It is incumbent upon the Christian to die to the flesh so as to live to the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the practices of mortification represented by the scourging and the crown of thorns are universal obligations that we live out under various aspects, such as fasting, prayer and almsgiving.
But we are also individuals, unique creatures of a loving God Who endowed each of us with a particular dignity. The negative side to this is that each of us has his or her own particular battle against sin and vice. When our Lord invites those who follow Him to take up their crosses daily, He is inviting us to embrace our lives as they truly are, not as an abstract exercise in conformity. This means embracing the particular sufferings that belong to my unique life, rather than blaming others or avoiding responsibility. It does not mean planning and seeking out special sufferings, as if I knew best what is necessary for my growth in the mystical life. Sometimes the absence of spectacular suffering is as much a mortification for those who desire holiness as is needed, and, in some cases, it may be more beneficial. The key is to take up my cross and not someone else’s, to be open to the medicaments prescribed by the Heavenly Physician for my particular maladies, trusting in His love.