Intro
I’m on Day 5 of the FIAT90, and to be perfectly honest, I am struggling. Before I get into the challenges, I would like to share the Disciplines I felt compelled to devote myself to for my 90 days of Catholic devotion. Although this is technically not called a Devotion, I feel like this is a Devotion, so I think I’ll stick to this term.
Background
Before I begin to address the disciplines I chose, I thought I would share a little bit of background on me.
When I was little, I loved going to the library with my mom and participating in “Reading Challenges.” I loved the idea of reading as much as possible and then, at the end, sharing how many pages I read. I would get a rush out of it, and it would make me so happy. I was a bit of a nerd, but I was always ashamed of this ambition, so I would hide it from my friends. I didn’t want them to think I was a nerd.
As an adult, I actually worked for non-profits and developed “challenges” similar to the reading challenges I was a part of when I was little. I would develop scavenger hunts and at-home activities for families. In the end, they could turn in something to show what they accomplished and would win prizes based on what they accomplished.
I never thought about the link between my personal obsession with “challenges” and this FIAT90 Devotion, but I am drawing upon some parallels and intersections. I prayed a lot on this today, especially because I don’t want this to be or become a “challenge.” I want this to truly be a Devotion and a lifestyle change for me.
The FIAT90 Disciplines I Want to Work On
As I mentioned in Blog 1, the booklet provided by FIAT90 provides a list of lifestyle, physical, and spiritual disciplines to choose from. When making my choices, I knew right off the bat what I wanted to do for my spiritual disciplines, but it took me a little longer to discern the physical and lifestyle disciplines.
FIAT90 Lifestyle Disciplines
The lifestyle disciplines that FIAT90 recommends in their 2024 booklet are:
- No gossiping – I said YES. This is a given; there is no reason for me to gossip.
- No complaining – I said YES. Also a given; no reasons to complain only to be grateful.
- Limit TV and Movies – Yes. I decided to limit myself to 2-3 hours of TV or movies weekly. The Chosen Season 4 and Cabrini will be coming out during this 90 day Devotion.
- Limit Secular music, podcasts, and media – Yes. I will limit it to “how-to’s” and information I need for work.
- No phone after 9 PM – No 🙁 I can’t do this right now. I am in a long-distance relationship, and we talk on the phone after 9 PM since we have families and social lives.
- No social media – No 🙁 I work in marketing, which requires I research, post, and engage on social media.
- No unnecessary purchase – YES! It’s hard not to indulge in a little shopping, so offering up worldly pleasures in this manner is good.
FIAT90 Physical Disciplines
During the regular year, I abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. During Lent, I abstain from alcohol, limit sweets to once a week, and on Fridays, I fast all day except for one light meal. As I prayed on the FIAT90 physical disciplines, I thought that I didn’t want to do this for the wrong reasons. I wanted to make sure that it’s not my vanity (losing weight). I was reciting the 2nd Sorrowful Mystery of the 54-Day Rosary and came to the end, which says, “I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the grace of mortifying my senses I humbly lay this bouquet at your feet.” That’s when I googled “mortifying,” and it all connected. Fasting is about letting go of material life that distracts me from what’s important – God.
- Fasting – YES! FIAT90 suggests 2 small meals and one large meal, fast from sweets, alcohol, and snacks. I’m doing 2 days of fasting, on Wednesdays and Fridays, with only one meal, no meat.
- Getting up at first alarm – YES! This will be difficult. In fact, I tried to argue myself out of it, saying that everything is best in “God’s Time,” but getting up at the first alarm is the most difficult discipline FIAT90 added, so I have to follow through. On a side note: it’s day 5, and the score is 1/5 :(.
- Exercising/Activity – NO! FIAT90 suggests 3-5/week. I decided not to do this for FIAT90, not because I am sick or anything like that, but because I do this on my own. In fact, I listen to the Bible In A Year podcast while on my walk or exercising. This is already a part of my daily routine, and it helps me in a selfish (and vain) kind of manner, so I don’t feel right adding this to my FIAT90 goals.
FIAT90 Spiritual Disciplines:
- Spiritual Adoption – YES! I am praying over a family that is in need of reconciliation.
- 54-Day Rosary Novena – YES! This is what I have been looking forward to the most 🙂
- Daily Mass – No, but I want to do this in 2025.
- Confession – FIAT90 recommends bi-monthly or monthly – I will attend Bi-monthly, and since adoration is on the same day as Confession, I will do that, too.
- Spiritual Reading – YES! I have the Ascension Press app, and it’s so cool. They have Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year, the Daily Readings, and a reflection feature for FREE. I love doing this while exercising or on my breaks.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a lot going on, but it’s not about checking off things. I did Bible in a Year (BIY) in 2023, and it transformed me. I started BIY off because I wanted to learn more, but not necessarily because I wanted to get closer to God. The structure helped me learn, and yes, I did have something to check off. But it also encouraged me to show up. And when I showed up, it made me realize so much about myself – like I was sooooo stubborn and was literally trying to argue my way out of the commandments and trying to justify my sins as not being sins. I stopped doing that, and as a result, I ended up getting closer to God in ways I never thought possible.
I don’t know how much of an impact FIAT90 will have on me but, at least I know I will gain so much more knowledge about Our Blessed Virgin Mother and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have no doubt this experience will be epic!