The Practice of Christian and Religious Perfection, Volume 2

ON MORTIFICATION.

That we must join mortification to prayer, to be a help one to the other.

“It is good to join prayer to fasting,” (Tob. xii. 8), said the angel Raphael to Tobias, when he made himself known unto him. The holy fathers, by fasting, commonly understand, whatsoever belongs to penance and mortification of the flesh; and accordingly they consider mortification and prayer as the two principal means’ we have to advance in perfection, and which ought to be inseparable companions. St. Bernard, upon the words of the Canticles, “Who is she that ascends by the desert as a little cloud of smoke, composed of the perfumes that proceed from myrrh and incense?” (Cant. iii. 6), says, that myrrh and incense, which are the symbols of mortification and prayer, ought always to accompany us — that it is by these two wings we must raise ourselves to the sovereign degree of perfection, and render ourselves a sweet smelling odour or perfume before the throne of God; and that the one is scarce of any use without the other. For he who only mortifies his flesh, without humbling his mind by prayer, becomes proud, and deserves to have these words of the royal prophet applied to him: “Shall I feed upon the flesh of bulls? Or shall I drink the blood of goats?” — Ps. xlix. 13. These sort of sacrifices that contain nothing but flesh and blood, are not at all pleasing to God. And, on the other hand, he who gives himself to prayer, and neglects to mortify his flesh, ought to be afraid of our Saviour’s words in the gospel: