Good Mortifications

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Some may say that life is suffering, and death is a good thing, for it is the end of suffering. Some prefer to become empty, to rid their person of suffering, but at the cost of ridding their person of joy.
But, as Christians, we are called to suffer. We are called to suffer much so we may have all the more joy, and truly live “life to the fullest”.
So, what are some good mortifications that we can do for the good of others and our own self?
 
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Fasting is a pretty good mortification.
Has anyone heard of the Lenten fast that was in place in the middle ages?
Here’s a video that explains it.

 
I read that monks and hermits also do white nights dedicated to prayer (instead of sleeping you pray all night, without dedicating the next day to sleep of course). Also pushing yourself to do more work for good purposes (charities or helping someone, not work as you daily work for income so that if you work more you make more money, just working for the benefit of someone else without any personal benefit and work above your physical limits or what you think are physical limits).
For some people even kneeling while praying is a mortification because they have health problems that make it difficult. So if they still do it then I am sure it is a mortification.
 
For me ‘good’ mortifications are those of everyday life. I learnt a lot from reading books by an enclosed nun, which made me wake up to the mortifications of everyday life (and I’m so glad we have Lent each year to put these mortifications into perspective and learn again the correct way to offer them up).
What are these mortifications? The percieved slight from someone in the parish, the people who push by without an apology, the request to do another small job when already snowed under, the screaming child on a journey, etc. Taking a different, more charitable, approach and remembering that I can be just as guilty of these sins or have no idea of another’s circumstances is a lifelong work for many of us.
Some mortifications need to be handled with care. If you can stay up all night praying and still be in a cheerful mood in the morning that’s great. If you become irritable the next day and make others uncomfortable or then go telling everybody what a great spiritual thing you’ve been doing; it’s time for a rethink.
 
Quiet and ordinary ones, hidden, done in conversation with God.

Passive ones and active ones…exterior ones and interior ones. Ones that occur to us naturally throughout each day.
 
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I mean good mortification depends on person to person… I have hardwood floors in my house, and only a thin rug in my room, so when I choose to do it, it works pretty well, let me tell you.
 
Curious what book that is? The one by the cloistered nun?
 
There are a number of books she has published, she writes under the name Ruth Burrows. She is a Carmelite Nun in the UK. I found it best to start with her (sort of) autobiography, Before the Living God.
 
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