Midnight Carmelite

Episoder

• The Craftsmen of Your Holiness: Embracing Silence 01.07.2026 5min

  In this episode, we unpack a profound quote from St. John of the Cross: "When something distasteful or unpleasant comes your way, remember Christ crucified and be silent." We explore how the natural human reaction is to defend ourselves against perceived injustices, but the spiritual path calls us to a radical silence. By viewing our adversaries not as enemies but as God's chosen craftsmen, we can embrace the purifying chisel of suffering. Like Christ annihilated on the cross without consolation, we are called to trust God as our sole vindicator and allow our trials to sculpt us into saints.The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the biweekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter. https://midnightcarmelite.com/compass
• The Shadow of Our Own Greatness 17.06.2026 6min

  The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the biweekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter. https://midnightcarmelite.com/compassThe rejection of God's illuminating grace is rarely a passive error; it is an active, willful orientation of the lower faculties toward the trivial. When the soul prioritizes its own spiritual achievements over divine teleology, it cultivates an ontological resistance to the light. This spiritual pride obscures the intellect, causing the individual to excuse their faults rather than confront them. To rectify this disordered attachment to creatures and spiritual gratification, the soul must undergo the rigorous purification of the Dark Night, stripping the ego of itself to restore a state of genuine, childlike receptivity.Why the willful preference for darkness constitutes an active rejection of divine charity rather than a passive misunderstanding of grace.The ontological distinction between the exposing light of God and the self-serving darkness of creaturely attachment.How spiritual pride manifests in the faculties as a vain desire to instruct others and a refusal to accuse oneself in the confessional.The theological necessity of spiritual dryness as a mechanism to detach the soul from the comfortable darkness of the ego.
• Detachment and the Mode of the Receiver 03.06.2026 5min

  The theological maxim that "whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver" dictates the teleology of the beginner's approach to Mental Prayer. Before a soul can endure the profound Silence of God, the lower faculties—specifically the imagination and the sensory appetites—must be habituated to spiritual realities. Discursive reflection serves as the material cause for this initial phase of prayer, gradually drawing the soul away from the measure of the world and reorienting it toward the measure of Christ. This fundamental shift mortifies the ego and begins the purification of the will, preparing the intellect for the deeper, stripping work of the Dark Night.The Function of the Imagination: How discursive meditation utilizes the lower faculties to transition the soul from sensory dependence to genuine spiritual affection.The Metaphysics of Detachment: Why true renunciation transcends the mere absence of finite goods and requires the active mortification of the will against pride and outcomes.The Mode of the Receiver: How habituating the intellect through the initial frameworks of St. John of the Cross expands the soul's capacity to receive grace.Clearing the Vapors: The necessity of determined constancy in prayer to remove the attachments that obscure the divine light from illuminating the soul.I wrote a comprehensive guide on the metaphysics of the Dark Night and how to navigate it without losing your mind. Start Here: Read the Field Guide https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight/
• Spiritual Pride and the Trap of Personal Peace 20.05.2026 5min

  The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the bi-weekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter: https://midnightcarmelite.com/compassThe desire for the extirpation of personal flaws often masks a deeper corruption: spiritual pride. When the soul demands relief from its faults primarily to secure psychological tranquility, it misinterprets the teleology of purgation, substituting self-satisfaction for the absolute reality of God. St. John of the Cross demonstrates that the lower faculties crave an unblemished self-image, transforming an intrinsic spiritual good into a vehicle for selfishness. True transformation within the Dark Night requires the complete subordination of the ego, wherein even our persistent imperfections are recognized as providential instruments designed to shatter self-reliance and anchor the will in God alone.The Teleology of Purgation: How a well-intentioned desire to eradicate faults becomes corrupted when the ultimate end is self-directed peace rather than the glory of God.Motive as a Cause: An analysis of how an ordered object (virtue) is entirely ruined when married to selfishness.Providential Faults: The metaphysical necessity of persistent imperfections as a tool utilized by God to cultivate true humility and break the reliance on human praise.The Oil of the Wise Virgins: Interpreting Matthew 25 through a Carmelite lens, shifting the focus from external validation to an interior orientation directed solely toward the Divine.
• Finding the Right Measure in the Spiritual Life 06.05.2026 6min

