Mortification — 'putting to death' the works of the flesh (Romans 8:13) — includes both the patient acceptance of the trials God permits and small chosen acts of self-denial: custody of the senses, moderation in food and comfort, perseverance in duty. Keep it hidden, joyful, and ordered to love, not to harm; let it always be guided by prudence and, where helpful, by a spiritual director. Its aim is not the body's contempt but the heart's purification.

mortification

Roman