The Fourth Word: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

In this fourth meditation of our Lenten series on the Seven Last Words of Christ, Fr. Leo Austin reflects on Jesus’ anguished cry from the Cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” With these words, Christ enters fully into the depths of human suffering, revealing both the weight of sin and his unwavering trust in God the Father. 

Fr. Leo invites us to bring our own moments of darkness and desolation to prayer, asking for the grace to trust God even when he seems distant, and to unite our suffering to Christ’s redemptive love. 

PAUSE & REFLECT 

• Who in my life can I lift up in prayer to free them from the power of darkness and entrust them to the light of Christ? 
• Where is the Holy Spirit prompting me to move my attention away from myself—my to-do list, my accomplishments, my shortcomings, my sins—and to refocus on God’s will for my life? 

LENT 2026 DEVOTIONAL 

Download our free PDF devotional, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections & Prayers from St. Josemaria Escriva, available in our online shop. 

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