Van Zeller believed that those who surrender to the pain and embrace it as a way to identify with the Passion of Christ discover its deeper meaning, replacing fear with trust, resistance with peace, and defeat with the “triumph of grace."
Hubert van Zeller (1905–1984) was a Benedictine monk who lived at the Downside Abbey in Bath, England. A gifted sculptor, his work can be found in churches in both Great Britain and the United States. Van Zeller is the author of many books on Catholic spirituality, including: Holiness: A Guide for Beginners, Prayer and the Will of God, and Spirit of Penance, Path to God. He was a friend of Catholic writers Msgr. Ronald Knox and Evelyn Waugh.
Al Kresta is president of Ave Maria Radio and host of Kresta in the Afternoon, which is heard on 220 radio stations and SiriusXM Radio. A former Protestant pastor who converted to Catholicism, he is the author of four books. Kresta’s ministry was deeply impacted by Hubert van Zeller’s book The Mystery of Suffering, which he read while recovering from a serious illness.