THE NINEVEH 90 CHALLENGE

Patience doesn’t mean resignation.  Patience derives from patior, a Latin verb that means: I share, I feel the same thing.  It is the virtue of great souls, very much necessary in everyday life.  We often encounter physical and moral difficulties, painful family situations, people that need to be listened to and are in need of compassion; situations that we must face with patience, imitating the patience of God who is patient, for He became flesh and came to share our situation and human condition.  Unfortunately, we almost always overlook the fact that the best evangelization campaign can be our own life.  In fact, if we let ourselves be totally guided by the Holy Spirit who is in us, our life would produce a precious fruit that would end up drawing the interest of and attracting people to Christ.

The characteristics of this fruit, described in Gal 5:22, set believers apart and make them a light in the midst of darkness.  God desires that His children be similar to Him, and we can be, giving space to His Spirit in our minds, in our hearts and in our souls.  Jesus explains to Luisa the greatness of the virtue of patience and affirms that patience is superior to purity, because without patience, the soul easily breaks free and it is difficult to remain pure, and when one virtue needs another virtue in order to have life, the latter virtue is called superior to the former.  In fact, one can say that patience is the guardian of purity and not only that, but it is the ladder in order to climb the mountain of fortitude, in such a way that if one went up without the ladder of patience, he would immediately plummet from the highest point to the lowest.

In addition to this, patience is the seed of perseverance and this seed produces branches called firmness.  How firm and stabile in the good undertaken is the patient soul!  She pays no attention to rain, frost, ice, or fire, but all of her attention is on bringing to completion the good she has started.  For there is no greater foolishness than that of one who today does some good and tomorrow, because he finds no more pleasure, neglects it.  What would one say about an eye that at one hour possesses sight and at another remains blind?  Of a tongue that now speaks and now remains mute?  Patience alone is the secret key to open up the treasure of virtues; without the secret of this key, the other virtues do not come out to give life to the soul and render her noble.

Patience seems like something as long extinct as the “dinosaurs”!  For us human beings, this word might exist only as an exclamation of exasperation or of resignation.  Indeed, patience is divine.  God demonstrates an immense patience towards man, but also asks us to be patient like Him, patient in circumstances, patient with others, patient in trials, patient with ourselves.  Patience is not an option for us believers.  Without this characteristic, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is not complete.

Given that none of the parts comprising the fruit of the Spirit exclude the others, since they are all fundamentally connected to each other, patience, which is more useful than all the others in everyday life, is linked to love.  You cannot love without being patient and you cannot be patient if you do not love.  Love produces patience, it manifests itself in patience and, if it is the love of God making us capable of love, to cultivate this love is patience.

Jesus again states in the writings of Luisa that, in addition to the food of love, He desires the bread of patience from the soul, for patient and suffering love is the most solid, the most satisfying and strengthening food because if love is not patient, one can say that it is wretched love, light and without any substance, lacking the necessary material in order to form the bread of patience.  In imitation of Jesus, Christian patience is the free acceptance of that which crucifies us in life, a loving conformity to the Will of God.  Patience, in fact, can be defined as the virtue of those who know how to tolerate serenely and for a long time all that which, to a greater or lesser extent, is unpleasant, irritating, painful: the ability to know how to wait for things to come and to remain firm during adversity, the capacity to know how to wait for God in His time and in His plans.  Jesus says to Luisa that the most certain sign of loving the Lord is the cross, but the cross borne with patience and resignation, because where there is patience and resignation in crosses, there is Divine Life.  Since our nature is so reluctant to suffer, if there is patience, it cannot be something natural but divine, and the soul no longer loves the Lord only with her love, but united to the love of the Divine Life: therefore, what doubt can she have whether she loves or not, if she arrives at loving Him with His same love?  If she lacks patience, she lacks love because love is only known by sacrifice, while the cross, patience and resignation are fruits that produce only grace and love.

Jesus continues to emphasize that the cross is a treasure.  And where is the most secure place to put this precious treasure in safety?  The soul is the most secure place when she is disposed with patience, with resignation and with the other virtues to receive this treasure, for the virtues are many keys that guard it from being squandered and exposed to thieves, and if this treasure does not find especially the golden key of patience, it will find many thieves that will steal and squander it.  In addition, every suffering that the soul suffers is a dominion of herself that acquires more because patience in suffering is regime.  Ruling herself, the more the soul suffers, the more dominions she acquires and she does nothing but expand and enlarge her kingdom of Heaven, purchasing immense riches for eternal life.  For every additional thing that one suffers, one acquires another kingdom in her own soul, which is a kingdom of grace corresponding to a reign of virtue and glory.

In his letter to the Colossians, the apostle Paul exhorts us to clothes ourselves with patience: “Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Col 3:12).  It is up to us, therefore, not to God, to cloth ourselves with patience.  It is our responsibility to do it, because what will happen to us in the future depends on how we cloth ourselves.  Just as in the natural we dress ourselves daily, so also in the spiritual we must wear the garment of patience every day, not occasionally.

