Opus Dei - Penance and mortification

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Jesus, I unite this with your most sorrowful passion, for the conversion of sinners, perserverance of the just, and relief for souls in purgatory, and as a penance for my sins

cilice.co.uk/

St. Jose Maria Escriva
escrivaworks.org/book/the_way.htm

Saints who practiced corporal mortifications:

St. Gemma Galgani
(www.stgemmagalgani.com)
St. Faustina Kowalska

St. Anthony Mary Claret

All lived in 19th century:thumbsup:

And almost all saints practice mortifications, the most severe was Blessed Henry Suso, St. Ignatius Loyola

Let us save souls for Jesus, and do penance for our sins, always in unity with the infinite merits of the sorrowful passion of Jesus.

We can reduce our time in purgatory by doing this.

It’s too bad that the comforts of modernity has leaked even to the catholic church. I see churches with air conditioner, and the priests wear crocs plastic shoe

By the way,
Here is the book Imitation of Christ by Thomas a kempis
saintsworks.net/books/Thomas%20a%20Kempis%20-%20The%20Imitation%20of%20Christ.pdf

just for you
chastityislove.blogspot.com

catholicholybible.blogspot.com/
 

I fail to see what’s wrong with either of those, especially the air-con. Not everyone who goes to chuch is in the best of health. Would you rather people fainted?

As for croc shoes. I’ve found them a mortification, personally! So sticky!

I think what you are forgetting is that mortification should be secret, and ideally, personal.

Fasting would be a penance for the greedy, but not so for an anorexic.

Imposing physical suffering on oneself would be healthy for someone who is lazy, but unhealthy for the masochistic or for someone with body issues.

Giving up social events would be a trial for me, but not for my OH, who hates social occasions, due to deafness.
 
I believe in Penance, and the humbling of one’s self - denying the flesh and giving full reign to the Spirit. I’m not so sure Mortification is for everybody - and let me clarify - I mean the type of mortifications the great saints of the church have often been called to. I truely believe you must be called to it. We are all called to self-mortification - choosing the lowest seat, burning (figuratively) that wicked flesh and all its desires. But Blessed Kateri whipped herself. St Francis of Assisi rolled in thorny rose bushes… They were called to this deeper morification.
As a Catholic woman, I understand the great holiness of this. I understand that whenever righteousness comes in contact with wickedness there is suffering. We live in a world filled to the brim with pain and suffering, wickedness and agony. There are so many sufferings in our daily lives, so many woundings to overcome. We can enter into the crosses the good Lord sends us with a spirit of joy, gratitude, and peace only through the power of God. Is this not also mortification? I can’t speak for everyone else, but I have had so many profound tramas in my life that I spend my whole life trying to cooperate with God to survive and be healed of them.
I see our children (not mortification) cutting themselves from the inexpressible pain our wicked generation has given them without the coping skills to get through it. I have no definite opinion either way - like one mortificaton is always right for everyone.
Sirach 30:21 says - "do not give yourself over to sorrow, and do not afflict yourself deliberately. But, at the same time, Jesus appears to many holy saints throughout church history - St. Maria Faustina, Blessed Josepha Menendez, and many others, and offers them to wear his crown of thorns, St. Padre Pio - he offers the stigmata. I think you must be called to it, or else you are going against what God has said.
I also understand exactly what you mean when you say people have basically gotten away from any type of discomfort, preferring to pursue hedonistic pleasures. (I’m paraphrasing) I remember when my kids were younger and we would go to Mass. They asked me once (once was all it took), why we have to kneel before the tabernacle. I explained to them, “Sweetie, it’s because there’s not enough room for all of us to get on our faces to worship before a Holy God.” They got it.
Now, I have Sciaticia. That means that when my hips and spine dislocate, I have pinched sciatic nerves shooting up and down my body. It’s excruciating. I still kneel before my precious Lord, Jesus truely present in the Holy Eucharist. People sometimes ask me why, when I could easily be released from that form of pyhsical worship. I say - because I still have knees. Kneeling is the stance of a sinner before God. I’m still a sinner. If I don’t have legs someday, then perhaps I would forgo that out of necessity. But - I’ve been horribly systematically abused, beaten, stalked, rejected, survived my natural mother trying to abort me before Roe v. Wade, been adopted into a family who didn’t love me, tormented by siblings, survived a sibling I was very close to, taking her life… should I be learning how to scourge myself, or has God given me sufficient agonies for this day?
I think some of us need to learn how to not to beat ourselves up, but to learn to be tender and kind to ourselves and others. That’s my 2 cents for whatever it’s worth.
 
paperwight66 said:
I fail to see what’s wrong with either of those, especially the air-con. Not everyone who goes to chuch is in the best of health. Would you rather people fainted?

s.
Click to expand...
I think the entire concept of personal penance and mortification loses its spiritual value completely when it becomes a platform to criticize the private spiritual practices of others and to make judgements about them based on simple observation. If anything about my own spiritual life causes me to be judgmental about others it is a signal I need to discern immediately with my spiritual director, and go to confession if necessary.
 
Let me clarify, I do not judge, I am saddened by the condition of the church, succumbing to modernity, comfort, and pleasures of the senses which is contrary to the Cross of Christ.

Jesus is on the cross, suffer hunger, thirst, poverty, even all his life, before his agony on the cross, he lead a mortified life, and St. Anthony mary claret said that in the 30 years of his life he only ate bread and water, except after his ministry, where he ate what is served including fish.

How come our master life in suffering for us and we life in comfort?

And Jesus says, unless you do The Father’s Will, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

what is his will?

To take up our cross, and follow him

May the merciful Jesus lead you to salvation and grant you understanding about the treasures of mortification , for our souls, and for the conversion of sinners

I also do not mean to brag about it, I only want to share…😊
It will save your soul and break bad habits.

I myself for years try to achieve purity and break off from impurity. Without corporal mortifications, this is impossible.

Thank you, I love rocks, you seem to get my point. May the merciful Jesus bless us all. and lead us to heaven
 
For I love Rocks,

I think with your sickness, you do not have to practice corporal mortifications,

it is a mortifications in itself.

It must be hard for you. I appreciate your 2 cents.

You just say this prayer each day, and it will turn to a blessing to you and to many other souls that needs your prayer and sacrifices.

Jesus I unite my suffering with your suffering on the cross, and I offer it to you for love of you and for the conversion of sinners

May the merciful Jesus bless you and grant you salvation.

I pray for you
I love you. God loves you more.

Jesus loves you, you are precious to his heart. And you are created in His image, loved with the same love as the Father loves the Son, in the holy spirit.

And called to the life of heaven. Hope for heaven. In this life, we must bear crosses, but it will come the time, where we will share life everlasting of happiness with Jesus in heaven, because of his suffering on the Cross.

He never lead a comfortable life, you see… he suffers for love of us.

We are called to be like Jesus, thus to suffer like Jesus too for the salvation of souls

Would you like to read the diary of St. Faustina?

It will help you to endure your suffering, because she too, suffers just like all of us:

St. Faustina Diary - Divine Mercy in my soul book in pdf
saintsworks.net/books/St.%20Faustina%20Kowalska%20-%20Diary.pdf
 
I think it is very important to remind everyone that mortification of any kind for the spiritual benefits should be done only under the guidance of a competent spiritual director.
 
I’m kind of new to this whole Opus Dei and corporal mortification thing. With all respect, and sincerity, could someone explain to me what the point is of wearing the cilice or whipping oneself?
 
mariafransisca1 said:
Let me clarify, I do not judge, I am saddened by the condition of the church, succumbing to modernity, comfort, and pleasures of the senses which is contrary to the Cross of Christ.

Jesus is on the cross, suffer hunger, thirst, poverty, even all his life, before his agony on the cross, he lead a mortified life, and St. Anthony mary claret said that in the 30 years of his life he only ate bread and water, except after his ministry, where he ate what is served including fish.

How come our master life in suffering for us and we life in comfort?

And Jesus says, unless you do The Father’s Will, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

what is his will?

To take up our cross, and follow him

May the merciful Jesus lead you to salvation and grant you understanding about the treasures of mortification , for our souls, and for the conversion of sinners

I also do not mean to brag about it, I only want to share…😊
It will save your soul and break bad habits.

I myself for years try to achieve purity and break off from impurity. Without corporal mortifications, this is impossible.

Thank you, I love rocks, you seem to get my point. May the merciful Jesus bless us all. and lead us to heaven
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What rubbish. Jesus did not tell us to whip ourselves in order to be saved. I find many Opus Dei people very judgemental. Where is the humility in that?
 
If opus dei members lack humility and love in practicing mortification, it can be of no value, even detrimental to our salvation.

Corporal mortifications has to be done with love of God and humility. As penance for our sins and conversion of sinners, in and we unite that with the sufferings of Jesus on the cross.

It is not the fault of the Opus Dei, per se, Opus dei is founded by St. Jose Maria Escriva, under the guidance and will of God.

