Sentence:  “My dear child, how are you employed?” I knew the voice of the Superior, and I replied, “My father, I was sleeping.” “And I was <WSD>macerating</WSD> myself at the foot of the altar for you, my child,—the scourge is red with my blood.” I returned no answer, for I felt the maceration was better merited by the betrayer than the betrayed. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To mortify the flesh in general.