(Pillars of Faith) — My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
There are moments in the Gospel where even the apostles – those closest to Our Lord – encounter a kind of evil that requires something more.
They had been sent out.
They had preached.
They had cast out demons in His name.
And yet, in one moment, they found themselves unable to free a man’s afflicted son.
Not because Christ’s power was lacking. Not because His authority was diminished. But because something deeper was revealed.
When they came to Our Lord, they asked Him quietly: “Why could not we cast him out?”
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And Our Lord answered with words that must echo in every age, but especially in ours: “But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:20-21).
Christ’s authority is always sufficient. There is no power of darkness that can stand against Him. But He reveals something here about our participation – our cooperation with grace. That there are moments when we are called not simply to act … but to prepare … to humble ourselves … to pray … and to fast. Because in the mystery of God’s providence, He allows us to share – truly share – in the battle against evil.
And for us, living in this world, that means this:
There are some things that will not change …
There are some evils that will not be driven back …
Without prayer –
And without fasting.
And when we look at the world around us, we must ask honestly: Are we living in such a time? Because what we are witnessing is not simply confusion. It is something darker.
In recent months, disturbing revelations have surfaced – revealing grave corruption at the highest levels of society. The emerging information connected to the Epstein network of evil has exposed a world of exploitation – trafficking – abuse – and profound moral depravity involving powerful individuals across finance, politics, entertainment, and academia. The exploitation of the innocent. The trafficking of children. The shielding of evil through wealth and power. And many are only now beginning to grasp the depth of this darkness. But this should not surprise us.
Because when a society turns away from the law of God … It does not remain neutral. It descends into darkness. And when the most vulnerable – the innocent, especially children – are harmed … That sin cries out to heaven.
Pope Pius XII warned: “Perhaps the greatest sin in the world today is that men have begun to lose the sense of sin.” And is this not exactly what we see? Not only rampant sin … But the loss of even the awareness of sin.
In times past, our society could at least acknowledge that some beliefs, some actions were taboo, and those who engaged in gravely sinful activities did so privately and with a sense of their own culpability. But now, as our culture has descended further and further into darkness, sin is often encouraged and even promoted. “Shout your abortion!” they say. “Celebrate your pride! Follow your truth!” But where does it lead?
Sacred Scripture speaks with clarity: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice” (Romans 1:18).
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols. For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief” (Colossians 3:5-6).
“Behold, the day of the Lord shall come, a cruel day, and full of indignation, and of wrath, and fury, to lay the land desolate, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it” (Isaiah 13:9).
These are not easy words. But they are true. And they remind us that when grave evil spreads through a society … Silence is not an option.
But neither is outrage enough. We can speak. We can condemn. We can expose. But if we stop there … We have not yet done what Heaven is asking of us. Because Our Lord has already told us:
This kind is not cast out … but by prayer and fasting.
And this brings us to something the modern world has nearly forgotten. Fasting.
We live in a time that avoids sacrifice. Avoids discomfort. Avoids penance. Even among the faithful, prayer may remain … But fasting has largely disappeared. And yet, it is one of the most powerful weapons God has given us.
St. Basil the Great teaches: “Fasting gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful; fasting makes lawgivers wise. Fasting is a good safeguard for the soul, a steadfast companion for the body, a weapon for the valiant, and a gymnasium for athletes” (Homily on Fasting).
Fasting humbles us. It disciplines the flesh. It turns us away from ourselves and toward God. It becomes an act of reparation – not only for our own sins, but for the sins of others.
And in a world where sin has become public … entrenched … protected … Reparation is not optional.
We do not understand it. Not fully. And so we do not respond as we should.
If we want to understand what God is asking of us now, we must turn to Scripture. To a story many know – but perhaps have not fully considered. The story of Jonah.
God called Jonah to go to Nineveh – a great city, known for its wickedness – and to proclaim a warning. Repent … or face destruction. But Jonah did not want to go. He fled. He turned away from the mission God had given him. And we know what followed.
The storm. The casting of lots. The sea. And Jonah, swallowed by the great fish. Three days … in the depths. A place of darkness. A place of reckoning. A place where Jonah could no longer run. And there, he turned back to God. And God, in His mercy, gave him the mission again.
Go to Nineveh. And this time … Jonah went. He entered the city and proclaimed the warning: Destruction is coming. There was no softening of the message. No negotiation. No strategy. ONLY TRUTH.
And what followed is one of the most extraordinary moments in salvation history.
Scripture tells us: “And the men of Nineveh believed in God: and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least” (Jonah 3:5).
The people believed. Even the king humbled himself. He rose from his throne … laid aside his robe … and clothed himself in repentance. And he commanded that all should fast. And he said, in humility: “Who can tell if God will turn and forgive?” There was no presumption. Only repentance. Only humility. Only a cry for mercy.
And God saw their works. He saw that they turned from evil. And He withheld the punishment.
St. Augustine gives us a profound insight: “Do you wish your prayer to fly toward God? Make for it two wings: fasting and almsgiving.”
Prayer alone is powerful. But joined with fasting – it rises. It reaches.
And now we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to respond like Nineveh? Because we are not better than Nineveh. We are witnessing corruption that is deep … systemic … and gravely evil.
Therefore, what must we do? We must do what they did!
And for this reason, we are launching what we are calling the Nineveh Fast.
This is not a political effort. It is not a campaign of human solutions. It is turning to God. A cry to heaven. A recognition that what we are facing cannot be solved by human strength alone.
This effort will begin on Friday, March 27th, and will continue on the fourth Friday of each month, for the next eight months – for a total of nine days of fasting.
Each of these days will be offered:
- In reparation for grave sins – especially those committed against the innocent.
- In petition for God’s mercy upon our nation and our world.
- In prayer for healing for those who have suffered abuse and exploitation.
- And in supplication for the conversion of hearts – especially those in positions of influence.
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This is an invitation to all. The great and the small. The known and the unknown. Just as in Nineveh.
How should this fast be observed? Each according to their ability. Some may undertake a stricter fast – bread and water. Others may follow the traditional practice: One full meal … and two smaller meals. And for those unable to fast from food, other sacrifices may be offered. But it must be united to prayer.
We encourage:
Holy Mass
The Rosary
The Divine Mercy Chaplet
Eucharistic Adoration
The Divine Office
Spiritual reading
Because fasting without prayer becomes only hardship.
And for those who feel called to take part in this – you can go to NinevehNovena.org to learn more.
That is:
N-I-N-E-V-E-H…N-O-V-E-N-A … dot org.
There you will find prayers … guidance … and a way to take part in this call to repentance and mercy for our world.
Scripture gives us hope:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity” (1 John 1:9).
“Be penitent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).
“ … For the Lord your God is merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him” (2 Chronicles 30:9).
This is not a message of despair. It is a message of urgency. And hope. Because the same God who spared Nineveh … Still reigns. Still sees. Still responds. But the question is not what God will do. The question is, what will we do?
There is still time. But we must act. Because Our Lord has already told us what is required: “This kind is not cast out … but by prayer and fasting.”
Join us beginning March 27th. Let us cry out together … not in anger … but in repentance. Not in fear … but in faith. And let us beg God for what only He can give. MERCY.
And may Almighty God bless you,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
Reprinted with permission from Pillars of Faith.
