. . . "[M] eet Jesus, who suffered, so that when we are suffering we know God is with us through our suffering; meet Jesus, who was utterly alone by the end of the story, so that when we feel alone we know God is with us in our aloneness; meet Jesus, who cried out in despair, so that when feel ready to give up, we know that God holds onto us; meet Jesus, who died, so that we know God understands death, and the fear of death, and reminds us that death does not have the last word; meet Jesus, who meets us exactly where we are, just the way we are, with open arms just like the father of the prodigal son.". . .