The self-denial of a Christian will be for God his Saviour. But this self-denial consists not so much in little matters of food, amusement, employment of time, and other things of like kind, though they are not excluded, as in an entire submission to God in all points of service and duty: in a desire, as all is received from Him, to expend all for Him; to live not as our own masters, but God's servants. Our highest aim should be to serve the will of God, and to say with entire truth, as Saint Paul said of himself, I live, now not I; but Christ lives in me. It is the proper character of a true Christian to be able to deny, and as it were, disown himself, and to make a full surrender of self to God; so minding only the will of His Creator, Heavenly King, and Redeemer, as to forget self; and to glory in his own nothingness, and in the fullness of the Godhead, now through the humanity of Christ, his to have communion with and to be filled with. Of His fullness (Saint John writes) have we all received, and grace for grace. This being nothing in himself is the way for the Christian to be all things: this having nothing, the true way to possess all things.
Lord, at Thy feet I fall,
I groan to be set free;
I fain would now obey Thy call,
And give up all for Thee.
Come and possess me whole;
Nor hence again remove.
Settle and fix my wavering soul,
With all Thy weight of love.
How excellent, then, how much to be cherished, is this Christian self-denial!
- text taken from Daily Bread - Bring a Few Morning Meditations for the Use of Catholic Christians by Father Richard Waldo Sibthorp