Taking On Fiat 40
I learned about spiritual challenges from my Catholic ex-boyfriend. In 2020, he was invited by a friend to join a group of brothers (a fraternity) on a spiritual challenge called Exodus 90. This challenge brought about a complete transformation of his mind, body, and soul. He blossomed into a leader of discipline and strength and lived out discipleship by getting involved in ministry and pouring into his community. It was inspiring for me to watch him grow in his faith. In just 90 days, he experienced true freedom by breaking the chains of his worldly attachments.
I wanted to do a spiritual challenge like Exodus 90. But at the time, I did not know that there was a program similar to Exodus 90 for women called Fiat 40. Though underdeveloped, Fiat 40 has all of the main components that Exodus 90 does (prayer, ascetism, and community). In 2021, my dear friend Adri invited me to do Fiat 40 with her, and I decided to say “yes” to the challenge. But completing this challenge was difficult. Unlike the men, Fiat 40 isn’t a formal program. We did not have a whole lot of resources for us to use to complete the program (like an app to keep track of our disciplines). There was less accountability which made it easier to fall through the cracks.
This year, I am the Fiat 40 sorority leader for the women in my young adult ministry. Leading my sisters to successfully complete this challenge is important to me. I took the lessons I learned from the first time I completed this challenge and decided to create tools to aid us in the next 40 days. Today, I will be sharing these resources with you! If you are interested in taking on the challenge this year, look no further. I will be sharing all of the materials that I have created for my sisters and me to use in the next 40 days.
The Booklet
This 24-page booklet has all of the details that you need to complete the 40-day challenge. There is a short introduction letter from yours truly and a list of all of the disciplines. The booklet also includes a timeline. In addition to maintaining our fasts, we are committed to a reading schedule and weekly themes/saints to focus on. I also included all of the prayers for the challenge as well.
Fiat 40 isn’t meant to be easy, but it’s definitely rewarding. I plan to keep this booklet on my nightstand. It will be the first thing I open up in the morning and the last thing I read before I go to bed. The calendar makes it easy to keep track of where I am with my readings. Feel free to mark it up as much as you want!
The Form
The men get to keep track of their disciplines utilizing a paid app/subscription. I don’t know how to code, but I did manage to make a Google Form for Fiat 40. I’m a big fan of to-do lists. Nothing is more satisfying than checking off items that I have completed throughout the day. Though I cannot give you the form that my sorority is using, the link that I have shared is a copy of the form. You can utilize this form as a source of inspiration to create your own. It is very easy to put together!
The Playlist
Need music recommendations for the Lenten season? Look no further! I created a playlist with all of the songs that are outlined in the booklet. You are encouraged to listen, meditate, and sing along. As St. Augustine said, “to sing is to pray twice!”
Sorority Meetings
Every week, I will be meeting up with my sisters in-person to discuss the challenge. The structure of the meetings can go any way that the Holy Spirit is calling you to lead. For our sorority, we will be following this format:
Opening Prayer
Highs: Best part of the week
Lows: Challenging part of the week
God Moment: An event or moment where you felt close to God
Discussion of Theme (Virtues) & Daily Rosary
Closing Prayer
I encourage you to meet with your sisters at least a week before Ash Wednesday to discuss the challenge. It is good to have an introductory meeting of sorts where you all get to know each other and discuss any questions that you may have.
Anchor Assignments
Every person who undergoes this challenge should be assigned an anchor (partner) in the sorority. Your anchor should check up on you every day to ensure that you are on track. You can share your reflections, struggles, and joys with your group. But it’s also good to have an anchor in your sorority who can hold you personally accountable throughout the challenge.
Other Resources
Want to share with your friends that you will be off of social media for the next 40 days? Here are some graphics that I have prepared for you. You can use the Instagram Story to make an official announcement the day before and replace your profile photo with the graphic that I have provided. This will signal to your friends and family who might want to reach out to you via social media that you will be “offline” for the next 40 days.
If the Holy Spirit is calling you to take on this challenge this year, I would encourage you to utilize these resources that I have provided for your group. Feel free to reach out to me at emily@inner-eminence.com if you have any additional questions. Whatever God leads you to give up for Lent, I hope it serves as a powerful decision to pursue God and His goodness. Make sure to subscribe to my mailing list for more faith-based reflections! You can find more faith related posts here. God Bless!
Emily
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