Wisdom for the Ascent – 1 – St. John of the Cross
March 25, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Ascent, Dark Night of the Soul, Divine Union, John of the Cross, Mortification, Self Denial
THE soul must of necessity—if we would attain to the divine union of God—pass through the dark night of mortification of the desires, and self-denial in all things. The reason is this; all the love we bestow on creatures is in the eyes of God mere darkness, and while we are involved therein, the soul is incapable of being enlightened and possessed by the pure and simple light of God, unless... Read More
Struggling with Lenten commitments? A prayer of St. Teresa on mortification
March 4, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Lent, Meditations, Mortification, Seasonal Meditations
“Why O Lord, should I be preoccupied with my fears and lose courage in the face of my weakness? You give me to understand that I must fortify myself in humility, and convince myself that I can do very little alone, and that without your help I am nothing. I shall put all my confidence in your mercy, and shall distrust my own strength, convinced that my weakness is caused by my self-reliance.... Read More
What can I do to increase the strength of my will to resist temptation and grow in holiness? – Part II of II
August 2, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Mortification, Q and A, Spiritual Development
Q: I would like to ask you for a piece of advice. Since my will is not so strong as it should be; what are the exercises to practice that important element of spiritual formation? A: In our first post we talked about some of the foundational ideas required to begin an effective effort toward strengthening our will. In this post we will talk about a few secrets and tips to making solid progress. The... Read More
Sayings of Light and Love #15
June 2, 2011 by Dan Burke
Filed under John of the Cross
Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. For how do you know if any desire of yours is according to God? Saint John of the Cross More ”Sayings of Light and Love” About Dan BurkeDan is the founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Beyond his “contagious”... Read More
Penance and Mortification… What is the difference?
April 4, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Lent, Mortification, Penance/Confession, Q and A, Sacraments, Seasonal Meditations
Q: Dear Father John, OK, now I have a better grasp of what we mean by “mortification,” but that has raised another question. Is there difference between mortification and penance or penitence. A: This is a very interesting question. The distinction between mortification (synonymous in most spiritual writers with self-denial, abnegation, self-renunciation, dying to self) and penance (synonymous... Read More
Lent and Mortification… What is mortification anyway?
March 21, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Lent, Mortification, Q and A
Q: Dear Father John, What is “mortification” and how does it relate to Lent? What does Saint Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 9 where he says, “I pummel my body and subdue it…” Is he talking about “mortification”? A: The root word for “mortification” comes from the Latin, mors and mortis, and it translates as “death.” In the spiritual life, therefore,... Read More
Fr. Barron comments on Pope John Paul II and Self-Mortification
February 19, 2010 by Dan Burke
Filed under Lent, Mortification, Seasonal Meditations
About Dan BurkeDan is the founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Beyond his “contagious” love for Jesus and His Church, he is a grateful husband and father of four, the Executive Director of and writer for EWTN’s National Catholic Register, a regular co-host... Read More
The Lenten War on Self – Are You Prepared for Battle?
February 18, 2010 by Dan Burke
Filed under Lent, Mortification, Seasonal Meditations
Saint Paul would not likely find many friends in some corners of the Church today – nor would Jesus for that matter. Primarily because they use what our culture would consider harsh language when dealing with sin in the Christian life. Paul uses the language of an elite athlete, the language of self-discipline and severe mortification. Jesus uses very graphic and violent imagery when emphasizing... Read More
What is mortification?
May 16, 2009 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Detachment, Mortification, Q and A
Q: Dear Father John, What is “mortification” and how does it relate to Lent? What does Saint Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 9 where he says, “I pummel my body and subdue it…” Is he talking about mortification? A: The root word for “mortification” comes from the Latin, mors and mortis, and it translates as “death.” In the spiritual life, therefore,... Read More
