Mortification does not seek pain

"Mortification" sounds like a whip and a long face. But properly understood, it has nothing to do with seeking pain for pain's sake. Look at the saints who sacrificed the most: the smile of John Paul II, the peace of Mother Teresa among the poorest. No bitterness at all. Depriving yourself of something small—a whim, a complaint, having the last word—has two healthy purposes: making you more master of yourself and leaving you freer to love others. It is not mistreating yourself; it is refusing to be a slave to every craving or impulse. That is why good mortification does not leave you in a worse mood or make you strange. It makes you lighter, more master of your life, and more capable of yielding for another. The goal is never to suffer: it is to love better.