When St. Teresa’s brother expressed a desire to practice physical mortification she gave him some spiritual direction. Dan and Melissa discuss acesis and spiritual progress as they reflect on letters from St. Teresa in the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila.
Topics/Questions covered in the show:
- What is a hair shirt? How is it used in the spiritual life?
- The role of the Holy Spirit in physical ascetical practices.
- How can one avoid the sin of pride when practicing ascesis?
- Discerning whether, or how, to practice mortification.
- Interior mortification vs. external mortification.
- What are the benefits of ascetical practices?
- What are the fruits of suffering? Is voluntary suffering as fruitful as involuntary suffering?
Resources:
- 30 Days with Teresa of Avila – Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
- Reflections on Day 26 – Part 1
- Dr. Anthony Lilles
- Hair shirt – New Advent link
- Pelagianism – New Advent link
- Voluntarism – New Advent link
- Avila Institute – Link
- 1 Corinthians 9:27 – USCCB Bible link: “I drive [or buffet] my body and train it”
- Fr. Barron Comments on Pope John Paul II and Self-Mortification– Fr. Robert Barron video on “Taking the discipline” on spiritualdirection.com
- For Call in questions for future shows 818-646-7729 — please leave your name, location and question.
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About Dan Burke
Dan is the founder of Catholic Spiritual Direction, the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, and Divine Intimacy Radio, author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God, and his newest books Finding God Through Meditation-St. Peter of Alcantara and 30 Days with Teresa of Avila. 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 on Register Radio, a writer and speaker who provides online spiritual formation and travels to share his conversion story and the great riches that the Church provides us through authentic Catholic spirituality. Dan has been featured on EWTN’s Journey Home program and numerous radio programs.