After the founder pass away, yes, the true spirit of Opus Dei (which means the work of God) can be altered by the imprudent predecessor.

I do not like several opus dei websites, and I do not like that The Da Vinci Code twisted it to falsehood. Da Vinci Code is erroneous.

So… We have to read the works of St. Jose Maria Escriva, to understand the spirit of Opus Dei. They are available online,
escrivaworks.org/

An can be downloaded using the program WinWSD
download.cnet.com/WinWSD-WebSite-Downloader/3000-2377_4-10562531.html

To tell the truth, I am also new about opus dei, and I am not an opus dei member, but I do admire St. Jose Maria Escriva, and I know that it is the work of God (which sadly is twisted nowadays and created much “controversy”)

But I know many saints practice corporal mortifications. With love of God.

And many books of the saints, to imitate what they do. And to imitate their love of God, most of all.
saintsbookscatechisms.blogspot.com/

Going to confession frequently, without paying attention of what other people think or what the priest/confessor think, is also a kind of mortification. We are willing to be humiliated for the love of God. I arm myself with these thoughts each time I go to weekly confession:)

The one saint who said that she wass to little to practice big mortifications are st. Therese of Lisieux. She said that mortifications such as scourging oneself still has much self love. And she recommends little mortifications such as taking bitter medicine little by little, sitting without touching the back of the seat, renouncing pleasures in food. But this depends on each person’s call.

St. Anthony Mary Claret, a spanish priest who lived in the 1800, practice dicipline such as wearing cilice, crown of thorns, and praying with arms outstretched, or kneeling with fingers, all for love of Jesus and conversion of sinners.

Blessed Jacinta, one of the children of Fatima, who died at the age of 10, practice corporal mortifications, such as fasting, from eating and drinking, all for the love of God and conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the offenses against the immaculate heart of mary.

You can read the life of little Blessed Jacinta here, by Lucia’s own words (one of the three children of Fatima, who lived until old age) here:
pastorinhos.com/livros/en/MemoriasI_en.pdf

For dje101, who ask for explanation on penance, you have to read the works of the saints to see how they practice mortifications and imitate them. That is how you “get” things.

It is basically be in resemblance with Jesus, who lived a mortified life and become like him, in Love of God and love of neighbor.

We are willing to sacrifice ourselves, even martyred, all for the love of God and conversion of sinners.

But it is interesting to remark, Blessed henry suso, practice hard mortifications and austerities for 16 years, such as wearing a belt with sharp edges for the night, scourging himself, and everyone admired him. One day, an angel appeared to him, and said that God wills him to leave this austerities, and choose the humble way of being rejected, humiliated and thought of as nothing. And he did obey, he left all his mortifications, and soon, all people mocked him as coward, reject him, and humiliate him.

And God is willing to show, that by this he is acting like a 1st class soldier, and by the former mortification, he is like 2nd class soldier (it is not exactly how it is, but much less, it means like that)

And St Therese of Lisieux, tells us who are to little to practice big mortifications, that we can battle like the first class soldier even now, when we are willing to be forgotten and thought as nought for the love of God.

If you are interested in following the little way of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who I think, during her lifetime do not favor for big austerities, but in accepting humbly the will of God (such as sickness, death of parents, simple obedience, these little things, done with love worth much more to God than big mortifications done without love),
You can read Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux:
catholicplanet.com/ebooks/ThereseAutobiography.pdf

In the end of our lives, we are judged by God based on Love.
How much we love. Love of God and love of neighbor for love of God.

So these corporal mortifications section, has to be done with discretion, prudence, and with love and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If not, I think you better postpone, and practice little mortifications, such as praying with arms outstretched, renouncing pleasures in food, walking instead of riding. These are practiced by St. Anthony Mary Claret, in addition to the penance he did.

Here is St. Anthony Mary Claret’s Autobiography (and you can type mortification on the “find” tab to find out about how he did mortifications)

saintsworks.net/books/St.%20Anthony%20Mary%20Claret%20-%20The%20Autobiography%20of.pdf

And the autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola, to see how he, at the beginning of his conversion, practice many mortifications of this kind

Maybe we do not have to be opus dei members, but we can practice corporal mortifications according to how God call each and every one of us.
 
thistle said:
What rubbish. Jesus did not tell us to whip ourselves in order to be saved. I find many Opus Dei people very judgemental. Where is the humility in that?
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…read what you wrote…in essence…“I judge many OD people to be very judgmental”.

Many? How many? More so than others? You’re not looking for confirming evidence, are you? That’d be a bit judgmental.

Jesus told us to take up our cross daily…to deny ourselves. People can do this in a number of ways, depending on what they struggle with.

Humility. Maybe we could find more humility by quietly reserving judgement, for a very long time, perhaps long after we finally collect sufficient data?

That would be an act of humility.
 
Here is from the Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret

The Jesuit rule calls for no mandatory mortifications, but there is perhaps no other order in
which they are more practiced. Some mortifications are seen, others are not, but they must all be done
with the permission of the director. On Fridays everyone fasted, and the same almost held true for
Saturdays, because that evening when each was served an egg with his salad, nobody took it. Most left
their dessert untouched, or else took very little. They also left a great part of the other dishes untouched,
and always the ones they liked best. I observed that they all ate very little any day, and that the stoutest
fathers were always the ones who ate the least.
146. There was a priest there called the spiritual father of the house,97 who nearly every day, except
Sunday, took nothing but bread and water, and did that on his knees, at a low table in the middle of the
refectory. He stayed in this posture throughout the Community’s dinner or supper. Anyone who saw that
venerable man on his knees in front of the little table set with bread and water felt terribly ashamed to be
sitting comfortably and enjoying a meal.
147. There was also a father called the collector or corporal.98 On Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays,
and the vigils of important feasts, he would pass around a little blank notebook in which each person
would briefly jot down the thing he wanted to do: e.g., Father or Brother So-and-so would like to eat off
the floor, say grace before and after meals with arms outstretched in the form of a cross, serve at tables,
wash dishes, etc.
All of this was done without breaking silence, in the following manner. When the time came, the
collector would make his rounds, knock at each door, open it, and wait outside. The father inside would
come to the door, take the notebook back to his table, write on a single line what he wanted to do, and
return the notebook to the collector. Thus it was passed around to everyone. Then it was brought to the
rector, who would say, “X and Y, yes; the rest, no.” The collector would make the rounds again,
knocking at and opening the door, and letting each one know, by a movement of his head, whether the
answer was yes or no.
148. Besides these external and public mortifications, there were others of a more private character,
such as wearing the cilice, small arm-chains, hairshirts; taking the discipline, etc.; cleaning chamberpots,
lavatories, sooty lamps, etc. But to do any of these things, permission was always required.
149. Some of the mortifications assigned were unasked for and hardly looked like mortifications. I
will mention a few that I experienced. I have never liked playing games, and for that reason they made
me play every Thursday when we went to a park. I begged the rector, in all simplicity, to be good
enough to let me study or pray instead. He answered me roundly that I should play and play well. I
applied myself so thoroughly to playing that I won all the games.
150. Once I noticed that one of the priests of the house had to celebrate Mass very late on feast
days, and I realized that having to wait that long fasting must have been very inconvenient for him,
although he never complained about it. Out of compassion for him I went to the Superior and told him
that, if it was his good will and pleasure, I would say a late Mass because a late breakfast didn’t bother
me. Thus, the other priest could say Mass earlier at my assigned time, which was much easier. The
Superior said he would see, and the result was that from then on I was scheduled to say Mass even
earlier.
151. I have already mentioned that when I left for Rome the only books I brought with me were a
one-volume breviary and a small-print edition of the Bible, which I could read every day, since I have
always been a great reader of the Scriptures. When I got to the novitiate, they assigned me a room
supplied with all the books I would need except the Bible, which I was so attached to. When they came
to get my regular clothing they also took the Bible I had brought. I asked for it and was told, “Very
well.” But the fact is that I never saw it again until the day I had to leave because of sickness; only then
97 Fr. John M. Ratti (1767-1851), a Milanese.
98 The novices called the one who passed around the notebook the portinaro, caporale, or just capo.
33
was it returned to me.99
152. The Lord did me a great favor in bringing me to Rome and introducing me for however short a
time to those virtuous fathers and brothers. I only wish that I had profited more by it. But if I haven’t, my
neighbor has. It was there that I learned how to give the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, and methods
for preaching, catechizing, hearing confessions usefully and effectively, as well as many other things
that have stood me in good stead.100 Blessed be you, my God, for being so good and merciful to me.
Make me love and serve you with all fervor; make all creatures love and serve you. All you creatures,
love and serve your God. Taste and see by experience how sweet it is to love and serve your God. My
God, my only good!
 
