That tremendous fact of the Crucifixion of God illuminates the whole scene of human suffering as a flash of lightning lights up the darkest storm: God himself has of his own free will entered into this hostile world and personally shared in its suffering.

That is a truth which, if it does not explain the mystery of suffering, at any rate raises it to a higher level where to the Christian believer it ceases to be a problem because it is infused with the knowledge of God’s love for humankind as proved by his willing participation in human suffering.

And the added knowledge that in his love for us he came down to our level in order to transform us and raise us to his level, there to share our lives with him both here and hereafter, that knowledge makes sense of human life in spite of all its suffering.