Digital Marian Helper Magazine Spring 2021

H ow to observe L ent when you ’ re already suffering F atigue, fever, chest pain, trouble breathing, vomit- ing, and coughing up blood. These are some of the symptoms of tuberculosis, the debilitating illness that ultimately took the life of St. Faustina in 1938 when she was just 33 years old. But they could easily describe the symptoms of the coronavirus — the illness that for the past year has dramatically changed all of our lives. As we approach the season of Lent, the season of pen- ance and sacrifice, which begins Feb. 17, many of you may be thinking to yourself, “Why should I choose to ‘suffer’ more, as a spiritual practice, when we’ve already suffered so much this year?” After all, social distancing, lockdowns, quarantines, and political unrest have caused many of us to feel lone- lier and more isolated than ever. Many business owners and their families have lost their livelihoods, while other businesses struggle to keep their doors open. Consider the impact the global pandemic has had on young children, whose most formative years took place during this crisis separated from their peers, educators, and pastors. Nearly all of us, to some extent, will experience the psychological effects of this global disaster for years to come. And what about those who had already been suf- fering before the pandemic? Surely it has magnified their pain. And of course, let’s not forget those who have tragi- cally suffered and died from the virus itself and the hundreds of thousands of families in the United States alone who have had to bid their loved ones goodbye. Though the arrival of a vaccination has served as a sign of hope for many, things haven’t yet gone back to 10 M arian H elper • S pring 2021 • marian . org P hoto by A nnika G ordon on U nsplash