a child we wonder why there is no return on this do good investment. We see people who do not do good or not doing what is right, and they prosper, sometimes much better than we do. And while we continue to do what is right – keeping the rules, the precepts of the Church, obeying the rules of the road, etc., there is not necessarily a tangible reward. We were not conditioned for this.

We need to recondition ourselves, retrain ourselves and our children, that doing right things does not require a reward. Doing good is reward in itself. Don’t wait for feeling good. Doing good is a fact and does not require an emotion to complete it. With right judgment and maturity we know that doing good makes sense and is right.

The sun shines on the good and the evil (Mt 5, 45) so simply work to change the world without reward and build the Kingdom without payment. “You received without payment, give without payment” (Mt 10,8).

If you are fatigued from doing right in the world don’t let up. Push on. Doing good is reward in itself.