The Diary of Jesus Christ

As insightful and approachable a book as imaginable. Still. it was not an easy read. I had to take it a few pages at a time. This image of Jesus really challenged me, he is fleshed out in a very real way. Nothing overtly shocking (the recent depictions of Christ in the movies really turn my stomach) I was brought up in the Byzantine Catholic faith, and the remote icons of the Eastern Rite haunt me still. By some act of magic or faith, this book peels the flat icons of Christ from the walls of the cathedral, and brings him down to the church basement with the rest of us. I don't know what it means in terms of theology. I thought about the Pasolini film of The Gospel of St Matthew, another enigma to me. There too, the person called Jesus is painfully vulnerable, very often remote. and more than a little difficult to warm up to. But it's a flesh and blood person, and one I wanted to get to know better.After a long period of the pandemic isolation and an uneasy transition into the world again, this book did something wonderful. It made me appreciate quiet, and helped me want to be patient with other people and all their crazy problems.

Great view into the humanity of christ’s divinity.

This is perhaps the best fictional account of the life of Jesus since Kazantzakis wrote "The Last temptation of Christ." Cain combines theological acumen and creative storytelling through the lens of a diary in a unique manner that fills in the gaps in the gospels. The result is both highly entertaining and, more important, conducive to meditative reflection. Some might not always agree with his interpretation (eg In the story of Nathaniel (Jn 1:45-51) Jesus remarks that he saw Nathaniel under the fig tree engaging in a gay relationship and does not condemn him.), but Cain always presents Jesus in an authentic human manner who transcends the normal human propensities to be judgmental, vindictive, and unfaithful to the covenant. Jesus is also presented as someone who is not always sure of what his Father wants of him. Once again, Cain does a great job of probing the interior life of Jesus who, like all of us, is searching for the meaning of his life. Some may find this questioning by Jesus as incompatible with Jesus' divinity. Cain, to his credit, has taken fully to heart the insightful words of Paul that Christ "though he was in the form of God" took on "human form and humbled himself." (Phil 2:6-8) And perhaps nothing is more humbling than admitting one does not know himself or his destiny well. In conclusion, this book will lead the reader on a worthwhile journey into the mind of Jesus and into his own mind.

Charmed, amused, deeply touching insights into the person of Jesus. Don't just read these entries, pray with them.

I can’t quite remember why I bought this book and it sat on my kindle for months before I actually opened it, but then once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Absolutely marvelous. I’ve spent a lot of time with scripture and yet found it coming alive in whole new ways while reading this book. I plan to now pick it up and start reading it from the beginning again.

An extraordinary work of love, faith, and hope! An invitation to explore and experience the Jesus of the Gospels anew.

I have read it several times, and each time I’ve gotten even more out of it. The author brings the Gospel stories to life.

This book very quickly became my favorite idea of Jesus. Written by a Jesuit priest, it depicts Jesus as he struggles to fully realize and live out both his humanity and his divinity. I have gifted this book to at least 6 people, all of whom loved it. Do yourself a favor and read this book.