From the Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret (contd)

THE FIFTH VIRTUE: MORTIFICATION
390. I knew that I could not practice modesty without the virtue of mortification, so with God’s
grace, I bent all my forces on acquiring that, cost what it might.249
391. In the first place, then, I strove to deprive myself of every pleasure in order to give pleasure to
God. Without knowing how, I felt obliged to fulfill what was a mere proposal. My mind was faced with
choosing between my pleasure and God’s, and because my mind saw the glaring inequality between the two, even in the slightest matter, I would be forced to choose what then seemed more pleasing to God. I
would joyfully abstain from the pleasure in question, to give pleasure to God. This is still the way it is
with me in all things: eating, drinking, resting, talking, looking, hearing, going somewhere, etc.250
392. God’s grace has greatly helped me in practicing mortification. I now know that mortification
has been an essential need for me in working effectively for souls and in praying as I ought.
393. I have received special encouragement in practicing mortification from considering the
example set by Jesus, Mary, and the Saints. I have read their lives carefully, with an eye to how they
practiced mortification, and I have taken many notes from some of them such as St. Bernard and St.
Peter of Alcantara. I read of St. Philip Neri that after 30 years of hearing the confession of one of Rome’s
most famous beauties he had no idea what she looked like.251
394. In my own case I can vouch for the fact that I know the many women who go to confession to
me by their voice, rather than by their appearance. The fact is, I never look women in the face because it
makes me blush and I get embarrassed. Not that they cause me temptations–thank God, I no longer have
any252 just a sort of blushing I can’t explain. Thus I quite naturally and unconsciously observe that oftrepeated
maxim of the Fathers, “Let your conversation with women be brief and to the point, with eyes
downcast.” I hardly know how to prolong a conversation with a woman, however good she might be. In
a few serious words I say what has to be said concerning her case; then I send her off immediately,
without looking to see whether she is poor or rich, beautiful or ugly.
395. When I was giving missions throughout Catalonia, I was a guest in rectories, where I stayed
during the mission, and I can’t remember ever looking at the face of any woman, even if she happened to
be the priest’s housekeeper, servant, or relative. Thus, it has happened that, on my return to Vich or some
other town after an absence of some time, a woman would come up to me and say, “Father Claret, don’t
you recognize me? I’m the housekeeper at such-and-such a parish, where you stayed several days giving
a mission.” Of course I couldn’t recognize her, never having looked at her, and so, with eyes downcast, I
would just ask, “And Father so-and-so, the pastor-he’s well, I hope?”
396. I had another experience that I know would have been impossible without a very special grace
from God. During my six years and two months’ stay in Cuba, I confirmed over 300,000 people, more of
them women than men and more of these younger than older. But if someone were to ask me to describe
the typical face and figure of the women of the island, I would have to say I could not, despite the fact
that I had confirmed so many of them. I simply took a rapid glance at where their forehead was and then
closed my eyes and kept them closed while I confirmed them.
397. Besides this natural blushing of mine in the presence of women, which prevents me from
looking at them, I have the further reason of wanting to benefit the people. I remember reading years
ago253 that a famous preacher went to a town where he preached so effectively that afterwards people
were saying, “What a holy man!” But one malicious wag remarked, “He may be a saint, but he certainly
had an eye for the women!” This remark was enough to undo all the good results the preacher had gained
in that town and canceled all the fruits of his preaching there.
398. I have also noticed that people form a poor opinion of a priest who does not mortify his eyes.
In reading of Jesus Christ, I observed that He was always very mortified and modest in his glances. The
evangelists are always careful to note the number of times He lifted up his eyes, as if it were something
most unusual.254
399. I always strove to mortify my sense of hearing. Thus, I took no pleasure in useless
conversations or idle words. I couldn’t abide or tolerate uncharitable conversations; if someone started
one, I would either leave, change the subject, or frown in disapproval. I also disliked listening to
conversations about food, drink, money, worldly things, or politics. I didn’t care for reading newspapers
 
