"Fact is stranger than fiction," it is often said, and this is one of those instances that proves that old adage true. According to Breaking News Israel, the Vatican's recognition of the State of Palestine has initiated such outrage among Zionist extremists that the Sanhedrin (yes, the successors to the people who unjustly condemned Jesus) now intends to convict Pope Francis of anti-semitism, if he does not abrogate his recognition of the Palestinian Nation. Well! Isn't it a strange day in the age of inter-religious dialogue?
It is a pity that the Holy Father will not outrage these people further by praying explicitly and in public that they acknowledge the Lord Jesus to be their Messiah and the Savior of all men. To be ecumenical, I will do so now in the words of an Anglican prayer:
O GOD, who didst choose Israel to be thine inheritance: Look, we beseech
thee, upon thine ancient people; open their hearts that they may see
and confess the Lord Jesus to be thy Son and their true Messiah, and,
believing, they may have life through his Name. Take away all pride and
prejudice in us that may hinder their understanding of the Gospel, and
hasten the time when all Israel shall be saved; through the merits of
the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
10 comments:
Henry Elgin:
When God decided to become a man he elected to become a Jewish man. Our Lady, St Joseph and most of Our Lord's Apostles are also Jewish.
Jesus Christ and his blessed mother are the only two perfect and completely sinless human beings who have ever existed; and indeed continue to exist. Both Jews.
The second person of the Holy Trinity is Jewish: God is Jewish.
Be careful what you say Henry; God dislikes anti-Semitism very much indeed; it is an insult to the Holy Trinity and therefore a Grave Matter.
Anonymous,
It's important to distinguish Jewish ethnicity from the Jewish religion, and even more important to distinguish Temple Judaism from Talmudic Judaism.
Ethnically, Jesus, his mother and the Apostles were, of course, Jews. Religiously, they practiced Temple Judaism until some years after the first Pentecost. In the the Acts of the Apostles, we see Christianity gradually distinguish itself from Temple Judaism, as the early Christians began to discern the superseding nature of the New Covenant. Temple Judaism came to a decisive end with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
But it's critical to understand that Jesus, the Apostles, and early Christians never practiced anything like the Talmudic Judaism we see today--a modification of Pharasaic Judaism that is actually younger than the Catholic Church, and that in several ways defines itself in opposition to it. The Catholic Church understands itself as the New Israel, and many of her liturgical practices, vestments, etc. are descended from those of Temple Judaism. We are the true inheritors of the ancient Jewish faith.
So yes, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity is an ethnic Jew, but he is not by any stretch of the imagination a modern religious Jew.
To my readers: Do remember that I hold to a stricter comments' policy than does Tancred. I have always asserted the right to delete comments I deem unacceptable.
Please note that in my original post, I spoke of "Zionist extremists" and not "Jews." Plenty of observant Jews, I imagine, hold the self-proclaimed "Sanhedrin" in about as much respect as I do, and such Jews can and should be our allies. We should pray for them especially.
PLEASE EVERYONE SPREAD THIS RULING AND LET IT ALL BE KNOWN!!! Shabbos Shalom
Max,
You observation that fact is stranger than fiction is and the rest of the first paragraph you wrote is so true, but I don't understand your line of reasoning in your last comment. You mention observant Jews you imagine who can and should be our allies. Catholics and some Jews rejecting a neo-Sanhedrin makes them simply decent historians. Please tell the reader what such Jews should, or even could, be our allies in if they do not accept Christ's Divinity?. Where does, so to speak, the "Zionist extremist" start and the "observant Jew" end? Is it like Jihadist vs. "moderate" Moslem? Please elucidate.
The traditional Catholic prayers for the Jews from Good Friday and the second day of the Octave for Church Unity:
Let us pray for the unbelieving, perfidious Jews, that the Lord our God may take away the veil that blinds their hearts, and that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Let us Pray.
O God, Who dost also manifest Thy omnipotence by mercy and compassion, listen to the prayers we offer up for the enlightenment of the unbelieving, perfidious Jews, that they may acknowledge the light of Thy truth, Which is Christ, and may be saved from their blindness. Grant, we beseech Thee, all-powerful God, that the remnant of the Jewish people may walk in the way of salvation; and by following the preaching of the blessed John, Thy Precursor, they may safely come to Him Whom he foretold, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord. Amen.
Let us Pray.
Most Sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, turn Thine eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Thy chosen people. Of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may It now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life. Amen.
Let us Pray.
God of goodness and Father of mercies, we beseech Thee, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and by the intercession of the Patriarchs and holy Apostles, to look with compassion upon the remnant of Israel, so that they may come to a knowledge of our only Savior, Jesus Christ, and share in the precious graces of Redemption. Amen.
Deception and offence is a cause of great evils.
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