Embracing the Mystery of Suffering

This issue of Traces also has a letter written by an Italian woman who wonderfully expresses the Christian response to real suffering:

certain things happen because they are part of the Father's mysterious plan, and the problem for us is not to insist on trying to understand the mystery, but to experience that it is good. The greatness of the humanity of Christ, who calls his betrayer "Friend," or the testimony of real men like Fr. Kolbe, who led his executioner to affirm the good, or like you [Msgr. Giussani] who explain life and its meaning to us... confirms me, without a shadow of a doubt, in this certainty of a good and positive destiny.

In my mind, real suffering cannot be overcome by seeking an intellectually-satisfying answer, but only by looking to Christ and Him Crucified, and embracing Him.