“Spiritually rewarding and uplifting.” — Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York New York Times  bestselling author and editor at large of  America  magazine Father James Martin reveals how we can turn to Christ completely in mind, heart, and soul. Martin offers a portrait of Jesus, using his last words on the cross to reveal how deeply he understood our predicaments and shows us what it means to be fully human. 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. “Spiritually rewarding and uplifting.” - Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York “This insight alone makes this book worth reading: Jesus endured suffering, so he understands ours. There is nothing more isolating than suffering, everyone’s suffering is largely incommunicable. Thus, in seeking to shoulder the sufferings of others we must pray to be able to hear the muffled cry.” - Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking “As I sat in the cathedral on Good Friday, I listened to Father Martin’s reflections on the Lord’s Seven Last Words, grateful for the spiritual renewal he was bringing to the faithful assembled in prayer on this most solemn day of the Church year.” - Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York “Father James Martin is one of the most brilliant philosophical minds of our times. His prolific career as a writer has brought to us the insight and awareness of service to others along with the need to incorporate Joy into our lives.” - OM Times “The renowned Jesuit, James Martin, offers reflections on Christ’s last words and refers to the type of ‘radical forgiveness’ Christ showed on the cross. It is very powerful, but very rare. Yet when we see it, we recognize it, he says.” - Crux A short but powerful work.” - Publishers Weekly “Wisdom is sprinkled throughout.” - Stuart Dunn “One of the most important religious voices in the country.” - Religion News Service “An inspiring, spirit-srengthening resource for anyone bearing the weight of their own or another’s suffering. “James Martin’s compassion breathes through this book.” - Joyce Rupp, author of Fly While You Still Have Wings “Tremendous... very moving.” - The Leaven “Martin’s book keeps coming back to the central point: Yes, Christians believe Jesus is divine-but, because he also was human, Jesus’s compassion is deeper than we may expect. . . . Readers will walk away feeling hopeful-and feeling a renewed commitment to help others in our world.” - Read the Spirit “When you struggle in the spiritual life, when you wonder where God is, when you pray in doubt and darkness, and even when you are close to despair, you are praying to someone who is fully human and fully divine, someone who understands you fully.” - America Magazine “Martin invites the reader to inhabit the gospels; to live out the Passion in the privacy of the mind. He knows how to render the familiar-yet-strange events of Good Friday in such a way that the reader does not so much relate to Jesus’ experience as taste it.” - The Tablet “Based on a series of reflections he delivered on Good Friday, 2015, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Fr. Martin preserves the sense of discursive intimacy with which he conducted the talks, while offering the reader the chance to engage the traditional Lenten exercise of prayerful meditation.” - Vatican Radio New York Times bestselling 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 you will be with me in Paradise.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “Woman, here is your son. . . . Here is your mother.” “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” “I am thirsty.” “It is finished.” With the warmth, wisdom, and grace that infuse all of his writings, Father Martin explains why Jesus’s words from the cross are so important for the life of the believer. For Jesus’s final statements show how deeply Jesus understands our hu