  Authentic contemplation requires the purification of the three faculties: memory, intellect, and will. By analyzing the "riverbanks" of the soul, we distinguish between mere emotional impulse and the deliberate act of the will ordered toward Christ as its final cause.Understanding why St. John of the Cross prioritizes the triad of memory, intellect, and will as the principal seats of spiritual operation and their specific disposition via the theological virtues.An analysis of "mountains" (excess) and "lowlands" (defect) as the extremes of vice that pull the soul away from its supernatural end.Why venial sins and spiritual imperfections thrive in the “riverbank” state—acts that appear level but lack the right order and certitude of faith.How the humanity of Christ serves as the objective “mean” between extremes, providing the necessary framework for interpreting reality and neighbor.The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the bi-weekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter. midnightcarmelite.com/compassStuck in the Silence? The old maps—standard devotionals and "trying harder"—won't work here. You need new coordinates. I wrote a comprehensive guide on the metaphysics of the Dark Night and how to navigate it without losing your mind. Start Here: Read the Field Guide https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight/
• The Divine Guest: Saying 'Yes' To Christ's Humanity 22.04.2026 6min

  Prayer frequently devolves into an abstract exercise or a compartmentalized hosting of the Divine. However, when the soul becomes ensnared by the lower faculties of memory and imagination in replaying temporal grievances or chasing sensible consolations. Drawing upon the Carmelite tradition and St. Teresa of Avila, we examine how the humanity of Christ serves as the necessary mediator. True mental prayer requires moving beyond transient passions to a deliberate act of the will, establishing a continuous, undefended assent to His presence in every action.The Teleology of Emotion: Why focusing on Christ's humanity in joy or sorrow is not about resting in sensible feelings but utilizing them as the material cause for the will's movement toward divine love.The Purification of Memory: Recognizing useless imaginative wandering and arresting the exhausting cycle of dwelling on past temporal honors or injuries.The Governance of Passions: Ensuring that hope, joy, sorrow, and fear are ordered by reason, perfectly hitting the target between excess and defect.The Divine Presence: Why compartmentalizing Christ within temporal boundaries limits the continuous infusion of grace required for contemplative union.The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the biweekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter: midnightcarmelite.com/compassNew Here? If the silence is deafening and you need immediate triage, start with my free guide, The 5-Minute Prayer Reset: https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight
• God’s Unique Paths: Avoiding Spiritual Tyranny 08.04.2026 5min

  We often mistake uniformity for unity, attempting to force our spiritual progress into a standardized "method of procedure." St. John of the Cross warns that this is a form of spiritual tyranny. Whether it comes from an overbearing director, a rigid community, or our own prideful ego, the attempt to "hew the wood" of the soul without respecting God’s unique artistry leads to a "restriction of the breath of God." This episode examines the surgery required to remove the ego's possessiveness, making room for a Holy Spirit that refuses to be localized by our limitations.The Tyranny of Procedure: Why treating the spiritual life as a standardized assembly line deprives the soul of its necessary freedom.The Wood, the Polish, and the Paint: Understanding the diverse roles people play in our formation and why jealousy arises when we fail to see the "Multiplicity in Unity."The Ego’s Monopoly: How claiming a "definitive interpretation" of the interior life acts as a barrier to the resurrection.Getting Out of the Way: Why the "method of God" rarely looks like the "method of man" and how to identify the subtle greed of spiritual possessiveness.
• The Habit of Imitating Christ 25.03.2026 5min

