text: Jesus recommends mortification.  Fasting is a form of mortification.
  
  Properly done and directed it leads to an increase in the dominion of the intellect and will over the passions and the appetites.  If not done properly it can lead to prideful behavior or worse.
  
  One of the best ways of mortification is to "look at the little things" of each day, what are called the passive mortifications, and turn those occasions into a loving conversation with God.  A prayer of the senses.
  
  Too many Catholics have bought into a rather protestant idea regarding our involvement with God's ongoing redemption of the world, our active participation with Him.
  
  We can spiritually help Jesus carry the Cross 2 thousand years ago, by being more attentive to the little efforts given to us each day to "deny ourselves" and "pick up the cross daily" as Jesus told us to.
  
  Smiling when we don't want to.
  Finding little ways to make our spouse's life more pleasant, in hidden quiet ways.
  Chasing away an ugly thought.