Christians entering this Lenten season may have a hard time making traditional symbolic sacrifices in an economy that has already taken away so much: jobs, homes, savings, security.
But for some, these tough times are a lesson unto themselves, providing instruction to the faithful that is far more effective than giving up chocolate, booze or Twitter.
''It refocuses one's objectives and beliefs, really,'' said Alda Houser, a clerk at the Holy Family Thrift Store in east Allentown where business has been rising on the tide of the economic meltdown. ''Since you can't be out there as a consumer, there's less distraction and more time for family and friends.''
Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday, and lasts 40 days, until Easter. Reflecting Christ's 40 days of fasting and temptation in the desert, Lent is supposed to turn the gaze of the faithful away from this tumultuous world and toward the promise of the next.
In the early church, Lenten discipline was severe and included lengthy periods of fasting. Today, Catholics and many Protestants traditionally observe the season by sacrificing some pleasure -- a favorite food or activity -- and taking on a new discipline, such as volunteering for charity.
''By giving up something that we like, some small, perfectly appropriate and legitimate pleasure, we are exercising our faith that this life is not all there is,'' said the Rev. William Seifert, pastor of St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Church in Allentown.
Look at the state of the world this Lent. Some see evidence of divine chastisement not only in the failing economy but in the wars and earthquakes and other wretched news endlessly scrolling across television screens.
''We'd better make it a good Lent. This world needs prayer,'' said Pat Kastelnik of Bethlehem, shopping at the Holy Infancy religious goods store in south Bethlehem. ''The Lord is saying, 'Wake up. Pay attention to your family. Pay attention to me.' Ash Wednesday is about reminding people of their mortality, because when it's over here, it ain't over.''
But the Rev. Patrick Malloy, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Allentown, said the human toll from the harsh economy isn't coming from the hand of an angry God.
''It's not God's will that people be frightened,'' he said. ''That said, it really does make people ask what's important. But the human misery coming from this is really not of God, I know it's not.''
Malloy said the lesson of Lenten sacrifice ''is not to be miserable but to give up the illusion that anything, in the long run, is going to make us happy. Everything disappears. One of the things the discipline of Lent does is to help you say, 'I will stop running from that. I will try to make peace with it and realize there is a God bigger than all of this.' I don't think of the Lenten discipline as a way to punish oneself but to re-orient oneself to what's really real.''
Houser, the thrift store clerk, also sees a salutary effect in these tough times, ''a correction in the economy and the moral compass of the people.'' But she's still planning to make her usual Lenten sacrifice. ''I give up pasta, because I'm Italian, and that's a big thing,'' she said. ''And sweets. I'll pass anything up, even lobster, for a piece of cake.''
Bob and Betty Boyle of Hellertown, customers at Houser's store, said they no longer fast for Lent -- ''You get to be in your 70s, you're lucky to get out of bed in the morning,'' Betty said -- but they donate time and money when they can.
Bob Boyle said hard times ought to prompt people to be more grateful.
''Times are tougher, no doubt,'' he said. ''But you've got it better than a lot of people. You've just got to look around.''
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