On Mortification

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What are some good ways to mortify yourself? I often take a cold shower.
 
thestudentAD said:
What are some good ways to mortify yourself? I often take a cold shower.
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Traditional Catholic (and others too) ways of mortification are through the denial of food, uncomfortable/painful postures of prayer, flagellation, wearing things that cause pain (sackcloth, hair shirt, and the cilice).There are many others, but I think these are the most common.
 
ComplineSanFran said:
Traditional Catholic (and others too) ways of mortification are through the denial of food, uncomfortable/painful postures of prayer, flagellation, wearing things that cause pain (sackcloth, hair shirt, and the cilice).There are many others, but I think these are the most common.
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Some of these should be undertaken only in consultation with one’s spiritual director. One must have reached a high degree of holiness to benefit from them.
 
thestudentAD said:
What are some good ways to mortify yourself? I often take a cold shower.
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Taking cold showers is a good one.

I find having periods when I do not eat (like from 3 to 4), as well as abstaining from meat and chocolate on Fridays, is good. Having set times is helpful as I otherwise feel unhealthily guilty.

The most important thing for a beginner, however, is to engage very well in the duties of one’s state in life and the things that come up. There is no use in fasting if one is backbiting at the office, right? So concentrate on those things and little mortifications, and on prayer, esp meditative prayer.
 
Here are some ideas: going a day or so with out any negative words, not giving feedback when someone is wrong or mean to you, waking up 2 hours early for prayer, wearing uncomfortable shoes, doing extra workout time or jogging further, and the list goes on and on…

…
 
Like many.there are already so many pains and deprivations in life that it would be called one long mortification did you believe in such things

Mortification as seen here is surely part of a richer life than many of us have. Not complain ing just seeing it as luxury to choose ’

All I need is here and that is far more than most in this world have In Lent ,what Isaiah describes as “true fasting” so that you give to the poor…
 
If you have scrupulosity, then that’s already one great mortification.
But the other posters are right as well. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is helpful, and guides us through lent
 
St_Francis said:
Some of these should be undertaken only in consultation with one’s spiritual director. One must have reached a high degree of holiness to benefit from them.
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Really? I thought they were generally practiced by most Catholics. I know Opus Dei incorporates mortifications, and Pope John Paul routinely used the whip for flagellation. Many of my friends who are in Religious Orders practice them regularly.

And of course stories of the saints often highlight various practices - some extreme. To me, this says that regular members of the church should also take on these practices. Am I mistaken?
 
Good topic.

I think the best mortifications are little and hidden ones, the ones that go unnoticed by others. Ordinary life presents enough natural opportunity to grow closer to God through mortification, which is the goal. Grow closer to God, turning more and more of our life into intimate conversation with God.

Smiling when we don’t want to. Working a bit better, longer, perfecting our work a bit more, dealing with annoyances more cheerfully, not giving in to complaint, etc.
 
Anything that is difficult to do because of our vices is a wonderful mortification, so long as we do it out of love for God.

To use myself as an example: even now I’m enjoying using the internet, even if I’m sleepy and should probably head off to bed. If I had any sense, I would turn off my laptop and go say some prayers. And if I did this because I love God and want to cooperate with His grace to eliminate my vices, I would be willingly accepting a mortification: setting aside the pleasure of the internet for the sake of resting up for the work I have to do tomorrow.

We don’t need to do terribly advanced and stereotypical “Saint” things in order to please God. We just have to be obedient to Him in the present moment.

… and with that, Goodnight!
 
LiamQ said:
Anything that is difficult to do because of our vices is a wonderful mortification, so long as we do it out of love for God.

To use myself as an example: even now I’m enjoying using the internet, even if I’m sleepy and should probably head off to bed. If I had any sense, I would turn off my laptop and go say some prayers. And if I did this because I love God and want to cooperate with His grace to eliminate my vices, I would be willingly accepting a mortification: setting aside the pleasure of the internet for the sake of resting up for the work I have to do tomorrow.

We don’t need to do terribly advanced and stereotypical “Saint” things in order to please God. We just have to be obedient to Him in the present moment.

… and with that, Goodnight!
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That is not what they mean by mortification - which IMO is a sin and selfish…
 
I will sometimes fast from certain foods or television and sometimes from the computer. Sometimes I’ll sleep on the floor. The reasons I fast or Practice mortifications as you call them are for clarity of mind, purity of body, and to help me practice moderation. As it turns out this thread has been a moment of clear thinking for me in that I believe I need to abstain from caf for a while in order to practice moderation and access some silence and stillness that may be available to me. I’m thinking I’ve become quite attached to spending time here and may need to back off.
May you all be filled with loving kindness. May you all be well. May you all be peaceful and at ease. May you all be happy.
 
I used to restrict the food I liked to lose weight+‘mortify’ myself-that led to me fainting right before receiving holy communion (i think that was God’s way of saying “nope, that’s not how it works” :rolleyes: )

Simpler things like not drinking soft drinks (if you tend to drink them), sleeping on the floor, etc can be more effective. You do not need to hurt yourself to a large extent. Of course, go speak to a priest and don’t do weird stuff. Or else, I think you would be mortifying, besides yourself, God!
 
LiamQ said:
I’m sorry, but that is not what who means by mortification? And what do they mean?
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Your example is a good one. Denying oneself a legitimate pleasure is indeed a type of mortification.
 
Fasting and avoiding worldly pleasures are a good start provided they are done for the love of God, but training in contemplative prayer is often overlooked, but can be an excellent form of self-mortification.
 
I do not believe in mortification. It can make you have bitter feelings towards God and the Church. It sounds like something that would be in the discipline program of the Nazi Party.
 
anon67074017 said:
I do not believe in mortification. It can make you have bitter feelings towards God and the Church. It sounds like something that would be in the discipline program of the Nazi Party.
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It might seem so if someone doesn’t understand mortification.

Mortication is called the “prayer of the senses”. We can pray with our body. We can use our body’s own reactions and nature to spur on and quicken our conversation with God.

Fasting is a form of mortification.

If we mortify for prideful reasons…not good.

When we mortify…we should talk with God. “Never fast alone”.

Smiling when we don’t want to can be a great mortification.

So many moments in our ordinary day…red lights…flat tires…dirty diapers, a change in a work deadline can be opportunities to cheerfully draw closer to Jesus on His Cross, to share His Cross with Him.

A great and more continuous intimacy with God can happen with “ordinary” mortifications.
 
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