Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
James Martin, S.J.March 19, 2018

Examen

Subscribe to “The Examen” for free on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to “The Examen” for free on Google Play

A few weeks ago, I made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, with a group of 100 pilgrims. I’ve been there several times now, which has been a real surprise, since I never thought I would ever go. While we were there, it was announced that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which houses the place where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, was going to be closed, for a number of political reasons. Needless to say, our pilgrims were crushed. So we had to talk about disappointment, an inevitable part of life.

Lent is a good time to think about disappointment, since the season leads up to not only Easter Sunday, but Good Friday. On Good Friday, Jesus was, to say the least, disappointed. Disappointed in his disciples’ abandoning of him. Disappointed that his message wasn’t heard: remember, he weeps over Jerusalem. And perhaps disappointed that crucifixion was his Father’s will. In the end, the church opened in time for us to visit, but the lesson was still a good one. Jesus understands you when you are disappointed. And I hope that this can help you feel close to him, and more able to share your own disappointments.

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
Deborah Henry
7 years 1 month ago

Jesus understands our disappointments and sees beyond our temporary circumstances; even fulfilling a desire for 'crushed pilgrims' to visit a tourist site. Our petty disappointments cannot even begin to compare with the crucifixion of Jesus. He was crushed beyond our comprehension.

The latest from america

Growing old isn’t something to be feared, but rather something to embrace as a time of grace in one’s life, Pope Francis wrote in a preface for a book that was not released before he died.
In this special Inside the Vatican roundtable, recorded the day after the pope’s death, hosts Gerard O’Connell and Colleen Dulle join their producer, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., for a heartfelt conversation about the life, legacy and final days of a pope who changed the Catholic Church—and changed them.
Inside the VaticanApril 23, 2025
A person’s heroes often point to their values. In Pope Francis’ case, the people he singled out for their heroic virtues reveal a great deal about his papal priorities.
For many Catholics older than me, Francis represented a cultural shift from previous pontificates. As a Gen-Z Catholic, Francis is the only pope I’ve known.
Connor HartiganApril 23, 2025