While some would argue that this is NOT the best time in history to be living (especially with the general moral and spiritual decline in our country, and the violence that is happening to adults, children and babies in the womb), there are many blessings that perhaps we take for granted. One of these is a health care system that now can treat and even cure illnesses that not long ago were untreatable anf often caused certain death. In addition, we now have the means to lessen the suffering of people through medicines and treatments including physical therapy. From a religious perspective, I believe we should give thanks to God for advances and efforts to keep people's pain level as low as possible whether it be short-term, long-term or at the end of people's lives. Of course, our faith tradition is definitely against efforts to end some people's lives in the name of mercy towards them and their situation. Active and even passive euthanasia, and certainly physician assisted suicide go against our call to protect human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our faith in Jesus Christ, who suffered greatly and willingly for us can (and I hope has or will) help us to persevere in mental, physical and/or emotional suffering that cannot be completely taken away by medicine, counselling or other means. We can and we should pray for healing and strength from God for ourselves or others who are suffering and also ask the Lord to help us and others join our suffering to that of Christ's suffering with the same confidence that Jesus had that the suffering he had to endure (especially through his passion and death) would be for some good! That's why the Lenten Season puts a special emphasis on praying the "Stations of the Cross" either individually or in community as we prepare for the commemoration of Jesus's "Paschal Mystery" during the Easter Triduum. Recalling and meditating on Jesus' suffering from the time of his trial and sentence of death by crucifixion to the moment he died on the cross, can help us and prepare us to persevere in any suffering we will have that cannot be taken away totally through man-made means. History is full of people who suffered without much if any pysical relief and who did so, not cursing God, but praising God and counting on God's help and Christ's example of patient suffering to persevere knowing that like Christ's suffering led to his eternal glory. OUrs, we trust, will have the same result beyond what we can imagine. We have two more community stations of the cross (March 24 & 31 at 6:00 p.m). and we always offer stations of the cross booklets for your individual use at any time.