  The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the bi-weekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter. https://midnightcarmelite.com/compassNew Here? If the silence is deafening and you need immediate triage, start with my free guide: The 5-Minute Prayer Reset. https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknightThe entrance into the Dark Night is often blocked by a fundamental disorientation: we attempt to navigate the "void" without a North Star. St. John of the Cross identifies the first movement toward conquering the appetites as a habitual desire to imitate Christ. However, many people attempt to imitate a projection rather than a Person. We must move past emotional sentimentality and into a rigorous, interiorized study of the Gospels. Without the blueprint of the Word, the soul lacks the necessary coordinates to bring its life into conformity with the Divine.Why true union with God is impossible without the mediation of the historical and mystical Christ.Understanding spiritual growth through the lens of craftsmanship—moving from external mimicry to internal mastery.Identifying why "not knowing" Christ’s reactions in Scripture leads to a breakdown in the active purgation of the senses.How to maintain the habit of imitation even when the internal state is dominated by frustration or sadness.
• The Poison of Spiritual Envy vs. the Beauty of Holy Envy 11.03.2026 5min

  Stuck in the Silence? The old maps—standard devotionals and "trying harder"—won't work here. You need new coordinates. I wrote a comprehensive guide on the metaphysics of the Dark Night and how to navigate it without losing your mind.Start Here: Read the Field Guide https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight/In this episode of Midnight Carmelite, we perform a metaphysical surgery on a subtle, insidious parasite: Spiritual Envy. St. John of the Cross describes this not just as a character flaw, but as a direct resistance to the Light. When we witness the Truth of God in another—their discipline, their peace, or their proximity to God—and feel a twinge of grief rather than joy, we are experiencing a contraction of charity. We explore the mechanics of "mud-throwing" and how the ego attempts to "undo" the reputations of others to compensate for its own perceived darkness.
• Stripping the Intellect and the Illusion of Understanding 25.02.2026 6min

  The Midnight Compass: Stop treating the Dark Night like a mood disorder. You don't need another devotional; you need a map for the void. Get the bi-weekly field guide featuring exact translations and the "Reflect-Pray-Act" micro-disciplines to turn your daily silence into presence and encounter: midnightcarmelite.com/compassNew Here? If the silence is deafening and you need immediate triage, start with my free guide: The 5-Minute Prayer Reset: https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknightSt. John of the Cross warns us against relying solely on our understanding to map out the spiritual life. If you are experiencing spiritual dryness, it is often because you are treating the Divine Mystery as a biological trigger or a data set to be mastered rather than an infinite reality to be encountered through faith. This episode performs a metaphysical surgery on our need for "understanding," demonstrating why trying to grasp God's essence with our intellect leads to a self-imposed gnosticism. We must actively strip away our limited perceptions and allow the darkness of faith to be our true guide.Clinical Notes:The difference between identifying an object (like a rose) and truly understanding its essence, which remains impossible when it comes to the mystery of God.How faith acts as the necessary darkness that helps us see and understand the formal structure of reality proposed by the Church.The specific danger of reducing your spiritual life to a dopamine hit or a closed biological system rather than a relationship with the Divine.The true nature of mercy (Luke 6:36) as an unpredictable gift that requires us to let go of our affairs and desire for vengeance once justice is acknowledged.
• The Colloquy, Session 2: Dr. Larry Chapp On The Law of Proportionate Polarization (S11, EP07) 12.02.2026 1t 15min

  Stuck in the Silence? The old maps—standard devotionals and "trying harder"—won't work here. You need new coordinates. I wrote a comprehensive guide on the metaphysics of the Dark Night and how to navigate it without losing your mind.Start Here: Read the Field Guide https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight/In this episode, Dr. Larry Chapp and Andrew analyze the "Law of Proportionate Polarization" and the modern crisis of the "Bureaucratic Register". We discuss why the contemporary institution often fails to address the spiritual crisis because it ignores the "Sanctified Register of the Saint". By attempting to manage the Holy Spirit through programs and synods, the modern church risks losing its "Epistemic Humility" and the essential mystery of the faith. This conversation serves as a triage for the soul caught between a world of "sticks and stuff" and the call to a sacrificial, contemplative life.
• The Myth of Trying Harder (S11, EP06) 11.02.2026 6min

