March 16
“Christ has called us, and asks us: ‘Are you ready to drink the chalice – the chalice which means giving yourself fully to the will of the Father – which I am going to drink?’ Possumus! Yes! We are ready! was the reply of John and James. Are you and I really ready to carry out, in everything, the will of our Father God? Have we given our Lord our whole heart, or are we attached to ourselves and our interests and comfort and self-love? Is there anything in our lives out of keeping with our Christianity, something which makes us unwilling to mend our ways? Today we are given a chance to set things straight.” St Josemaría

Mortification of the senses are very good and even indispensable. But they are not enough. The Lord wants nothing of self to remain; he wants us to learn to deny ourselves, and he wants our dedication to be total and unconditional.

“First of all, we must be convinced that Jesus is putting these questions to us personally. He is the one who asks them, not I. I wouldn't dare even put them to myself. I am praying aloud, and each of you, silently, is admitting to our Lord: ‘Lord, how useless I am, what a coward I have been! How many mistakes I've made, over and over again.’ And we can go further and say: ‘It's good, Lord, you have kept me up with your hand; for, left to myself, I am capable of the most disgraceful things. Don't let me go; keep on treating me like a little child. I want to be strong and brave and manly. But you must help me. I am a clumsy creature. Take me by the hand, Lord, and make sure that your Mother is also by my side to guard me. And so, possumus! We can; we will be able to have you as our model.’" St Josemaría

Today’s challenge: Perform a little service for the persons at home; this mortification will make the others' self-giving more pleasant.