Seven Last Words An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus [Hardcover]

Based on his talks at New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Good Friday 2015, theNew York Timesbestselling author and editor at large ofAmericamagazine offers a portrait of Jesus, using his last words on the cross to reveal how deeply he understood our predicaments, what it means to be fully human, and why we can turn to Christ completely, in mind, heart, and soul.

Each meditation is dedicated to one of the seven sayings:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

“Woman, this is your son”  . . .  “This is your mother.”


“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”


“I thirst.”


“It is finished.”


“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

With the warmth, wisdom, and grace that infuse his works, Father James Martin explains why Jesus’s crucifixion and death on the cross is an important teaching moment in the Gospels. Jesus’s final statements, words that are deeply cherished by his followers, exemplify the depth of his suffering but also provide a key to his empathy and why we can connect with him so deeply.

New York Timesbestselling author James Martin, SJ, offers a vivid and compelling portrait of Jesus based on the Messiah’s dramatic last words on the cross. Father Martin shows how deeply Jesus understands our struggles and why we can turn to him completely—in mind, heart, and soul. Based on Martin’s homilies at New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Good Friday 2015, each meditation reflects on one of the seven traditional sayings:

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

“Truly I tell you, today yolÃ)