Exodus 90 and Magnify 90 Programs Refocus Hearts and Minds on God

As Catholics, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world — and sometimes, we need that little extra push to strengthen our relationship with the Lord among all the distractions of our everyday lives. Through the Exodus 90 and Magnify 90 programs, men and women can drown out the noise, deepen their prayer lives, and grow in fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Exodus 90 (for men) and Magnify 90 (for women) are intense 90-day journeys that focus on the depths of your prayer life,” says Andrew Goldstein, who leads men’s groups for Exodus at the parish. “Exodus 90 gathers men into an intense experience of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity as they follow the journey of Moses and the Israelites through the desert from bondage to freedom. Magnify 90, the women’s companion program to Exodus, centers around the feminine genius, bringing women into a deeper awareness of virtue.”

“Each week focuses on a different virtue, and a different woman saint for each virtue,” says Jackie Shirley, who leads women’s groups for Magnify at the parish.

“Both of these experiences have grown organically from a few families that were interested in it four years ago,” Andrew adds. “They have since guided hundreds of men and women into a deeper prayer life.”

The ministry meets once a week over a 90-day period, which usually coincides with Lent, but can also take place during other times of the year.

“Both Exodus and Magnify are rooted in daily reading and reflection,” Andrew says. “Each has a different set of asceticisms to follow — for men, abstaining from screens, snacks, alcohol; taking cold showers; a daily holy hour, and extra times for Mass and confession.”

“For the women, 30 minutes of prayer is required daily including Mary’s Magnificat, Litany of Humility and Trust, as well as the Rosary. We also abstain from snacks between meals, screen time, alcohol, and meat on Fridays,” Jackie says. “There are different choices for women who are pregnant and breastfeeding who may not be able to fast or abstain, which is awesome because it makes Magnify accessible to all women — you’re never called to do anything you can’t physically do.”

The program includes asceticisms to help participants evaluate what things may be taking their focus away from God. By removing these distractions completely, participants can more clearly see where they struggle and directly address those struggles.

“None of these things, like snacking or TV, are inherently evil, but we don’t always realize that we make them into idols,” Jackie says. “They put our relationship with God on the back burner, and we fill ourselves with things in this world that may not be very good for us. To listen to what God is saying, you have to clear your head of the things that are taking your mind off of Him. The specific asceticism you need might not be on the list, but going through Magnify 90 will show you what you need to take away from your life so that you can hear God. It’s similar to what we do during Lent — it reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. It doesn’t mean we’re going to do it this way forever, but it’s all about creating a more balanced life.”

“It provides men the opportunity to be formed in faith by chipping away at our vices and our deepest struggles as modern-day men,” Andrew says. “It cuts straight to issues of over-drinking, pornography, lustfulness, gluttony, over-eating, lack of exercise, lack of free time, exhaustion, not feeling connected to God, and so on. These are things that so many men experience year after year, and without an intense regimen to address these things, it’s easy to let them run the daily lives of men. The program provides a path toward a life where these issues are conquered through prayer, disciplined living, and through fraternity with other men in a similar phase of life.”

Fellowship is a key pillar to both programs, and both Jackie and Andrew have experienced that camaraderie and solidarity.

“Our groups meet every week and discuss how the week before went,” Jackie says. “We talk about how God was speaking through the readings and prayer, as well as in our everyday lives. We have so many God sightings, and there is so much laughter and tears. It’s so beautiful to see how God is working in the lives of others and to share in each other’s struggles and joys. Through Magnify, I have become close to women I would never have met before — even though we had to meet on Zoom, it was still great to see these women every week.”

“In our ultra-comfortable modern-day society, it’s kind of unthinkable that a group of men would take ice-cold showers every morning on purpose,” Andrew says. “There’s a brotherhood through this kind of purifying experience. Men meet together weekly to discuss their journey, and coordinate time to attend adoration and Mass together. Past fraternities have also coordinated group hikes, polar plunges in the Puget Sound, home renovation and farming projects, service projects, and more.”

Over the last four years, over 100 men have completed at least one Exodus 90 program. Although Magnify 90 only started at the parish last year, shortly before the onset of the pandemic, three sessions have run so far. Some participants do the program once, others continue the exercise well beyond the 90 days, and others elect to do the program every year leading up to Easter. Andrew and Jackie recommend the programs to anyone hungry for an intense restart on their faith journey.

“A friend mentioned Exodus 90 to me five years ago, and I thought he was crazy for taking cold showers every day and carving out time to pray a daily holy hour,” Andrew says. “Eventually, though, this friend wore me down and invited me to Exodus 90. My first journey through the 90 days changed my life. I realized how much I was trying to control everything around me instead of submitting to God’s plan, and how much I relied on vices like Netflix to cope with stress and anxiety. Ultimately, Exodus 90 gave me tools to rightly order my relationship with God and with my family. If you’re interested in going on this journey, prayerfully consider your ‘why’ — what is drawing you to this, and what do you hope to gain on the other side of 90 days? Your ‘why’ is the most important first step on this journey, and will be an anchor for you as you journey toward freedom and a deeper relationship with God.”

“Andrew approached me in December of last year and asked me if I wanted to do Magnify 90,” Jackie says. “I agreed to do it but at first, I was kind of kicking and screaming! In the end, though, it was the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had. It gave me friends I never would have met before, and God really challenged me personally. It was such a renewal for me.”

If you feel like you might be spiritually in a desert, or if you’re hungry for community and hungry for God, or if you’re looking to seek out holiness and form virtuous friendships, then the Magnify and Exodus ministries are for you.

“We’re always being called to grow in holiness, and we all struggle — in a world that is super dark, it can be really difficult,” Jackie says. “These programs take you on a journey of refocusing on Christ, and how we are called to be a light to the world in a journey of darkness. If you’re willing to be vulnerable and put the work in, you will hear God speak. You will see Him working in magnificent and miraculous ways, and there is nothing more beautiful than that.”

New programs for Exodus 90 and Magnify 90 will begin in the new year! For more information, please contact Andrew Goldstein at agoldstein@saintmichaelparish.org or Jackie Shirley at jshirley@saintmichaelparish.org.