Word to the Wise
Saturday, May 5, 2007 - Saturday in the Fourth Week of Easter
[Acts 13:44-52 and John 14:7-14]It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
No question about it, the above lines represent a big evangelical policy change. But they belie the anguish expressed by Paul in his Letter to the Romans. He was, by his own words, a Hebrew of Hebrews - an educated and dedicated Jew! He says in Rom 11:28: "in respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in repect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs. For the gifts and call of God are irrevocable." So, the lines in Acts seem more spoken in anger than the mature reflection in Romans. The policy change however made the difference. Christianity grew from its Jewish roots and became a new plant. It is not the evangelical policy of the Catholic Church in our time to "convert the Jews." That does not mean we should not share our faith with them appropriately. We should remember the words of St. Paul about God's call to them being irrevocable. We should remember that we share scriptures with them. We should remember to love them as we do other brothers and sisters since they may indeed represent Christ to us on occasion. AMEN
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