Interior Pentecost of the Heart
May 17, 2013 by Mary Kaufmann
Filed under Featured, Holy Spirit, Mortification, Pentecost, Practicing Presence, Prayer, Suffering
Sometimes we struggle to find heroic lay people to emulate. The stories of many Saints and much spiritual literature describe the spiritual lives of consecrated and/or ordained Christians. But, what about the rest of us, the remaining 99.9% of the Church, do we have any hope for holiness? Vatican II answers in the affirmative with the universal call to holiness (Lumen Gentium 39). Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida,... Read More
Appetites – Navigating the Interior Life Spiritual Dictionary
July 6, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Mortification, Spiritual Dictionary
APPETITES – DISORDERED: Inordinate and willful desires of created things or circumstances not rightly ordered to moral or spiritual good that impede union with God and darken, defile, weaken, and torment the soul. This Spiritual Dictionary Term is an excerpt from Dan’s book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. To learn more, click here. About Dan BurkeDan is... Read More
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 we first cast that love away.... 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. You teach me not to be astonished... Read More
Am I being selfish by denying help to my family or friends? – Part II of II
October 31, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Mortification, Q and A, Self Denial
Q: Dear Father John, if Christians are called to charity, and we assume that our charity must cost us something (like time, comfort, or money), is there a time when we can justifiably deny a request without being selfish? I’m an at-home mom and my friends often ask me to babysit for their children. I always say “Yes”, but only because it is difficult for me to do so, and I wonder if God is increasing my capacity... Read More
Am I being selfish by denying help to my family or friends? – Part I of II
October 24, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Mortification, Q and A, Self Denial
Q: Dear Father John, if Christians are called to charity, and we assume that our charity must cost us something (like time, comfort, or money), is there a time when we can justifiably deny a request without being selfish? I’m an at-home mom and my friends often ask me to babysit for their children. I always say “Yes”, but only because it is difficult for me to do so, and I wonder if God is increasing my capacity... 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 Secret of a Schedule The... Read More
How can I increase the strength of my will to resist temptation? – Part I of II
July 25, 2011 by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Filed under Mortification, Spiritual Development
Q: Dear Father John, 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: I am so encouraged to see that you recognize a need to develop your willpower! The first job the Holy Spirit has is to show us our need for God’s grace, so you are obviously in tune with the Holy Spirit! And that’s the... 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 with penitence, sacrifice... 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, mortification refers to voluntary... Read More
