Jesus’ coming victory over vice - The Trancfixion - B5 - Ch25

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how Our Redeemer, after His Baptism, walked to the desert where, by the practice of heroic virtues, He gained great victories over our vices. She also describes how the Blessed Virgin Mary was kept apprised of all the events and how she imitated Jesus perfectly. The Blessed Virgin Mary's instructions regarding mortification are clear. She said, "...corporal penances are so appropriate and fitted to mortal creatures, that the ignorance of this truth and the neglect and contempt of bodily mortification cause the loss of many souls and bring many more into the danger of eternal loss. The first reason why men should afflict their body and mortify their flesh is their having been conceived in sin (Psalm 50:7). By this original sin human nature is depraved, filled with passions, rebellious to reason, inclined to evil and adverse to the spirit (Romans 7:23). If the soul allows itself to be carried away by them, it will be precipitated by the first vice into many others."