Once again Jesus explains to Luisa how patience feeds the virtues.  Patience is the nourishment of perseverance, because patience keeps the passions in their place and strengthens all the virtues, and the virtues, receiving the act of continuous life from patience, do not feel the fatigue that inconstancy produces, so easy to the creature.  Therefore the soul does not get despondent if she is mortified or humiliated because patience immediately administers to her the necessary food and forms there a stronger and more stable knot of perseverance.

We must exercise our patience, above all, in our relationship with God.  When the fruit of the Spirit grows and becomes more mature, so does the quality of our relationship with God, ceasing the monologue and starting the listening.  The Scriptures urge us to learn how to wait in silence and to place ourselves in a listening position in order to be able to grasp the counsel of God, knowing that the first to have patience is God, who waits for everyone to come to repentance.  If at times there are moments of temptation, we must not get disturbed.  For Jesus reassures us, telling Luisa that often it is He who leads the soul into the depths of the abyss in order to be able to then lead her more directly to Heaven.  Furthermore, patience, humiliation, the offering to God of that which one suffers in times of temptation form the satisfying bread that one gives to our Lord and that He accepts with much delight.

Let us strive, then, to put on patience and fortify ourselves in it.  Let us reflect on the negative effects produced by our lack of patience and ask God to forgive us for the tensions and resentments that its absence in us has produced in our lives.  Let us try to always keep the smile in our eyes, peace on our face and sweetness in our words.

Father Mariano from Torino, whose heroic virtues were recognized, used to say: “I don’t know if there is a saint by the name of Patience, but there should be because it is necessary; in fact, three things are needed for living: a pinch of science, a spoonful of prudence and a barrel of patience”.

If there isn’t a saint by the name of Patience, it is however certain that patience is sanctifying.

Tonia Abbattista

1 . The Large majority of humanity shall be gone after the Chastisements:
V2 – Oct. 4 1899 – “My daughter, man is a product of the Divine Being, and since Our food is love, always reciprocal, alike and constant among the Three Divine Persons, since he came out of Our hands and from pure and disinterested love, he is like a particle of Our food. Now, this particle has become bitter for Us; not only this, but the majority of them, by moving away from Us, have made themselves pasture for the infernal flames and food for the implacable hatred of demons, Our capital enemies and theirs. This is the Main Cause of Our sorrow in the loss of souls: they are Ours – they are something that belongs to Us. Likewise, the cause that pushes Me to chastise them is the Great Love that I have for them, so as to place their souls in Safety.”

2. The Blessed Mother shall Mark all Her little children of the Divine Will and they shall not be harmed by the Chastisements:
V33 – June 6, 1935 – “You Must Know that I always Love My children, My beloved creatures. I would eviscerate Myself in order to not see them stricken, So Much So that in the mournful times that shall come, I have placed them all into the hands of My Celestial Mama. I have entrusted them to Her, so that She keeps them secure for Me under Her mantle. I shall give to Her all those that She shall want, death itself shall not have power over those who shall be in the custody of My Mama.” Now while He said this, my dear Jesus made me see with deeds that the Sovereign Queen descended from Heaven with an indescribable Majesty and a Tenderness all Maternal, and She went around in the midst of creatures in all the nations and She Marked Her dear children, and those who Must Not be touched by the scourges.”

3. The Chastisements shall have little or no effect upon the little children of the Divine Will:
V33 – June 6, 1935 –“…Each one My Celestial Mama touched, the scourges had no power to touch those creatures. Sweet Jesus gave the right to His Mama of placing in safety whomever She pleased. How moving it was to see the Celestial Empress making her Round through all the parts of the world, that She took them in Her Maternal Hands, She entrusted them to Her bosom, she hid them under Her Mantle, so that no evil could harm those whom Her Maternal Goodness kept in Her custody, guarded and defended. O! if everyone could see with how Much Love and Tenderness the Celestial Queen did this Office, they would cry from consolation, and they would Love She who Loves them So Much.

4. The Survivors of the Chastisements shall be the little children of the Holy Divine Will:
V36 – Oct. 2, 1938 – “Daughter, I wanted to do this, by winning man through My Love, but human perfidy does not allow Me. Therefore I shall use Justice. I shall sweep the earth, I shall take away all the harmful creatures who, like poisoned plants, poison the innocent plants. Once I have purified everything, My Truths shall find the way to Give to the Survivors the Life, the Balm and the Peace that They contain; and everybody shall receive Them, Giving Them the kiss of Peace, to the confusion of those who did not believe in Them and even condemned Them. My Truths shall Reign and I shall have My Kingdom on earth: My Will be done on earth as It is in Heaven. Therefore, once again, let’s not move in anything. Let’s do Our Way and We shall Sing Victory; they can do their way, in which they shall find confusion and shame of themselves. It shall happen to them as to the blind, who don’t believe in the light of the sun because they don’t see it: they shall remain in their blindness, while those who See It shall Enjoy and Show Off the Goods of the Light with Complete Happiness.”

