February 11, 2008

• Question 39 - Prayer for the Jews

  Question 39 - Prayer for the Jews

   

  Robert:

   

  I know that people are all in an uproar about Pope Benedict's revision of the traditional prayer for the Jews.....yet is seems to me the bigger issue is that the collective group of Jews is referref to as "Israel"....this seems to imply that the Catholic Church is not now "Israel" and would tend to give some subtle credence to the idea that the people of the Old Covenant are in any way still the chosen people.

   

  I may be gagging at gnats and swallowing camels. I may also be woefully ignorant of prior Church and/or Father references to Jews as a people being referred to as Israel. I was interested in your take on the matter.

   

  thanks, Albert

   

  R. Sungenis: Albert, in the context of Romans 11 to which the pope was referring, it does, indeed, refer to the historic Israel comprised of Jews. Paul opened the chapter and stated that he himself was of the tribe of Benjamin, and used that as proof that God has not cut the Jews off from salvation. But the chapter has no discussion about whether the Jews are the chosen people. If anything, Romans 9:4-5 says the Jew were ONCE the chosen people, but no longer have that status. Instead, they are to be engrafted back into the olive tree, which is Christ, just as the Gentiles were (Romans 11:14-23), so that both Jew and Gentile together will be the Chosen People of God.

  • 11:56 am
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