The practice of the Christian virtues - 2

II. — THE PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me (St. Matt. xvi. 24).

This is all that anyone who wishes to be a follower of Jesus Christ has to do. The denying of oneself is the mortification of self-love. Do we wish to be saved? We must, then, conquer all to make sure of all. How miserable is the soul that allows itself to be guided by self-love!

Mortification is of two kinds, interior and exterior. By interior mortification we have to study to conquer our passions, and especially our most predominant one. A person who does not overcome his predominant passion is in great danger of being lost. Whereas he who has overcome that, will easily conquer all the others. Some, however, allow one vice to predominate in them, and think that they are good because they do not see in themselves vices which others have. "But what does it matter?" says St. Cyril: "one leak is enough to sink the ship." Nor will it suffice to say: "I cannot abstain from this vice," — a resolute will conquers all, that is, of course, with the assistance of God Who will never fail us.

Exterior mortification has to do with conquering the sensual appetites. Worldly people call the Saints cruel when they deny their bodies all satisfaction of the senses and chastise them with hair-shirts, disciplines, and other penances. "But," says St. Bernard, "they are in reality much more cruel who condemn themselves to burn for ever in hell-fire for the sake of the short and miserable pleasures of this life." Others say that all forbidden pleasures should be denied to the body; but they despise external mortifications, saying, that interior mortification is what is required; that is, the mortification of the will. Yes, it is principally necessary to mortify the will, but the mortification of the flesh is also necessary; because when the flesh is not mortified, obedience to God's laws is difficult. St. John of the Cross said that any one who taught that external mortification was not necessary, ought not to be believed, even though he worked miracles. But let us come to the practice of it.

In the first place, the eyes must be mortified. The first arrows which wound the soul, and often kill it, enter through the eyes. The eyes are, as it were, grappling-irons of hell, which drag souls, as if by main force, into sin. A certain Pagan philosopher voluntarily put out his eyes to free himself from impurity. It is not lawful for us to pluck out our eyes, but we ought to render them blind by means of mortification; otherwise we shall find it difficult to keep ourselves chaste. St. Francis de Sales said: "You must close the gates if you do not wish the enemy to enter into the citadel." We must abstain from looking at any object that may give occasion to temptation. St. Aloysius Gonzaga did not dare to raise his eyes to look even at his own mother. And when by chance our eyes light on some dangerous object, let us take care not to fix them on it. "It is not so much the mere seeing," says St. Francis de Sales, "but the inspecting and continuing to look, that is the cause of ruin." Let us then be very careful in mortifying our eyes; because many are now in hell on account of sins committed with the eyes.

In the second place, we must mortify our tongue, by abstaining from words of detraction, of abuse, or of obscenity. An impure word spoken in conversation, even in jest, may prove a scandal to others, and be the cause and source of a thousand sins. And it should be observed, that often a word of double meaning, said in a witty way, does more harm than a word openly impure.

In the third place, we must mortify the taste. St. Andrew Avellino said that in order to commence a good Christian life, a man must begin by the mortification of his palate. And St. Francis de Sales said: "We must eat to live, not live to eat." Many seem to live only to eat, and thus they destroy the health both of their soul and body. For the most part costiveness, diarrhoea, and other illnesses are caused by gluttony. But the worst is, that intemperance in eating and drinking is often the cause of incontinence. Cassian writes that it is impossible for a man who is satiated with food and heating drinks — as wine, brandy, and the like, not to feel many impure temptations. "But how is this?" says some one; "must I eat no more?" Yes, my good friend, we must eat to preserve our life, but like rational beings, not as brutes. Especially if you desire to be free from impure temptations, abstain from eating overmuch meat, and from overmuch wine. The Scripture says: Give not wine to kings (Prov. xxxi. 4). By a king is meant one who brings his flesh under the dominion of reason. Much wine makes us lose our reason, and involves not only the vice of intemperance which is certainly a mortal sin, but also that of impurity. Do not complain of sometimes having to fast or abstain, especially on a Saturday, in honour of the Most Holy Mary. Many fast on bread and water. This you can at least do on the Vigils of the seven principal Feasts of Our Lady. I pray you to observe at least the Fasts of obligation. Some go beyond fifteen or twenty ounces at collation, and say: It is alright if one is not satisfied." No, it is not alright. The most that can be taken on the evenings of fast days of obligation is eight ounces; and even that has grown up by custom; for in olden times food could be taken only once a day.

In the fourth place, we must mortify our hearing and our touch: the hearing, by avoiding listening to immodest and scandalous conversations; the touch, by using all possible caution, as well in regard to others as in regard to ourselves. Some say it is nothing, that they only do it in jest; but who, I ask, would play with fire?