Every denial of the body’s love of softness is an act of glory to God and goes towards ultimate happiness in him.  Every renunciation made in the effort to secure more time for prayer, every restriction imposed upon extravagance, every attempt made to keep silence, every denial of fastidiousness in food, every reduction of sleep, every prolongation of manual labour will not only bring in its dividends in the end but will also strengthen the soul in this present life.

On the debit side, it must equally be recognized that each selfish indulgence in food, drink, sleep, entertainment, smoking, reading and listening spells a weakening of reserves which subsequent penance will have to reinforce.  The trouble is that an act of surrender to the flesh does not step there;  it loosens the restraints.  The principle is inescapable:  wherever the indulgence is enjoyed for the sake of indulgence, there is an increasing likelihood of further indulgence.