and would say that I preferred reading a chapter from the Holy Bible, in which I would read the truth, to
reading newspapers, which are ordinarily full of lies and trivia.
400. I strove continuously to mortify myself in speaking. All the things I didn’t like hearing, I didn’t
like talking about, either. I resolved never to talk about what I had said in my sermons.255 I knew well
enough how I myself disliked hearing others prate about their delivery, and I thought that I would only
displease others if I spoke of such things. This is what led me to resolve never to talk about my
preaching but to preach as well as I could and leave the rest in God’s hands. If anyone offered me some
advice on my preaching, I would accept it gratefully, without excusing my practice or giving reasons for
it. Then I would try to correct any fault as best I could
401. I have already pointed out that some people act like hens who, having laid an egg, begin to
cackle and so lose it. This is much like the case of some ill-advised priests who, after they have done
some good deed or heard confessions or given a sermon, go around looking for little tidbits to satisfy
their vanity. They talk complacently about what they’ve said or how they’ve said it. Just as I myself am
disgusted listening to such talk, I can well imagine that I would disgust others if I were to do the same.
So I resolved never at all to talk about these things.
402. One thing I really couldn’t bear was to hear any talk about things heard in the confessional, not
only because of the danger of breaking the seal of confession but also because of the very bad
impression such talk makes on people. So I resolved never to speak of topics or persons involved in
confession, of how long it had been since someone had made his last confession, or whether or not
someone had made a general confession. In short, I couldn’t endure hearing priests talk about persons,
topics, or times in connection with confession. If someone came to ask my opinion, I couldn’t bear to
hear him start, “I have this case–what shall I do?” I would tell him to express himself always in the third
person, e.g., “Suppose a confessor was faced with such and such a problem; what should he do to solve
it?”
403. One thing that the Lord gave me to understand is that it is important for a missionary to deny
himself in taking food and drink. The Italians have a saying to the effect that no one gives credit to saints
who like to eat. People would like to think of missionaries as men who are more heavenly than earthly
and that we are like saints’ statues that don’t need to eat or drink. In this respect, our Lord has given me
the very special grace of being able to get along without eating, or with eating very little.
404. I had three reasons for not eating. First, because I was able not to–I had no appetite, especially
when I had to do a lot of preaching or had to hear large numbers of confessions. Second, on certain
occasions when I did have some appetite, I wouldn’t eat, especially when I was about to start on a trip, so
as not to be heavy on my feet. Finally, I abstained from eating in order to edify people because I noticed
that they were always watching me. Thus I ate very little even though I was hungry.
405. Whenever I did eat what was set before me, I always took very little and the poorest that was
offered. If I arrived at a rectory at an inconvenient hour, I asked the cook for a little soup and an egg–
nothing more. For I never ate meat then and I still don’t. Not that I wouldn’t like it, but I know that
abstaining from it is very edifying. The same goes for wine. Of course I like wine, but I haven’t taken
any for years, outside of the ablutions at Mass. I never drink spirits or liquor, either, although I like them
and have tasted them in the past. I have come to know that abstaining from food and drink is very
edifying and is much needed to counteract the sad excesses that take place at table nowadays.
 
  1. I was in Segovia on September 4, 1859 and while I was making my meditation, at 4:25 in the
    morning, Jesus told me, “You must teach your missionaries mortification in eating and drinking,
    Anthony.” A few minutes later the Blessed Virgin said, “If you do, you will have great results,
    Anthony.”
  2. At that time I was preaching a mission in the cathedral of Segovia to priests, nuns, and laity.
    One day, as we were at table together, someone told the story of how the former bishop, a very zealous
    man, had exhorted a group of priests to go out and give missions, which they did. After walking for a
    good stretch they were hungry and thirsty and, since they had brought some food along with them, they
    sat down to have lunch. While they were eating, a delegation from the town to which they were going
    arrived to greet them. But when the delegation found them all eating, the priests lost so much prestige in
    255 This resolution dates from 1844. The Saint renewed it in 1852, 1854, 1855, and 1858.
    72
    the eyes of the delegation that their mission proved totally ineffectual. Thus the story went. I have no
    idea why it was told, but as far as I was concerned it came to me as a confirmation of what Jesus and
    Mary had told me.
  3. Past experience has shown me how edifying this practice can be in a missionary, and I still
    find it useful today. Many banquets are held at the palace–there were even more at an earlier date–and I
    am always one of the invited guests. If I can, I excuse myself from attending; if this doesn’t work, I
    attend. On these days, however, I eat the least. It is my custom to take only a spoonful of soup and one
    small piece of fruit–nothing more. I drink no wine, only water. Everyone sees me, of course, and all are
    highly edified.
  4. I have been told that before I arrived in Madrid there were some excesses at table. Indeed, it is
    no wonder because such a variety of rich courses, exquisite dishes, and excellent wines were served, all
    an invitation to over-indulgence. But since I have been forced by duty to attend,256 I have not noticed the
    slightest display of intemperance. On the contrary, it seems to me that the other guests take less than they
    need when they see that I am not eating. Often while we are still at table the guests seated on either side
    talk to me about spiritual matters and want to know what church I hear confessions in so that they can go
    to confession there.
  5. To give still greater edification, I have refrained from smoking or taking snuff. Furthermore, I
    have never said or even hinted that I prefer any one thing to another. This, of course, is an old habit with
    me. The Lord had already given me this heavenly blessing while my dear mother (R.I.P.) was still alive.
    She died without ever knowing what I liked best. Because she loved me so much and wanted to please
    me, she would sometimes ask me whether I liked this or that. I would answer that whatever she chose for
    me was what I liked best. Then she would say, “I know, but there is always something we like better
    than something else.” I would still tell her that what she gave me was what I liked best. Naturally I, like
    everyone else, prefer some things to others; but the spiritual joy I feel in doing the will of others is far
    greater than that of any particular physical preference, so that I was telling my mother the truth.257
  6. Besides mortifying myself in sight, hearing, speech, taste, and smell, I also strove to practice
    some particular acts of mortification. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I took the discipline. On
    Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays I wore the cilice. If circumstances were such that I couldn’t take the
    discipline, I would do some equivalent penance such as praying with my arms outstretched in the form
    of a cross or kneeling on my fingers.
  7. I am well aware that worldly people, who lack the spirit of Jesus Christ, ridicule or even
    condemn such mortifications; but I remember the teaching of St. John of the Cross concerning this. He
    says that if anyone tells you that you can be perfect without practicing external mortification, you should
    pay him no heed. Even if he worked miracles to confirm what he says, you should regard them as
    illusions.258
  8. I can see that St. Paul mortified himself and said so publicly: "I chastise my body and bring it
    into subjection, lest having preached to others I myself become a castaway.’'259 All the saints down to
    this day have done so. Rodriguez relates that the Blessed Virgin told St. Elizabeth of Hungary that
    ordinarily no spiritual grace comes to the soul except by means of prayer and bodily affliction.260 There
    is a maxim, “Give me blood and I will give you spirit.” Woe to those who are enemies of the scourging
    and cross of Christ!
 
