Corporal Mortification

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Dempsey1919

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I am having hard time understanding the reasoning behind corporal mortification.

This has never been a part of my spirituality and I’ve never really given it much thought, although I did know that some medieval saints practiced self flagellation.

Recently, I have read about Opus Dei and their use of the cilice etc. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but this whole aspect of their spirituality freaks me out. I have read that St Josemaria used to whip himself so much that blood used to splatter on the walls of his room.

However, other famous saints have practiced severe mortifications. St Dominic used to scourge himself three times a day. St John Mary Vianney also practiced severe penances. After her first communion, St Marguerite Mary Alacoque practiced such severe mortifications that it is said she paralysed herself. Her healing is said to be a miracle attributed to the Blessed Mother. Also, the seers at Fatima were instructed to practice mortifications by Our Lady; as a result, they tied cords tightly around their waists. The Little Flower also mortified her flesh and would smile at her crucifix through tears of pain. I could go on and on…there are so many examples of Saints undertaking this practice.

I can’t understand the reasoning behind these practices. I don’t think it’s right or wrong at this point because I don’t know enough about it. Can someone please explain the values of corporal mortification?

I wouldn’t give it much thought but many of my favourite saints have been proponents of corporal mortification and I would like to understand why and how these practices helped them on their road to heaven.

Thanks
 
I’m afraid my response is not a response but an affirmation of your question - its something that was a bit of a block to my conversion. I wondered about it too and finally decided that it was not enough of a roadblock to stop me from converting but it has kindof troubled me for the same reasons - some of my favorite saints practiced such mortifications.

I think I am beginning to see it as similar to fasting - which I have no problem at all with and even practice fairly regularly. I don’t know if that is the beginning of understanding for me but I think it might be.

I’m glad you were braver than I and asked the question 🙂
 
Check these links and you’ll find answers to your questions: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortification
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei#Spiritual_practice

The summary in the Opus Dei article is this: Mortification has a long history in many world religions, including the Catholic Church. It has been endorsed by Popes as a way of following Christ who died in a bloody crucifixion and who gave this advice: “let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23) Supporters say that opposition to mortification is rooted in having lost (1) the “sense of the enormity of sin” or offense against God, (2) the notions of “wounded human nature” and of concupiscence or inclination to sin, and thus the need for “spiritual battle,” and (3) a spirit of sacrifice for love and “supernatural ends,” and not only for physical enhancement.
 
It still makes no sense to me. Jesus did not tell us to whip or otherwise hurt ourselves. He told us to bear the hardships of our daily lives.

In the Garden of Gethsemeni, Jesus prayed that his crucifiction be taken away from him. He was sorrowful even to the point of death. However, he embraced the will of his Father and took the punishment for our sins upon his flesh. He embraced his cross but he did not go around deliberately causing himself pain.

I can’t understand the reasoning behind corporal mortification. Surely our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross was full; it wasn’t lacking anything, so why do people have to do mortification for their sins when Jesus took the total punishment of sin for them?
 
One can hang a nail from a magnet. One can then hang a second nail from the first,and even a third from the second if the magnet is strong. If you remove the first nail from the magnet the others will fall free.

Before the Fall man’s spirit was obedient to God. Because of this his body was obedient to his spirit and the world was obedient to his body. When his spirit rejected God, he lost control of his body and of the world.

Jesus restored the linkage, but like a bone that has been broken and healed the linkage has been weakened and requires therapy. Prayer strengthens the damaged link between spirit and God. Mortification strengthens the control of the spirit over the body by subjecting the body to practice in obeying. Alms giving [all good works, not just monetary gifts] strengthens the link between the body and the world.

Jesus sacrifice repaired the break, as the heart surgeon restored my heart. However, I need daily exercise if I am to keep what the surgeon gave me. Likewise, I need prayer, mortification and alms giving if I am to keep what Jesus gave me. Otherwise both of them wasted their time trying to cure me.
 
Dempsey1919 said:
It still makes no sense to me. Jesus did not tell us to whip or otherwise hurt ourselves. He told us to bear the hardships of our daily lives.