  Stuck in the Silence?The old maps—standard devotionals and "trying harder"—won't work here. You need new coordinates.I wrote a comprehensive guide on the metaphysics of the Dark Night and how to navigate it without losing your mind.Start Here: Read the Field Guide https://midnightcarmelite.com/darknight/We often mistake spiritual activity for spiritual progress. When the sensible consolations of prayer vanish, our natural human instinct is to "panic-buy" our way back into God’s presence through more rosaries, more retreats, and more mental strain. However, this is not a lack of effort; it is a misunderstanding of the metaphysics of the Light. By virtue of your Baptism, you are already in the Light—but an "Excess of Light" can feel like total darkness. The resentment you feel toward a "broken contract" with God is the signal that you are trying to navigate a new landscape with an old, broken map.The Myth of Spiritual Volume: Why adding more vocal prayers during a period of dryness is often a defense mechanism against the actual surgery God is performing.The Metaphysics of Baptism: Understanding your permanent mark as an adopted child of God and why you cannot "fall out" of His light, even when it feels blinding or absent.Productive vs. Unproductive Mortification: How to stop "spiritual thrashing" and pivot toward disciplined detachment from specific habits (like doom-scrolling) rather than mental exhaustion in prayer.The Unique Dialogue: Why universal prescriptions often fail and the necessity of returning to the life of Christ in the Gospels as the "Final Word" of your direction.
• Detachment, Obedience, and Your State of Life (S11, EP05) 28.01.2026 6min

  When God feels silent, you aren't doing it wrong.You are hitting the limit of your intellect. The old maps—standard devotionals and "trying harder"—won't work here. You don't need to do more; you need a new coordinate.Download the free 5-Minute Reset: A field guide designed to help you find God in the silence (even with your eyes open).👉 [Get the Map Here]: https://midnightcarmelite.com/resetAre you afraid that letting go might "break" you? Detachment isn't just about strength; it's a test of listening. In this episode, we explore the link between detachment, obedience as "listening," and how to discern what to hold onto and let go of, to grow in holiness, no matter your state in life.Key TakeawaysThe True Definition of Obedience: Understand why obedience is not blind submission, but a form of "radical listening" to God through the people and circumstances around you.Navigating State in Life: Learn how to prioritize your vocation (such as marriage) over personal attachments, using the specific example of balancing hobbies with family obligations.The Role of Perseverance: Discover St. Teresa of Avila’s concept of "determined determination" and why getting back up after a failure is just as important as the success itself.
• The Light of What Is to Come: Why This Hard Work Is Worth It (S11, EP04) 14.01.2026 7min

  Ready for a Spiritual Fresh Start? Looking to deepen your prayer life beyond the holiday season? Download our free guide to Carmelite spirituality to help you navigate the new year with purpose and peace: https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset Why is the spiritual life such a struggle? When we are asked to detach from the things we love and "walk by starlight," it can feel like an endless battle in the dark. But St. John of the Cross offers a powerful reason why this hard work isn't just necessary—it is the only path to true freedom. In this episode, we dive deep into the "Active Night of the Senses" and the reality of walking by the light of pure faith. We explore the difficult work of mortification and self-denial, viewing them not as arbitrary punishments, but as essential training to reorient our inner compass toward God. We also discuss the profound difference between undergoing purification here on earth versus in Purgatory, and why love for Christ—rather than fear—is the ultimate incentive for embracing the journey. In this episode, you will learn: The Active Night Explained: Understand the subtle but critical difference between healthy recreation and the spiritual danger of seeking consolation for its own sake.Purgatory Now vs. Later: Discover why St. John of the Cross argues that purification in this life (with the body) is preferable to the "unnatural" state of purification in the next.The Path to Union: Learn how the heavy lifting of virtue we do now eventually gives way to a "spiritual marriage" where God’s grace takes over the effort.
• Walking by the Starlight of Faith: From Consolation to Union (S11, EP03) 31.12.2025 6min