Fiat!

Act of Reparation for the First Saturdays of the Month
(Click here for the Website)

O Most Holy Virgin, and Our Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns placed therein at every moment by the blasphemies and ingratitude of ungrateful humanity. We are moved by the ardent desire of loving you as Our Mother and of promising a true devotion to Your Immaculate Heart.

We therefore kneel before You to manifest the sorrow we feel for the grievances that people cause You, and to atone by our prayers and sacrifices for the offenses with which they return your love. Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. Hasten the conversion of sinners that they may love Jesus Christ and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended. Turn you eyes of mercy toward us, that we may love God with all our heart on earth and enjoy Him forever in Heaven.

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, and tender Mother of men, in accordance with thy ardent wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate to thy Immaculate Heart myself, my brethren, my country and the whole human race. Reign over us, Most Holy Mother of God, and teach us how to make the Heart of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ reign and triumph in us even as It has reigned and triumphed in thee. Reign over us, dearest Mother, that we may be thine in prosperity and in adversity; in joy and in sorrow; in health and in sickness; in life and in death. O most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Virgins, watch over our minds and our hearts and preserve them from the deluge of impurity which thou didst lament so sorrowfully at Fatima. We want to be pure like thee. We want to atone for the many sins committed against Jesus and thee. We want to call down upon our country and the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity.

Therefore, we now promise to imitate thy virtues by the practice of a Christian life without regard to human respect. We resolve to receive Holy Communion on the First Saturday of every month and to offer thee five decades of the rosary each day together with our sacrifices in a spirit of reparation and penance. Amen.

The History of the Five First Saturday’s of the Month
(Click here for the Website)

On the 13th May 1917, Our Lady first mentioned devotion to her Immaculate Heart to the children of Fatima saying “You have seen hell, where souls of poor sinners go.  To save them God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.  If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.”

On the 10th December 1925, Our Lady appeared to Lucia detailing how devotion to her Immaculate Heart was to be practiced.  These words are from Sr Lucia’s own account:

“… by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was a child. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on her shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child said:

“Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them.”

Then the most holy Virgin said:

“Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”

How to Practice the Five First Saturday’s Devotion

1)    Confession: Make a good confession during the 8 days prior to the first Saturday with the intention of offering reparation for the offences against Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.

2)    Communion.  You should attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion with the intention of offering reparation for the offences against Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.

3)    The Communion should be received on the first Saturday of the month.

4)    The confession must be repeated for 5 consecutive months, without interruption, otherwise you must recommence from the beginning.

5)    Recite 5 decades of the Holy Rosary with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart

6)    15 minutes meditation on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.  Accompany Our Lady by meditating on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.  This can be done by reading the biblical texts of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary slowly thinking of their content.  You could meditate on one mystery for 15 minutes at the end of the prayer as Sr Lucia did.  This meditation is in addition to the recitation of the Rosary.

7)    Say the prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to conclude the devotion.

Why five Saturdays?

Our Lord told Sr Lucia that the 5 Saturdays represent the offences against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

My daughter, the reason is simple. There are five types of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1. Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception;
2. Blasphemies against Her Virginity;
3. Blasphemies against Her Divine Maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize Her as the Mother of men;
4. The blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference, or scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother;
5. The offenses of those who outrage Her directly in Her holy images. Here, my daughter, is the reason why the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspired Me to ask for this little act of reparation. . (May 29,1930)

Confession
Sister Lucia clarified what should be done if confession cannot be made on the first Saturday of the month:

“My Jesus! Many souls find it difficult to confess on Saturday. Will Thou allow a confession within eight days to be valid He replied:

Yes. It can even be made later on, provided that the souls are in the state of grace when they receive Me on the First Saturday and that they had the intention of making reparation to the Sacred Heart of Mary. – My Jesus!

And those who forget to form this intention?

They can form it at the next confession, taking advantage of their first opportunity to go to confession. (February 15, 1926)”

Communion

During a revelation by Our Lord on the 29th May 1930, Sr Lucia clarified what one should do if all the conditions for the devotion, like the receipt of Holy Communion, could not be fulfilled on the first Saturday.
Our Lord said: “The practice of this devotion will be equally accepted on the Sunday following the first Saturday, when, for just reasons, My priests will allow it.”

Spiritual Attitude towards the devotion

Our Lady promised that She would “assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation” the souls who make the first five Saturdays.  However, it is important that the desire to console Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart by making reparation and growing in holiness is the main motivation for the practice.  To underline this fact, Our Lord told Sr Lucia:

“It is true, my daughter, that many souls begin the First Saturdays, but few finish them, and those who do complete them do so in order to receive the graces that are promised thereby. It would please me more if they did Five with fervour and with the intention of making reparation to the Heart of your heavenly Mother, than if they did Fifteen, in a tepid and indifferent manner…” (15th February 1926)