In the Garden of Gethsemeni, Jesus prayed that his crucifiction be taken away from him. He was sorrowful even to the point of death. However, he embraced the will of his Father and took the punishment for our sins upon his flesh. He embraced his cross but he did not go around deliberately causing himself pain.

I can’t understand the reasoning behind corporal mortification. Surely our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross was full; it wasn’t lacking anything, so why do people have to do mortification for their sins when Jesus took the total punishment of sin for them?
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Jesus actually did command mortification - remember He said ‘when you fast’, not ‘if’. Fasting (deliberately eating less than you need) is a form of corporal mortification and it was commanded, not just suggested. And it goes beyong just accepting the suffering we’re given, since not everyone will be reduced to genuine hunger and most of us in order to fast do have to voluntarily deprive ourselves.

Then you can consider St Paul saying “I pummel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be cast away” (1 Cor. 9:27). Again that implies an active seeking out of mortification and not just accepting what God hands out. And this is in spite of the fact that Paul suffered plenty WITHOUT mortifying his own body!

Think of it as a soldier’s training, since we are all soldiers of Christ. Think of it as teaching your body to do without its own comfort and pleasure, since in doing the will of God we usually will have to act contrary to what is comfortable or pleasing for us, as Christ had to. Sin tends to consist in doing what is comfortable and pleasing.

There are other means to achieve this than by whipping or the cilice, absolutely, and I’m sure plenty of saints have NOT used those exact methods. But serious mortification is absolutely required for anyone who would seriously follow Christ, and the cilice and whipping are valid forms of that.

As for something missing in the sufferings of Christ - absolutely there is!

From St Paul again: ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church’ Col 1:24

What is lacking? Our PARTICIPATION in those afflictions of Christ. Christ’s salvation wasn’t something that was merely passively done upon us. Otherwise none of us would need to take ANY steps to be saved. We wouldn’t need to be baptised, go to Church, read our Bibles or anything else at all. And no-one would be damned, since Christ was certainly capable of saving people against their will should He have chosen to do so.

Instead, in His love of us and respect for our free will, He both allows and requires us to be part of the process. Salvation, for ourselves and those around us, is something we. being of His body, can and must actively take part (albeit a tiny part) in. By, as Christ commanded, taking up our crosses (not just accepting them passively) and denying ourselves.
 
hi,

yes, the idea certainly was and is to have the body be subject to the soul, however, these types of mortifications should only be done with the permission of your confessor/director.

God bless,

johnco
 
I agree with Lily. You have to understand Jesus’ advice or command to his followers"take up your cross daily". It’s more of a command or necessary teaching, since he said if you wish to follow me do this…or if you want to be a Christian, then this is indispensable.

The followers of Christ knew what taking up the cross meant during their time. A cross was a tree trunk or beam weighing around 100 pounds, and was normally carried by a malefactor. I would suppose carrying an embarrassing 100 pound load tree truck over your shoulders *everyday *is self-inflicted pain. But of course, Jesus did not mean this literally but you see the principle behind voluntary self-inflicted pain in his words.

You might also want to read John XXIII’s encyclical on this particular topic: ewtn.org/library/encyc/i23paeni.htm
 
Oh and I forgot to add: the phrase before “take up the cross daily” is “let him deny himself”. This means that the action of denial is initiated by the person and is not coming from an external source. It is a self-propelled action.

And the fact that “take up the cross daily” follow this idea of self-denial clarifies that the taking up of the 100 pound cross-bar (a useless humiliating exercise per se) is also self-initiated and not necessarily an imposition by another party.
 