  Ready for a Spiritual Fresh Start? Looking to deepen your prayer life beyond the holiday season? Download our free guide to Carmelite spirituality to help you navigate the new year with purpose and peace: https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset The decorations are coming down, the carols are ending, and the emotional "high" of Christmas is beginning to wane. But what happens when the angels stop singing and you’re left in the quiet of a cold January? In this episode, we explore how to transition from the temporary feelings of the holidays into a "naked faith"—the kind of faith that sustains you when God feels distant and the path ahead is lit only by the faint glow of starlight. Summary As the festive glow of Christmas begins to fade, how do we transition from fleeting holiday emotions to a steady, persistent faith? Today, we dive into the profound contrast between the shepherds and the Magi. While an explosion of angelic glory greeted the shepherds, the Magi had to endure a long, quiet journey guided by a single star. We discuss why most of our spiritual lives look more like the Magi’s trek than the shepherds’ visitation. You’ll discover how to recognize God’s presence in the ordinary, the beauty of the Eucharist, and why the mystery of the Incarnation is the ultimate proof of God’s infinite love for you—even when you don't "feel" it. Key Takeaways The Shepherd vs. The Magi Experience: Understand why God sometimes gives us "angelic" consolations and why, at other times, He asks us to walk by the "starlight" of pure faith.Finding God in the Ordinary: How to recognize Emmanuel (God with us) in your daily life and the Eucharist, even when you aren't experiencing big spiritual visions.The Power of the Incarnation: Why God becoming man is the ultimate answer to your deepest questions and the necessary starting point for all spiritual growth.Walking the "Starlight" Path of Faith: Practical encouragement for staying faithful to your prayer life when the pomp and circumstance of the season disappear.
• The Christmas Test: Spiritual Poverty and Difficult People (S11, EP02) 17.12.2025 6min

  Free Advent Guide: Are you looking to deepen your prayer life this season? Download our free guide to Carmelite spirituality to help you navigate Advent with purpose: https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset Do you feel pressure to create the perfect "Hallmark Christmas," only to be met with stress, difficult relatives, and a feeling of emptiness? We often think that a perfect holiday means abundance, comfort, and peace. However, Bishop Sheen famously remarked that the saddest moment in history was when there was "no room at the inn." In this episode of Midnight Carmelite, we explore the profound theology behind the Manger and the Inn. While the Inn represents a world full of itself with no room for God, the Manger represents the poverty, lack, and discomfort where Christ actually chooses to be born. We discuss how you can transform family tension, awkward conversations, and holiday chores into an offering of "straw" for the baby Jesus, turning your struggles into a path for deep spiritual growth. In this episode, you will learn: The Spiritual Value of Discomfort: Why Christ chose the cold, smelly manger over the comfort of the inn, and what that means for your holiday struggles.How to Navigate Family Conflict: Practical advice on practicing spiritual poverty when dealing with difficult situations or hurtful comments.From Possession to Freedom: Understanding St. John of the Cross’s teaching that to possess God, we must desire to possess nothing—including our own will.
• The Silent Stable: Preparing the Soul for the Incarnation (S11, EP01) 03.12.2025 6min

  Free Advent Guide: Are you looking to deepen your prayer life this season? Download our free guide to Carmelite spirituality to help you navigate Advent with purpose: https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset Is silence just empty space, or is it something more? In our modern world, we often view silence as a vacuum—an absence of noise. But true spiritual silence is actually a form of active receptivity. Just as you must be silent to truly hear a friend or imagine a story while reading, you must cultivate interior silence to perceive the reality of God. In the hustle of the holiday season, it is easy to miss the Incarnation if we are not prepared to listen. In this week’s episode of Midnight Carmelite, we explore how to prepare for the feast of the Incarnation. We look to the Nativity story—where Christ was born into a silence—as our guide. We also discuss the practical tool of mortification. Far from being a negative practice, we frame mortification as the "shovel" used to clear the stable of our hearts, while our good deeds become the straw that cushions the manger for the Christ Child. In this episode, you will learn: The definition of Active Receptivity: Why silence is not a void, but a necessary state of listening for God’s disclosure.Lessons from the Nativity: How the humility of the shepherds and Magi allowed them to notice what the rest of the world missed.The "Shovel" and the "Straw": A practical metaphor for using mortification to remove worldly attachments and good deeds to welcome the Lord.Practical Advent Steps: How to replace distractions (like excessive shopping) with ten minutes of Scripture and silence.
• The Colloquy, Session 1: Dr. Larry Chapp 21.11.2025 1t 33min