THE VIRTUE OF MORTIFICATION (CONTINUED)
414. I know that in a single act of mortification one may practice many other virtues, depending on the different intentions one has in performing each act. Thus, for example:
  1. One who mortifies his body to check concupiscence performs an act of the virtue of temperance
  2. If he does so to set his life in proper order, he performs an act of the virtue of prudence.
  3. If he does so to make satisfaction for his past sins, he performs an act of justice.
  4. If he does so to overcome difficulties in his spiritual life, he performs an act of fortitude.
  5. If he does so to offer sacrifice to God by depriving himself of something pleasant and doing
    something bitter or repugnant to himself, he performs an act of the virtue of religion.
    1. If he does so to receive greater enlightenment in understanding the attributes of God, he
      performs an act of faith.
  7. If he does so to make his salvation more secure, he performs an act of hope.
  8. If he does so to help convert sinners or to free the souls in purgatory, he performs an act of fraternal
    charity.
  9. If he does so to have more to give the poor, he performs an act of the virtue of mercy.
  10. If he does so to please God more and more, he performs an act of love of God.
    In every act of mortification I can practice all ten of these virtues, depending on the intention I
    form in doing the action.
    The greater the sacrifice involved, the more meritorious, splendid, winsome, and overwhelming is any act of virtue.
    A man who is base, vile, stingy, and cowardly never sacrifices–nor can he because he never resists the slightest whim or urging of his concupiscence. All that his concupiscence asks for–if it is
    within his power to grant or refuse it—he grants, refusing nothing to his passion. Because he is a cringing coward, he lets himself be overcome and gives in to it. In a fight between a brave man and a
    coward, the brave man wins. In a fight between vice and a man of vice, vice wins and pins the man down. This is why continence and chastity are praised so highly: because they enable a man to abstain
    from the pleasures and delights that nature and passion offer him.
    A man’s merit will be greater depending on the greater the pleasure he abstains from, the greater the repugnance he has to overcome, the greater the intensity and length of the pain he has to bear,
    the greater the human respect he has to set aside, and the greater the sacrifices he has to make–provided he does all and bears all for the love of virtue and the greater glory of God.
    I resolved that in my outward bearing I would be modest and recollected; that in my inner being I would be continuously and fervently absorbed with God; that in my work I would be patient,
    silent, and long-suffering. I proposed, furthermore, to fulfill the law of God and the Church exactly, as well as the duties that God demands of my state; to do good to all men; to shun sins, faults, and
    imperfections; and to practice the virtues.
    In all of life’s disagreeable, sad, and humiliating events, I always remind myself that they come from God’s hand, for my betterment. And so, as soon as I think of it, I manage to turn to God in
    silent resignation to his holy will, remembering that our Lord has said that not a hair can fall from my head unless it is the will of the Heavenly Father, who loves me so much. I know that 300 years of faithful service to God are rewarded, and more than rewarded, by one
    hour of pain that I am allowed to suffer, so great is its worth. Jesus, my Master! It is the man who is tried, persecuted, and deprived of friends; the man who bears the outer cross of work and the inner cross
    of spiritual dryness; the man who holds his tongue, suffers and endures out of love; this is the man you love, the man who pleases you and counts in your esteem.
    Thus it is that I have resolved never to vindicate, excuse, or defend myself whenever I am censured, misjudged, and persecuted because I would then be the loser in the eyes of God and of men.
    Yes, men would shape even the truth of my reasons into weapons to turn against me.
    I believe that everything comes from God and that God expects of me the tribute of suffering
    patiently for his love’s sake every injury to my body, soul, and honor. I believe that I do the most for
    God’s greater glory when I hold my tongue and suffer like Jesus, who died on the cross, deprived of
    everything.
  11. Doing and suffering are the greatest proofs of love.
  12. God became man. But what kind of man? What sort of birth, life, and death did He have? "I
    am a worm and no man, scorned by men and despised by the people.’'263 Jesus is God and man, and yet
    his Godhood is of no help to his manhood in his pain and suffering, any more than the soul of a just man
    in heaven is of any help to his body that lies rotting in the earth.
  13. God gave the martyrs his special assistance, but this very same God abandoned Jesus, the man
    of sorrows, in the midst of his sufferings and great pain. Christ’s body was far more delicate than ours
    and hence felt pain more than we do. Well then, who can even imagine what Jesus suffered? His whole
    life passed before Him. How much He must have suffered out of love for us. Such an intense and
    prolonged agony!
  14. Jesus, my Life, I know and fully realize that suffering, sorrow, and work are the badge of the
    apostolate. With the help of your grace, my Lord and Father, I will embrace them and declare that I am
    ready to drink the cup of inner torment and the baptism of outer pain. And so I say, "God forbid that I
    should glory, save in the cross on which you were nailed for me and on which I, too, would be nailed for
    you.’'264 So be it.
 
