My Lent 2023 began with the news that Amber Vanvickle had passed away. I had been praying for Amber’s healing for almost 3 years and it was surreal to hear the news of her death, just as Lent started. For those who are not familiar with the Vanvickle family, Amber was the wife of Dave Vanvickle, a Catholic evangelist and speaker. I first came upon their story when I heard Dave speak at a Steubenville Conference. I was moved by their struggles in raising three special needs children who suffered a multitude of health challenges including cerebral palsy, spina bifida and stroke. The amount of suffering this young family endured seemed to me to be of Job-like proportions.

The family was devastated at finding out that three of their five children were born with numerous health challenges and disabilities. Apparently, the doctors were baffled as the family had no genetic history of these diseases and they were told that the odds of something like this happening was like someone winning the mega millions lottery, twice in their lifetime. While already dealing with so much heartbreak related to the diagnosis of their children, the family was dealt with another blow when Amber was suddenly diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at the young age of 37. She bravely fought the disease for 3 years and finally laid down her cross on 2/23/23. You can read more about Amber’s story here https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/amber-vanvickle-requiescat-in-pace and https://aleteia.org/2023/03/05/in-sickness-and-suffering-amber-vanvickle-witnessed-to-christs-love/ .

The news of Amber’s death made me reflect on suffering. Why are some of us called to share in so much suffering? As you know, our Lord himself suffered during His time on earth. Just before Jesus began His mission, He undertook a fast for 40 days with no food or water in the desert and then of course, 3 years later went through His excruciating passion and death on the cross – all for the love of us.  In Lent, we are called to imitate and share in Christ’s suffering in a small way. By undertaking small Lenten sacrifices and giving up on little things as part of our Lenten journey, we do our part in imitating our Lord. As Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me”. The suffering and sacrifices are meant to be of redemptive nature and will help transform us into a better version. The sacrifices can help in making reparation for our sins, but we can also help the body of Christ and even the whole world by willingly making small acts of sacrifices.

Redemptive suffering is human suffering that when accepted and offered up in union with the Passion of Jesus can remit the punishment for one’s sins or sins of another.  It is a true mystery, how suffering will serve the purposes of God and as Mark Mallet said recently in his blog the NOW WORD – Let us pray that all the collective suffering in our fallen world somehow brings this generation back to the Father, like prodigal sons and daughters. As we wind down and come to the final stretch of our Lenten journey this year, let us aim to continue to make those small sacrifices – not just for these 40 days but throughout the year. Our Lady of Fatima asked us to offer in reparation our own personal crosses and trials of life and make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners on an ongoing basis during her apparition, some 100 years ago. Let us keep these words in our mind as we journey through life - “Pray much and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to make sacrifices for them” (The Blessed Mother on August 19, 1917).