The Way of the Boy Jesus

The Ascent to Passover is the second volume of The Way of the Boy Jesus, a four-book Catholic catechetical and devotional series centered on friendship with Jesus through contemplation of His childhood and youth.

This volume accompanies the twelve-year-old Jesus on His first pilgrimage to Jerusalem and through the celebration of Passover. It contains Phases 3 and 4 and Mysteries 11–21 of The Way of the Boy Jesus.

The first part follows Jesus as He journeys with His family and fellow pilgrims from Nazareth toward Jerusalem. This physical ascent becomes an image of the spiritual life: the reader is invited to make a more determined effort to grow in holiness and friendship with Jesus. Particular attention is given to faith, hope, and love—the theological virtues that draw the soul toward God—as well as the cardinal virtues, prayer, sacrifice, perseverance, and the struggle against temptation.

At Jerusalem, the journey reaches its summit in the Passover. The Jewish feast of deliverance from Egypt becomes a preparation for contemplating Christ’s own Paschal Mystery—His suffering, death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Through the experiences of the Boy Jesus during the feast, the reader is gradually introduced to the mystery of His future mission and redeeming love.

Sacred Scripture, imaginative narratives, Catholic teaching, the wisdom of saints and spiritual writers, prayer, and practical resolutions accompany the reader throughout the journey. Figures such as St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. John of the Cross help illuminate different stages of the ascent.

At its heart, The Ascent to Passover is an invitation to climb with the Boy Jesus toward Jerusalem—and to grow stronger, freer, and more generous in friendship with Him.