From the Diary of St Faustina Kowalska:

Once Jesus told me, Go to Mother Superior [probably Mother Raphael 18] and ask her to let you wear a hair shirt for seven days, and once each night you are to get up and come to the chapel. I said yes, but I found a certain difficulty in actually going to
the Superior. In the evening Jesus asked me, How long will you put it off? I made up my mind to tell Mother Superior the very next time I would see her.
The next day before noon I saw Mother Superior going to the refectory and, since the kitchen, refectory and Sister Aloysia’s little room are all close to each other, I asked Mother Superior to come into Sister Aloysia’s room and told her of the wish of the Lord Jesus. At that, Mother answered, “I will not permit you to wear any hair shirt. Absolutely not! If the Lord Jesus were to give you the strength of a colossus, I would then permit those mortifications.”
I apologized for taking up Mother’s time and left the room. At that very moment I saw Jesus standing at the kitchen door, and I said to Him, “You commanded me to ask for these mortifications, but Mother Superior will not permit them.” Jesus said, I was here during your conversation with the Superior and know everything. I don’t demand mortification from you, but obedience. By obedience you give great glory to Me and gain merit for yourself.

In the monastery (every monastery has a rule, for example the rule of Carmel, the rule of St. Benedict)
On one occasion, Jesus gave me to know how pleasing to Him is the soul that faithfully keeps the rule. A soul will receive a greater reward for observing the rule than for penances and great mortifications. The latter will be rewarded also if they are undertaken over and above
the rule, but they will not surpass the rule.

Small Mortifications
To recite the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy with outstretched arms.
On Saturday, to say five decades of the Rosary with outstretched arms.
To sometimes recite a prayer [while] lying prostrate.
On Thursdays, a Holy Hour.
On Fridays, some greater mortification for dying sinners.

For those who are to little to practice big mortifications, you can read the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska:
saintsworks.net/books/St.%20Faustina%20Kowalska%20-%20Diary.pdf

St. Faustina chooses holy obedience to the Will of God, such as receiving humiliations, being thought as nought by her sisters, calumniated, sickness, all for love of God. These are mortifications pleasing in the sight of God, even more pleasing than corporal austerities as is revealed to Blessed Henry Suso.

Because these kind of austerities still have much self love, but total submission to the will of God… is the perfection of the love of God:thumbsup:
 
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