Beneath the Cross: Meditations on the Seven Last Words

Review\n"On Good Friday 2020 at St. Patrick's Cathedral, we had the magnificent preaching of Bishop Colacicco's Meditations on the Seven Last Words. This remembrance, preserved in the book Beneath the Cross is precious to me, and surely will be to the many readers who ponder these meditations in written form."
- Msgr. Robert Ritchie, Rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral\n"Bishop Colacicco uses great imagination without straying from the essential messages of the biblical accounts. . . . These meditations would appeal to almost any age group, from children to teenagers, to adults. . . . you will find yourself in the shoes of each character and will come to appreciate the elaboration of each one, applying it to your own life."
- Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite\n"We thank you, Bishop Colacicco, for bringing us closer to the wood of the Cross . . . at a time we sure needed it!"
- Cardinal Timothy Dolan, from the book's Foreword
". . . One does not have to be a Roman Catholic to benefit from this book. Indeed, one does not even need to be religious. Anyone will be moved by the accounts."
- Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite\n"I found Beneath the Cross to be a profoundly moving experience. It's as if the author dwelled deep inside the mind and heart of each individual."
- Elizabeth Townsend, artist\n"I could easily see these powerful meditations presented by a drama ministry . . . perhaps as part of a passion play, or as a stand-alone performance."
- John Robinson, teacher
--(Excerpts from early reviews of Beneath the Cross)\nFrom the back cover . . .
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED?
Did the woman caught in adultery ever again cross paths with Jesus? Did the newlyweds from Cana ever meet with Him after their miraculous wedding? Did any of those healed by Our Lord -- the blind man at the side of the road or the paralytic lowered from the roof -- ever again encounter Jesus after they had been healed?
Beneath the Cross invites the reader to ponder what might have happened to some beloved individuals whom Jesus had healed or transformed by His compassionate words and deeds. In his meditations on the Seven Last Words, Bishop Colacicco leads us up the hill of Calvary with people who have heard of Jesus trial and imminent crucifixion. They long to be with Him in His time of need -- just as He had been with them in theirs.
At the foot of the Cross, each hears Jesus' Seven Last Words and in turn is moved to recall the encounter with Him that changed their lives forever. --(Excerpts from back cover of Beneath the Cross)\nAn inspiring new devotional book for Lent . . .\nIn Beneath the Cross, Bishop Colacicco offers an original series of meditations on the Seven Last Words spoken by Jesus from the Cross. Each of the meditations is based on a Gospel account of a person who encountered Jesus during His public ministry and now, by way of the author's narrative, is drawn to Calvary to be with Jesus in His final hours and shares his or her personal reflections beneath the cross.
These meditations were delivered by Bishop Colacicco at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City on April 10, 2020, as part of the Three Hours (Tre Ore) liturgical service held annually on Good Friday to commemorate the Passion of Jesus Christ. This particular service, held during the coronavirus pandemic, was unlike any in recent memory. The bishop delivered his reflections to a nearly empty cathedral but the service was livestreamed, drawing thousands of viewers from all over the world on Good Friday 2020. Since then, more than 40,000 people have viewed Bishop Colacicco's meditations online.