  Get my free guide, "The 5-Minute Prayer Reset," and discover a simple framework to turn this inspiration into a consistent daily practice at https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset Why does death seem so random? Why do innocent children suffer while tyrants live to old age? In this episode, Andrew Gniadek sits down with returning guest Dr. Larry Chapp to tackle the "scandal of evil." They move beyond standard textbook answers to explore the deep, emotional reality of lament and the "kenosis of the cross." Beyond the problem of evil, this conversation explores the practical side of sanctity in the modern world. Dr. Chapp shares candid insights on the dangers of "quid pro quo" prayer, the history of the Catechism as a response to post-Vatican II chaos, and how to find holiness in the everyday annoyances of marriage. Here is what you will learn in this episode: The Mystery of Suffering: Why logical arguments often fail to comfort us in the face of tragedy, and why we must instead look to the "unjust" death of Christ.Overcoming Ego in Prayer: How to interpret "unanswered" prayers not as rejection, but as protection from our own misguided desires.Sanctity in Annoyance: A practical strategy for turning marital frustrations—like quirks and habits—into moments of obedience and deep love.The Role of the Catechism: Understanding the historical pivot from the confusion of the 1970s to the theological standardization of John Paul II and Ratzinger.
• Navigating Spiritual Dryness in Prayer (S10,EP10) 19.11.2025 6min

  Do you ever feel like your prayer is pointless? You show up, but you feel nothing, "know" nothing, and it seems like you're just talking to the void. This experience of spiritual dryness is one of the most common and difficult challenges in the spiritual life, and it's the number one reason many people stop praying altogether. In this episode, we explore the practical and profound antidote to this dryness: faith and hope. We dive into John Henry Newman's powerful distinction between "notional assent" (simply knowing and explaining facts about God) and "real assent" (letting those truths radically change how you live). This shift is the key to understanding what to do when your prayer feels empty. We discuss how this concept, combined with St. Teresa of Avila's "determined determination," responds to dryness. It's not a sign of failure or God's absence; it's a critical training ground to build a faith that isn't dependent on feelings. In this episode, you will learn: The crucial difference between "notional assent" and "real assent" and how it impacts your prayer.Why looking for God in your feelings or natural understanding is like trying to "force God into something that would make him not God."How to understand dryness as the training ground St.John of the Cross calls "naked faith."Practical ways to apply "determined determination" and use hope as the fuel to persevere, even when prayer feels pointless. Enjoying the episode? The journey does not have to end here. Get my free guide, "The 5-Minute Prayer Reset," and discover a simple framework to turn this inspiration into a consistent daily practice at https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset.
• A Disciplined Life Supports Disciplined Prayer (S10, EP09) 05.11.2025 8min

  Do you ever sit down to pray, only to find your mind is restless, anxious, or pulled in a dozen different directions? In a world that offers instant gratification, it’s harder than ever to build the spiritual focus needed for deep prayer. We're told to "seek God," but our attachments often seek "consolations" instead. Enjoying the episode? The journey does not have to end here. Get my free guide, "The 5-Minute Prayer Reset," and discover a simple framework to turn this inspiration into a consistent daily practice at https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset. This week, we dive into the practical and powerful Carmelite concept of mortification. Far from being an outdated practice, mortification is the spiritual equivalent of going to the gym. It’s the conscious, willed denial of our small, everyday attachments—from choosing the fruit snack you don't prefer to cutting off a "doom-scrolling" session. We explore how these tiny acts of self-denial build incredible spiritual muscle, killing self-will so you can become more docile and receptive to God in prayer. In this episode, you’ll learn: What mortification truly is (and what it isn't).Practical, small ways to practice mortification in your daily life.How building "spiritual muscle" directly combats distraction and agitation in your prayer time.Why a lack of mortification is often rooted in a deeper lack of hope in God, keeping us lukewarm.