Time to Do the “Nineveh Thing” – Nineveh 90: January 1 to Easter Vigil
Nineveh 90 – Awesome Way for New Year’s Resolutions
SIGN UP HERE: JOIN NINEVEH 90
When the Apostles asked the Savior why they had been unable to drive the evil spirit from a demoniac, Our Lord gave a “key” for what intensifies or increases the power of our prayers: “This kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting“ (Matthew 17:21). So, too, the evil which today torments humanity can be conquered only by a world-wide crusade of prayer *and* penance.
This is particularly challenging for most people in our modern times, which is all the more reason why it is so necessary. Most of us living in America have been swimming in a veritable ocean of comforts and forms of pleasure. While many forms of pleasure are not sinful, in and of themselves, some are, or can be. Some forms of pleasure are objectively evil … e.g., viewing pornography. An over-indulgence of something can be sinful … e.g., excessive alcohol consumption. The things that give them pleasure, which leads to over-consumption or even addiction, can control many. In other words, they find themselves in a place where they are not happy unless they continue their pursuit of the “things” that make them happy.
Spiritually speaking, this over-indulgence or the use of objectively evil things causes a spiritual death (mortal sin). According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him” (CCC 1855). Furthermore, being in a state of mortal sin further inclines us to do evil. It leaves us with very little defenses against the Devil and our own weaknesses. If we are not God’s possession (in a state of grace), we are BY DEFINITION the devil’s possession (mortal sin), as he easily manipulates us.
When we are diminished by separation from God to this sloth, we lose our “drive to strive.” We take the easiest route. We are, quite literally, imprisoned or “stuck” in this lower, animalistic way of living. Having moved away from the Divine Life, we are now choosing the world over God’s love and protection. We are now “devil fodder” for every whim Satan sends our way.
The famous Nike slogan – JUST DO IT! – was, essentially, a call to physical fitness. Yet, it became the motto of our modern culture. Basically, it seemed to morph into, “If it feels good, do it” … don’t deny yourself any comfort or form of pleasure, even if it rises to the level of sin. In fact, the motto of satanists is, “Do What Thou Wilt.”
Penance, strictly speaking, is a choice for some superior good at the expense of denying oneself an inferior good. It’s a choice to disconnect from some worldly pleasure (leisure, junk food, etc.) in a desire to connect more to God and His will. The choice to offer extra prayer time, for example, means that it might take away from someone’s TV time. This is what it means to “Carry your cross.” Jesus could have chosen to flee and go vacation on the shores of the sea of Galilee, but instead He chose something more challenging … Christ made that “sacrifice.” We do that when we choose things of God over things of the world.
So, while satanists ascribe to “Do what thou wilt,” we follow the lead of Mary who, with her very last words ever recorded, gave us the prescription for a life filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). So, in essence, we are saying, “Just Stop It!” Just stop serving our carnal passions and free ourselves to serve the “higher goals” God wants us to focus upon in our lives.
Remove all of the obstacles keeping God from running into your life.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 40:3-5).
THE NINEVEH 90 CHALLENGE
Nineveh 90 – the 90 days from January 1 to March 31 – is inspired by the excellent program – Exodus 90 – designed exclusively for men by Fr. Brian Doerr and others. Men may want to choose the even more rigorous Exodus 90 (sign-up HERE), and use it for our 90-day journey.
For our Nineveh 90 journey, we are embracing the great values of prayer, mortification, a support system, and the research in the behavioral sciences that says 90 days is about the time needed to change bad habits. We will also be using some of the tried and true very powerful supernatural elements. Namely, the Brown Scapular, 54 Day Rosary Novena, and the 33 Day Preparation for Marian Consecration.
Why Nineveh 90? Recall the story of Nineveh in the Book of Jonah …
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened (Jonah 3:3-10)
They “Turned!!” There was a momentum shift back to God!!!
The Nineveh 90 Challenge Begins January 1.
“Consecration Day” will be on March 31, Easter Vigil, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Cross.
Nineveh 90 – Ten Elements
- For these 90 days, resolve to let go of repetitive sin you struggle with (e.g., acts of impurity, over-eating, alcohol, etc.)
- Wear Brown Scapular (Scapular Medal allowed) – Akin to Sackcloth
- Daily Mass (If you are able)
- Confession (at least once a month … immediately following grave sin)
- Support System: Create or join a “Nineveh 90 Squad” of 3+ people. Maybe create a Facebook group. Also, try to join together with an “Accountability Buddy.”
- Daily Prayer (Developing a quality Catholic Prayer Life)
- Morning Offering
- Angelus (6,Noon,6)
- Rosary
- Holy Hour (or at least 20 minutes of quiet prayerful reflection time. Does not need to be before the Blessed Sacrament. This is normally done at home or your favorite prayer space … maybe create a “God Cave” in your home)
- Bedtime Prayers
- For 90 Days, Commit to …
- Regular and challenging exercise
- Seven hours of sleep is essential
- No alcohol
- No desserts & sweets
- No eating between meals
- No soda or sweetened drinks
- Limit television or movies (news allowed)
- Only music that lifts the soul to God
- Limit televised sports (maybe one per week)
- Limit recreational computer time (only use for personal needs and fulfillment. May be needed for Nineveh 90 too)
- 54 Day Rosary Novena (Basic Training in Holiness) – January 1 to February 23
- 33 Day Preparation for Consecration – February 26 to March 30 (Good Friday)
- Marian Consecration – March 31, 2018 (Easter Vigil, Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Cross)
Prayer Intention for 54 Day Rosary Novena: Personal Holiness and for an end to abortion. Let’s pray for a world-wide momentum shift back to God!!
Sundays and Solemnities: May be a day of relaxed discipline, but not abandoned. (Sleep in an extra hour, cream in your coffee, a dessert, a beer, etc.)
Fasting: Wednesdays and Fridays (Water/Juice and bread only, if medically allowed, otherwise as is outlined by the USCCB)
You are encouraged (not required) to join the Angelic Warfare Confraternity
Please join our “Special Forces Training” FB group to receive instructions and form Nineveh 90 squads and buddies: SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING
From Michelle Linn Fallon: “I want to encourage everyone thinking about this to do it. I did this in a way without calling it this beginning in September when we did the first novena for our nation. I got up before 6am and worked up to 11 workouts a week. I’ve lost 40 pounds. I look great. I feel great. I’ve lost my taste for sweets. Broken my addiction to soft drinks from childhood. I have little sugar, little dairy and don’t want it. I am no longer considered obese and only slightly overweight according to my doctor. In 10 pounds my BMI will be normal again. My prayer life is more consistent. I hardly miss a day on this second novena so I rarely have days to make up prayers. I’ve joined a lay apostolate. Amazing things happen when you offer the discipline to God. Amazing prayers have been answered for me and I’ve witnessed miracles in my life. I can’t fast on bread because I can’t eat bread. But I can deny myself other things. I have health issues that keep me from some of the fasting things. But I can deny myself sleeping in when I want to and pray instead. It’s all habits. Do what you can do and focus on that. Let God do the rest. He will!”
