Every year on Pesach (Passover) Jewish families worldwide gather around the dinner table for the Jewish ritual of remembrance known as a Seder (order). On that night, at some point, a young child will get to ask “the four questions” to the leader, in the form of a beautiful Hebrew song known as the Ma Nishtanah. The song’s theme revolves around the question: “Why is this night different from all the other nights?” The Father or grandfather then proceeds to explain why the night of Pesach is so different.
He attended Rosh Hashanah services in Buenos Aires in 2007 and has been seen supporting the Jewish community of Argentina for more than a few decades. This Pope appears to be a genuine friend of the Jews, which is a novel concept in 2000 years of papacy. At least this is the consensus amongst the broader Jewish community.
But if history is our witness, we have seen a plethora of Popes, one after the other annul and reinstate anti-Jewish laws. So I say that even though the new pontiff shows good faith towards the Jewish community, it is too early to tell the ramifications that his relations with our people will have.Only time will tell!
2000 years of persecution vastly at the hands of the Catholic Church cannot be erased by a couple of statements or even a couple of community partnership between the pontiff (then cardinal) and a few rabbis and/ or synagogues. Last monday, he was quoted saying:“Because of our common roots, a true Christian cannot be anti-Semitic.” I applaud that statement on the basis of its biblical veracity but I will await more action on the part of the Catholic Church and this new Pope. Only time will tell!
In an age of renewed anti-Semitism worldwide from all fronts, I remain skeptical. I really pray that this Pope would be different from all the other Popes. If he takes his Bible seriously, he can only come to the conclusion that God loves the Jewish people and is not done with Israel (Romans 9, 10, 11). Additionally, if he really searches his heart and the Scriptures, he will realize that he is just another sinner saved by God’s grace. NOW THAT WOULD MAKE HIM A POPE DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER POPES!
#antisemitism #newantisemitism #popeandthejews