It might be best for me to “bulletize” some points as I have a number of things swimming in my head about this:
  • I don’t fully understand bodily mortification either.
  • My visceral reaction against it is likely my “flesh” or sinful nature bucking against an intrusion into its “comfort zone.”
  • I don’t pray for additional suffering by any means.
  • I DO pray for a willingness to take what sufferings come my way and offer whatever small merit they may posess and offer them back to Christ with thanksgiving, knowing that the trying of my faith will produce patience (St. James 1:2-3).
  • I DO pray for an increased willingness to allow God to conform me to the image of his Son, even if that means embracing my cross.
  • I acknowledge that there IS a full-bodied teachng in Scripture and Tradtion for the redemptive quality in suffering, and hope to not only understand this more fully but to enter into it without reservation.
Philippeans 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.
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Joe_Kelley said:
One can hang a nail from a magnet. One can then hang a second nail from the first,and even a third from the second if the magnet is strong. If you remove the first nail from the magnet the others will fall free.

Before the Fall man’s spirit was obedient to God. Because of this his body was obedient to his spirit and the world was obedient to his body. When his spirit rejected God, he lost control of his body and of the world.

Jesus restored the linkage, but like a bone that has been broken and healed the linkage has been weakened and requires therapy. Prayer strengthens the damaged link between spirit and God. Mortification strengthens the control of the spirit over the body by subjecting the body to practice in obeying. Alms giving [all good works, not just monetary gifts] strengthens the link between the body and the world.

Jesus sacrifice repaired the break, as the heart surgeon restored my heart. However, I need daily exercise if I am to keep what the surgeon gave me. Likewise, I need prayer, mortification and alms giving if I am to keep what Jesus gave me. Otherwise both of them wasted their time trying to cure me.
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I’ve never really understood this either, but this explanation helped – thanks for sharing it. 🙂

So, corporal mortification is recommended, but obviously not required, correct?

Well, upon further thought, I think I answered my own question: this type of sacrifice wouldn’t be appropriate for me as a mother, because I think it would lead to me not being able to care for my small child appropriately. 🤷 There are other ways that I can show my devotion and love for Christ, uniting other pains and joys to His. I suppose maybe that’s why most of the people who have practiced this throughout history were single saints, right?
 
There have been some great answers in this thread. I thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. I had a total aversion towards corporal mortification but now I can see why the Saints have practiced this.

However, I would say that this type of spiritual practice is only appropriate for a spiritually mature person and should only be undertaken under the guidance of an experienced spiritual advisor.

What was appropriate for St Therese is not appropriate for an ordinary lay Catholic mother. I believe that this type of mortification is best suited to the religious because they live extremely devout lives and are able to make the correct decisions based on the guidance of a spiritual director.
 
I have had problems with this, too. I think it helps to remember that many of those who practiced extreme mortification did so before we really understood how the body works. I don’t think too many people recommend that type of mortification any more. We are not to cause ourselves permanent harm. I think some of those saints lived shorter lives because of extreme fasting.
 
I think one should keep the mortifications moderate and simple. Excessive mortifications are more likely to produce spiritual pride than willpower. Skip a dessert, or cut down ones portion by 10% rather than a 40 day bread and water fast.

Also don’t make yourself miserable. The objective is to mortify your body; not make you an unbearable pest to all who have to deal with you. Let them choose their own penances. 😃
 
Since we are only on this world for a very brief moment (compared to eternity after this body is dead) I have come to believe that our work on this earth should be completely and utterly devoted to doing the will of our God. Mortifying the flesh is a discipline that reminds us of all the sacrifices we must make daily as Christians. It is supposed to be uncomfortable, even painful, but it should never leave marks are wounds. It does for our souls, what the Sign of the Cross does for our body, that is, it reminds us of our call to be children of God. Christ said on the Sermon on the Mount, (Matt 5:48) “Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect!” As Scott Hahn said “that is the uncompromising gospel!” Our purpose on this earth is not to seek out our own pleasure, no matter the best intentions. It is to serve our God with the best of our abilities and all of our strength and to love others as Christ loves us. Mortification is the constant reminder of our place in this life. Mortification is a discipline that one practices in utter privacy. Matt Talbot would have been otherwise lost in the pages of time had he not been found dead on the street wearing the chains and cords of his discipline. I believe this was the method he chose to control his tendency to drink as well as to serve as penance to a God he was eternally grateful to.

