Seven Last Words: An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus

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 human struggles and why we can turn to him completely, sharing all our hopes and fears with him.

Jesus Understands You

From the New York Times bestselling and award- winning author James Martin, SJ, comes a series of meditations on the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross, which reveal not only Jesus’s love and forgiveness, but also why we can confidently turn to him with our worries, fears, and even doubts.

“Spiritually rewarding and uplifting.”—Cardinal Timothy Dolan, from the Foreword

“This insight alone makes this book worth reading: Jesus endured suffering, so he understands ours.”—Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking

Praise for James Martin

“A masterful teacher and storyteller.”—Our Sunday Visitor

“Father Martin is a great spiritual teacher.”—Mary Karr, author of Lit

“A terrific storyteller . . . wise and entertaining.”—The Chicago Tribune “Martin is one of our most popular spiritual writers—and for good reason.”—Commonweal