I am investigating whether I want to become a member of Opus Dei and I can see the merits and uses of mortification…when used for the right reasons. It should never be used for the pleasure of pain itself as it is depicted in the DaVinci Code (that would be a sin).

Just my 2 cents 🙂

Dominus Vobiscum
 
My personal opinion is that I think corporal mortification is a form of fanaticism. Yes, even some of the Saints were fanatics.

I see the news reports every year, of Catholics in the Philippines, having themselves crucified on Good Friday. I believe the Church has condemned this, but the mindset is not much different than other forms of physical mortification, which cause pain and physical deformity.

St. Theresa of Lisieux did not believe in them either. She said that life has enough thorns of its own, without having to add to them.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
My personal opinion is that I think corporal mortification is a form of fanaticism. Yes, even some of the Saints were fanatics.

I see the news reports every year, of Catholics in the Philippines, having themselves crucified on Good Friday. I believe the Church has condemned this, but the mindset is not much different than other forms of physical mortification, which cause pain and physical deformity.

St. Theresa of Lisieux did not believe in them either. She said that life has enough thorns of its own, without having to add to them.

Jim
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Again, it depends on what form and to what extreme you’re talking about. Fasting and abstaining, as I’ve said before, are in themselves forms of corporal mortification, and forms to which the Church obliges us to on pain of sin at least occasionally.
 
After her first communion, St Marguerite Mary Alacoque practiced such severe mortifications that it is said she paralysed herself.

The Eastern Fathers forbid ascetic practices that damage or endanger one’s life or health.
 
I am a member of Opus Dei and want to recommend that people visit www.opusdei.org and look at the resources available on this topic. The cilice actually is a modern day form of the hair shirt – it was developed as a cleaner, more discreet and hygienic approach to wearing the hairshirt. St. Josemaria definitely practiced very austere corporal penances (a.k.a. corporal mortifications) and specifically instructed the members of Opus Dei not to practice them in the same way. Both the use of the cilice and the discipline (a small set of strands of rope grouped together) cause discomfort, but not extreme pain. In particular, the discipline is more symbolic – it is used very briefly once a week – for just the length of a prayer. Usually only the celibate members of Opus Dei use these corporal mortifications under the guidance of spiritual direction, and they certainly do not represent the most important acts of sacrifice performed by members of Opus Dei. As St. Josemaria frequently taught, often the best mortification is smiling when we don’t feel like it, or being kind to a person we find difficult or boring. Any act of charity will always have immensely more value than corporal mortification. At the same time, somehow the use of corporal mortification – whether it be fasting, kneeling for a prolonged period of time, checking one’s posture or using the cilice or discipline, or whatever – can have the effect of strengthening your will to more easily put that smile on your face when you doen’t feel like it or to pass by a situation that might otherwise constitute a waste of time or a temptation for you. It may not be for everyone, but certainly a number of saints found it helpful, including Mother Teresa and Padre Pio. I played college level sports and can tell you that the corporal mortification practiced in Opus Dei does not compare with a hard practice with windsprints, etc. People do lots of painful things in life for much lesser reasons than offering them privately as a way to live solidarity with Christ’s suffering. Anyway, hope this provides more info to this interesting conversation.
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a specific teaching on this: Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance. (CCC 1430)

It is universal teaching that gives the right proportion to everything:

-interior conversion is first and not external “sackcloth” (the old version of the cilice) and fasting (another self-inflicted pain)
-still, interior conversion “urges” external expressions (which traditionally refers to the list given).

This goes to show that corporal mortification is for everyone, but in accord with their situation in life and vocation. Married members of Opus Dei do not use the cilice nor the whip. Like all the members they are told to do their ordinary duties well and doing this is the best mortification. But these married members are also told to do “corporal mortifications” of some sort, e.g. kneeling down for the rosary, not taking snacks on some days, not resting the back on the back rest during some hours of work, etc. Also they are told that the best mortification does not mortify others, but in fact makes life pleasant for others and serves others through excellent work. And the sacrifice should usually go unnoticed by the others since it is offered only to please God.
 
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